Identification and Characterization of Fusarium Species Associated with Wilt of Eleocharis dulcis (Chinese water chestnut) in China

Abstract

Zhu, Z., Zheng, L., Pan, L., Hsiang, T., and Huang, J. 2014. Identification and characterization of Fusarium species associated with wilt of Eleocharis dulcis (Chinese water chestnut) in China. Plant Dis. 98:977-987.Fusarium wilt is one of the most important diseases of Eleocharis dulcis (Chinese water chestnut) in China. In order to characterize the pathogens responsible, 69 Fusarium isolates were collected from diseased plants in E. dulcis production areas of the Chinese provinces Anhui, Fujian, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. These were then identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics. F. commune was the most common species (92.8%) and was widely distributed in the six provinces. A novel species within the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex (GFSC) was found in Hubei and Zhejiang provinces (5.8%), and an unidentified Fusarium sp. was found only in Hubei province (1.4%). Thirty F. commune isolates from different provinces and four GFSC isolates were selected for sequence analyses of the translation elongation factor 1-α (EF-1α), the mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) ribosomal DNA, and the nuclear ribosomal intergenic spacer region (IGS). Maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses of the multilocus sequence data of these two species plus other taxa showed that the two species formed two distinct, well-supported clades among the three individual and combined gene genealogies. Isolates from different locations were scattered, with no evidence of geographic specialization. Pathogenicity assays showed that the two Fusarium spp., including the unidentified Fusarium sp., were pathogenic to E. dulcis 'Tuanfeng seven'. There was no relationship between the source of isolates and their pathogenicity. This is the first description of F. commune, a novel species within the GFSC, and an unidentified Fusarium sp. as causal agents of Fusarium wilt of E. dulcis in China.

Canker disease of willow and poplar caused by Cryptosphaeria pullmanensis recorded in China

“…All isolates were maintained on fresh PDA slants and stored at 4°C (Zhu et al. ). Seven diseased twigs from different areas of Xinjiang were deposited at the Museum of Beijing Forestry University (BJFC), and live cultures of the fungal isolates were deposited at the China Forestry Culture Collection Center (CFCC) (Table ).…”

“…To obtain pure cultures of each isolate, a block of agar with a single hyphal tip was aseptically excised from the edge of the culture with the aid of a dissecting microscope and a sterile scalpel and transferred to a new PDA plate, which was then incubated at 28°C. All isolates were maintained on fresh PDA slants and stored at 4°C (Zhu et al 2014). Seven diseased twigs from different areas of Xinjiang were deposited at the Museum of Beijing Forestry University (BJFC), and live cultures of the fungal isolates were deposited at the China Forestry Culture Collection Center (CFCC) ( Table 1).…”

Morphology, Pathogenicity and Molecular Identification of Fusarium spp. Associated with Anise Seeds in Serbia

“…Therefore, the DNA analysis is needed for accurate identification and characterization of the species. Molecular data in addition to the distinctive morphological characteristics have been used to identify Fusarium species by many authors (Geiser et al, 2004;Wang et al, 2011;Zhu et al, 2014).…”

Detection and quantification of Fusarium commune in host tissue and infested soil using real‐time PCR

“…Fusarium wilt of Eleocharis dulcis (Chinese water chestnut), caused by Fusarium commune, has become one of the most important diseases for E. dulcis production, and it is widely distributed throughout E. dulcis growing areas in China (Pan et al, 2010;Zhu et al, 2014). In recent years, fusarium wilt of E. dulcis has caused particular concern in Hubei province, in central China, where several counties have reported that the incidence and severity of the disease have increased rapidly since it was first reported.…”

“…In recent years, fusarium wilt of E. dulcis has caused particular concern in Hubei province, in central China, where several counties have reported that the incidence and severity of the disease have increased rapidly since it was first reported. A survey of fusarium wilt of E. dulcis in planted areas of Tuanfeng county, Hubei province, showed that the disease incidence was 20-35% in 2009, reaching 70% in some fields in 2012 (Zhu et al, 2014).…”