Colletotrichum chinense sp. nov. from Yucca gloriosa and C. quercicola sp. nov. from Quercus variabilis in China

Abstract

Colletotrichum is an important plant pathogenic genus causing anthracnose on a wide range of host plants. During 2019 and 2021, Colletotrichum isolates were obtained during surveys of anthracnose on garden plants in China. Multi-gene phylogenetic analyses of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gapdh), chitin synthase 1 (chs-1), actin (act) and beta-tubulin (tub2) sequences coupled with morphological evidence support the introduction of two novel species namely Colletotrichum chinense sp. nov. from Yucca gloriosa in Beijing and C. quercicola sp. nov. from Quercus variabilis in Shaanxi Province. Phylogenetic inference revealed that two isolates of C. chinense belonged to the agaves species complex and were closely related to C. agaves, and differed from the other species within this species complex by shorter conidia and the host association. Molecular identification showed that two isolates of C. quercicola formed a highly supported lineage close to C. tanaceti in the destructivum species complex, which could be distinguished from C. tanaceti by straighter conidia. In pathogenicity tests, yellow spots and orange conidial masses displayed on the inoculated Y. gloriosa leaves and brown spots appeared on the inoculated Q. variabilis leaves. In addition, C. chinense and C. quercicola were re-isolated from spots of the tested leaves of Y. gloriosa and Q. variabilis.

Diversity of Colletotrichum species causing anthracnose on three oak species (Quercus acutissima, Q. mongolica and Q. variabilis) in China

“…destructivum species complex were described as C . quercicola in a previous study (Wang et al, 2022).…”

“…C. quercicola is a member of the C. destructivum species complex and named after its host genus Quercus (Wang et al, 2022). Apart from Q. variabilis, no other host has been reported with C. quercicola (Wang et al, 2022), and no other species in the C. destructivum species complex have been reported in association with Fagaceae plants.…”

“…quercicola infecting Q . variabilis (Bian et al, 2021; Damm, Cannon, Woudenberg, Johnston, et al, 2012; Wang et al, 2022; Xu et al, 2021). In addition, many Colletotrichum species on oak have not yet been discovered and it is difficult to assess their damage.…”

Colletotrichum acericolasp. nov. from seeds of the invasive alien tree speciesAcer negundoin Poland

“…Many species are generalists and can infect a wide range of host plants (Damm, Cannon, Woudenberg, & Crous, 2012;Damm, Cannon, Woudenberg, Johnston, et al, 2012;Liu et al, 2022;Talhinhas & Baroncelli, 2021;Weir et al, 2012). However, specialist species are also common in this genus- et al, 2011;Farr et al, 2006;Karimi et al, 2017;Kee et al, 2020;Palmateer et al, 2012;Park et al, 2013;Wang et al, 2022).…”

“…Jayawardena et al (2021) list 153 hostspecific species of Colletotrichum. Members of the C. agaves species complex are considered as highly host-specific and most of their host plants belong to the monocot family Asparagaceae (C. agaves on Agave spp., C. ledebouriae on Ledebouria floribunda, C. sansevieriae and C. neosansevieriae on Sansevieria trifasciata, and C. chinense on Y. gloriosa)(Jayawardena et al, 2021;Kee et al, 2020;Talhinhas & Baroncelli, 2021;Wang et al, 2022). The only species that was previously described on plants from another host family is C. euphorbiae, found on Euphorbia sp.…”