First record of Erysiphe magnifica on lotus, a host outside the Magnoliales

Abstract

The powdery mildew Erysiphe magnifica (Erysiphales, Ascomycota) has been recorded for the first time on lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) based on a collection from the Botanical Garden in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. This powdery mildew previously known only from Magnolia species was identified by a combination of light and scanning electron microscopic investigation of ascomata and the Oidium stage, and comparison of ITS DNA sequences. This finding is discussed with respect to the narrow host specificity concept used in Erysiphales taxonomy, the effect of lotus leaf surface on fungal infection, and the extending geographical distribution of powdery mildews.

Australia: A Continent Without Native Powdery Mildews? The First Comprehensive Catalog Indicates Recent Introductions and Multiple Host Range Expansion Events, and Leads to the Re-discovery of Salmonomyces as a New Lineage of the Erysiphales

“…Host range expansions appear to be frequent events in the evolution of some powdery mildews (Vági et al, 2007 ; Kirschner, 2010 ; Jankovics et al, 2011 ; Takamatsu, 2013a ; Menardo et al, 2016 ; Beenken, 2017 ; Frantzeskakis et al, 2019a ), and these could explain a number of “accidental” hosts of these fungi in different parts of the world. The genetic and genomic background of such rapid evolutionary processes has been partly revealed in obligate biotrophic plant pathogens (for reviews, see Frantzeskakis et al, 2019a ; Thines, 2019 ).…”

Occurrence of powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera pannosa on lemon eucalyptus

“…Although strict host specialization is typical in Erysiphaceae, it has been shown that some powdery mildew fungi are capable of infecting plants outside their host families (Vagi et al. ; Kirschner ; Braun and Cook ). This phenomenon was also observed in this study.…”

Erysiphe magnifica causes powdery mildew on Magnolia compressa

“…magnifica was once associated with powdery mildew of N . nucifera [Nelumbonaceae] in Taiwan (Kirschner, 2010), the host range of this powdery mildew was subsequently limited to within Magnolia species [Magnoliaceae] (Farr & Rossman, 2021). To our knowledge, this is the first finding of E .…”