Fungal Species Causing Canker and Wilt of Ficus carica and Evidence of their Association with Bark Beetles in Italy.

Field surveys conducted during 2021 and 2022 in Western Sicily, Italy, revealed the presence of common fig trees severely affected by trunk and crown root canker and bark cracking. Moreover, in conjunction with the symptomatic tissues, the same surveyed plants showed the presence of bark beetle holes and internal wood galleries. The predominant beetle Criphalus dilutus was previously reported attacking figs in Sicily. Phylogenetic analyses based on multi-locus DNA data showed the presence of different fungal taxa associated with disease symptoms, including Botryosphaeria dothidea, Ceratocystis ficicola, Diaporthe foeniculina, Neocosmospora bostrycoides, N. perseae and Neofusicoccum luteum. Pathogenicity tests conducted on potted fig plants showed that all the species were pathogenic to fig, with C. ficicola and Neocosmospora spp. as the most aggressive fungal species. Moreover, isolations conducted from the bodies of emerging adult insects recovered from disease samples confirmed the presence of C. ficicola and Neocosmospora spp., suggesting the potential involvement of C. dilutus in their dissemination.

New and Interesting Fungi. 6.

Three new genera, six new species, three combinations, six epitypes, and 25 interesting new host and / or geographical records are introduced in this study. New genera: Neoleptodontidium (based on Neoleptodontidium aquaticum), and Nothoramularia (based on Nothoramularia ragnhildianicola). New species: Acremonium aquaticum (from cooling pad water, USA, Cladophialophora laricicola (on dead wood of Larix sp., Netherlands), Cyphellophora neerlandica (on lichen on brick wall, Netherlands), Geonectria muralis (on moss growing on a wall, Netherlands), Harposporium illinoisense (from rockwool, USA), and Neoleptodontidium aquaticum (from hydroponic water, USA). New combinations: Cyphellophora deltoidea (based on Anthopsis deltoidea), Neoleptodontidium aciculare (based on Leptodontidium aciculare), and Nothoramularia ragnhildianicola (based on Ramularia ragnhildianicola). Epitypes: Cephaliophora tropica (from water, USA), Miricatena prunicola (on leaves of Prunus serotina, Netherlands), Nothoramularia ragnhildianicola (on Ragnhildiana ferruginea, parasitic on Artemisia vulgaris, Germany), Phyllosticta multicorniculata (on needles of Abietis balsamea, Canada), Thyronectria caraganae (on twigs of Caragana arborescens, Ukraine), and Trichosphaeria pilosa (on decayed Salix branch, Netherlands). Furthermore, the higher order phylogeny of three genera regarded as incertae sedis is resolved, namely Cephaliophora (Ascodesmidaceae, Pezizales), Miricatena (Helotiales, Leotiomycetes), and Trichosphaeria (Trichosphaeriaceae, Trichosphaeriales), with Trichosphaeriaceae being an older name for Plectosphaerellaceae. Citation: Crous PW, Akulov A, Balashov S, Boers J, Braun U, Castillo J, Delgado MA, Denman S, Erhard A, Gusella G, Jurjevic Z, Kruse J, Malloch DW, Osieck ER, Polizzi G, Schumacher RK, Slootweg E, Starink-Willemse M, van Iperen AL, Verkley GJM, Groenewald JZ (2023). New and Interesting Fungi. 6. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 11: 109-156. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2023.11.09.

Calophoma clematidina causing leaf spot and wilt on Clematis plants in the Czech Republic.

Clematis L. is one of the largest genera of Ranunculaceae, accommodating over 300 plant species (Wang & Li 2005). They are mostly flowering creepers commonly grown as ornamentals. Clematis leaf spot and wilt is a fungal disease caused by Calophoma clematidina (Thüm.) Q. Chen & L. Cai. Infected plants initially show irregular brown to black leaf spots which later turn into large necroses, usually leading to wilt disease. In June 2021, Clematis plants displaying symptoms described above were observed in three independent nurseries located in three counties (Brno-venkov, Breclav and Nymburk) in the Czech Republic. Around 60% of 120 inspected plants were symptomatic, including both mother plants and young plants. Leaves, stems and roots of 43 diseased plants originating from the three nurseries were collected, sectioned into small pieces (5 × 5 mm), surface sterilized (60 sec in 75% ethanol, followed by 60 sec in 1% sodium hypochlorite and rinsed three times using sterile distilled water), plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 25°C for 5 weeks. Newly developed mycelia were immediately transferred to a fresh PDA plates and purified by single-spore isolation. A total of 21 strains morphologically resembled the genus Calophoma. Colonies on PDA (7 d at 25°C) were felty, white to olivaceous/iron grey in the centre. Conidiomata were dark brown, pycnidial, solitary or in groups, (117-220 × 65-170 µm). Conidia were cylindrical to ellipsoidal, hyaline, 0(-1)-septate, (4-8 × 2-3 µm). Two representative isolates were deposited at the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands (CBS 149230 and CBS 149231). The partial internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, large ribosomal subunit of the nrRNA gene (LSU), beta-tubulin gene (tub2) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit gene (rpb2) were amplified from genomic DNA of both isolates following protocols previously described (Spetik et al. 2022). Sequences were deposited in NCBI GenBank (accession nos. ITS: ON107539, ON107540; LSU: ON108575, ON108576; tub2: ON314832, ON314833; rpb2: ON125007, ON125008), being 100% identical with that of the ex-type strain of C. clematidina (CBS 108.79), ITS (NR_135964), LSU (FJ515632), tub2 (FJ427100), and rpb2 (KT389588). Phylogenetically, the two representative isolates formed a fully supported clade with sequences of the ex-type and another culture of C. clematidina in the multigene phylogeny. To confirm Koch's postulates, leaves of ten two-month-old Clematis plants grown in pots were wounded by a needle and inoculated with a conidial suspension (1.0 × 106 conidia ml-1) of both strains (five plants per strain) following Golazar et al. (2011). Ten plants were mock-inoculated with sterile distilled water and served as controls. Within one month, inoculated plants exhibited dark necrotic leaf spots similar to the symptoms observed in the nurseries, while controls remained symptomless. Calophoma clematidina was reisolated from the inoculated plants, and its identity confirmed (ITS, GenBank OP363927). The experiment was repeated. Although known from Europe, this is the first report of Clematis leaf spot and wilt caused by C. clematidina in the Czech Republic. Clematis leaf spot and wilt represents a serious disease in Czech nurseries, with the pathogen present in leaves, stems and roots of Clematis spp.

Genera of phytopathogenic fungi: GOPHY 4.

This paper is the fourth contribution in the Genera of Phytopathogenic Fungi (GOPHY) series. The series provides morphological descriptions and information about the pathology, distribution, hosts and disease symptoms, as well as DNA barcodes for the taxa covered. Moreover, 12 whole-genome sequences for the type or new species in the treated genera are provided. The fourth paper in the GOPHY series covers 19 genera of phytopathogenic fungi and their relatives, including Ascochyta, Cadophora, Celoporthe, Cercospora, Coleophoma, Cytospora, Dendrostoma, Didymella, Endothia, Heterophaeomoniella, Leptosphaerulina, Melampsora, Nigrospora, Pezicula, Phaeomoniella, Pseudocercospora, Pteridopassalora, Zymoseptoria, and one genus of oomycetes, Phytophthora. This study includes two new genera, 30 new species, five new combinations, and 43 typifications of older names. Taxonomic novelties: New genera: Heterophaeomoniella L. Mostert, C.F.J. Spies, Halleen & Gramaje, Pteridopassalora C. Nakash. & Crous; New species: Ascochyta flava Qian Chen & L. Cai, Cadophora domestica L. Mostert, R. van der Merwe, Halleen & Gramaje, Cadophora rotunda L. Mostert, R. van der Merwe, Halleen & Gramaje, Cadophora vinacea J.R. Úrbez-Torres, D.T. O'Gorman & Gramaje, Cadophora vivarii L. Mostert, Havenga, Halleen & Gramaje, Celoporthe foliorum H. Suzuki, Marinc. & M.J. Wingf., Cercospora alyssopsidis M. Bakhshi, Zare & Crous, Dendrostoma elaeocarpi C.M. Tian & Q. Yang, Didymella chlamydospora Qian Chen & L. Cai, Didymella gei Qian Chen & L. Cai, Didymella ligulariae Qian Chen & L. Cai, Didymella qilianensis Qian Chen & L. Cai, Didymella uniseptata Qian Chen & L. Cai, Endothia cerciana W. Wang. & S.F. Chen, Leptosphaerulina miscanthi Qian Chen & L. Cai, Nigrospora covidalis M. Raza, Qian Chen & L. Cai, Nigrospora globospora M. Raza, Qian Chen & L. Cai, Nigrospora philosophiae-doctoris M. Raza, Qian Chen & L. Cai, Phytophthora transitoria I. Milenkovic, T. Májek & T. Jung, Phytophthora panamensis T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora variabilis T. Jung, M. Horta Jung & I. Milenkovic, Pseudocercospora delonicicola C. Nakash., L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora farfugii C. Nakash., I. Araki, & Ai Ito, Pseudocercospora hardenbergiae Crous & C. Nakash., Pseudocercospora kenyirana C. Nakash., L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora perrottetiae Crous, C. Nakash. & C.Y. Chen, Pseudocercospora platyceriicola C. Nakash., Y. Hatt, L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora stemonicola C. Nakash., Y. Hatt., L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora terengganuensis C. Nakash., Y. Hatt., L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora xenopunicae Crous & C. Nakash.; New combinations: Heterophaeomoniella pinifoliorum (Hyang B. Lee et al.) L. Mostert, C.F.J. Spies, Halleen & Gramaje, Pseudocercospora pruni-grayanae (Sawada) C. Nakash. & Motohashi., Pseudocercospora togashiana (K. Ito & Tak. Kobay.) C. Nakash. & Tak. Kobay., Pteridopassalora nephrolepidicola (Crous & R.G. Shivas) C. Nakash. & Crous, Pteridopassalora lygodii (Goh & W.H. Hsieh) C. Nakash. & Crous; Typification: Epitypification: Botrytis infestans Mont., Cercospora abeliae Katsuki, Cercospora ceratoniae Pat. & Trab., Cercospora cladrastidis Jacz., Cercospora cryptomeriicola Sawada, Cercospora dalbergiae S.H. Sun, Cercospora ebulicola W. Yamam., Cercospora formosana W. Yamam., Cercospora fukuii W. Yamam., Cercospora glochidionis Sawada, Cercospora ixorana J.M. Yen & Lim, Cercospora liquidambaricola J.M. Yen, Cercospora pancratii Ellis & Everh., Cercospora pini-densiflorae Hori & Nambu, Cercospora profusa Syd. & P. Syd., Cercospora pyracanthae Katsuki, Cercospora horiana Togashi & Katsuki, Cercospora tabernaemontanae Syd. & P. Syd., Cercospora trinidadensis F. Stevens & Solheim, Melampsora laricis-urbanianae Tak. Matsumoto, Melampsora salicis-cupularis Wang, Phaeoisariopsis pruni-grayanae Sawada, Pseudocercospora angiopteridis Goh & W.H. Hsieh, Pseudocercospora basitruncata Crous, Pseudocercospora boehmeriigena U. Braun, Pseudocercospora coprosmae U. Braun & C.F. Hill, Pseudocercospora cratevicola C. Nakash. & U. Braun, Pseudocercospora cymbidiicola U. Braun & C.F. Hill, Pseudocercospora dodonaeae Boesew., Pseudocercospora euphorbiacearum U. Braun, Pseudocercospora lygodii Goh & W.H. Hsieh, Pseudocercospora metrosideri U. Braun, Pseudocercospora paraexosporioides C. Nakash. & U. Braun, Pseudocercospora symploci Katsuki & Tak. Kobay. ex U. Braun & Crous, Septogloeum punctatum Wakef.; Neotypification: Cercospora aleuritis I. Miyake; Lectotypification: Cercospora dalbergiae S.H. Sun, Cercospora formosana W. Yamam., Cercospora fukuii W. Yamam., Cercospora glochidionis Sawada, Cercospora profusa Syd. & P. Syd., Melampsora laricis-urbanianae Tak. Matsumoto, Phaeoisariopsis pruni-grayanae Sawada, Pseudocercospora symploci Katsuki & Tak. Kobay. ex U. Braun & Crous. Citation: Chen Q, Bakhshi M, Balci Y, Broders KD, Cheewangkoon R, Chen SF, Fan XL, Gramaje D, Halleen F, Horta Jung M, Jiang N, Jung T, Májek T, Marincowitz S, Milenkovic T, Mostert L, Nakashima C, Nurul Faziha I, Pan M, Raza M, Scanu B, Spies CFJ, Suhaizan L, Suzuki H, Tian CM, Tomsovský M, Úrbez-Torres JR, Wang W, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, Yang Q, Yang X, Zare R, Zhao P, Groenewald JZ, Cai L, Crous PW (2022). Genera of phytopathogenic fungi: GOPHY 4. Studies in Mycology 101: 417-564. doi: 10.3114/sim.2022.101.06.

Fusarium and allied fusarioid taxa (FUSA). 1.

Seven Fusarium species complexes are treated, namely F. aywerte species complex (FASC) (two species), F. buharicum species complex (FBSC) (five species), F. burgessii species complex (FBURSC) (three species), F. camptoceras species complex (FCAMSC) (three species), F. chlamydosporum species complex (FCSC) (eight species), F. citricola species complex (FCCSC) (five species) and the F. concolor species complex (FCOSC) (four species). New species include Fusicolla elongata from soil (Zimbabwe), and Neocosmospora geoasparagicola from soil associated with Asparagus officinalis (Netherlands). New combinations include Neocosmospora akasia, N. awan, N. drepaniformis, N. duplosperma, N. geoasparagicola, N. mekan, N. papillata, N. variasi and N. warna. Newly validated taxa include Longinectria gen. nov., L. lagenoides, L. verticilliforme, Fusicolla gigas and Fusicolla guangxiensis. Furthermore, Fusarium rosicola is reduced to synonymy under N. brevis. Finally, the genome assemblies of Fusarium secorum (CBS 175.32), Microcera coccophila (CBS 310.34), Rectifusarium robinianum (CBS 430.91), Rugonectria rugulosa (CBS 126565), and Thelonectria blattea (CBS 952.68) are also announced here. Citation: Crous PW, Sandoval-Denis M, Costa MM, Groenewald JZ, van Iperen AL, Starink-Willemse M, Hernández-Restrepo M, Kandemir H, Ulaszewski B, de Boer W, Abdel-Azeem AM, Abdollahzadeh J, Akulov A, Bakhshi M, Bezerra JDP, Bhunjun CS, Câmara MPS, Chaverri P, Vieira WAS, Decock CA, Gaya E, Gené J, Guarro J, Gramaje D, Grube M, Gupta VK, Guarnaccia V, Hill R, Hirooka Y, Hyde KD, Jayawardena RS, Jeewon R, Jurjevic Z, Korsten L, Lamprecht SC, Lombard L, Maharachchikumbura SSN, Polizzi G, Rajeshkumar KC, Salgado-Salazar C, Shang Q-J, Shivas RG, Summerbell RC, Sun GY, Swart WJ, Tan YP, Vizzini A, Xia JW, Zare R, González CD, Iturriaga T, Savary O, Coton M, Coton E, Jany J-L, Liu C, Zeng Z-Q, Zhuang W-Y, Yu Z-H, Thines M (2022). Fusarium and allied fusarioid taxa (FUSA). 1. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 9: 161-200. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2022.09.08.

Fusarium diversity associated with the Sorghum-Striga interaction in Ethiopia.

Sorghum production is seriously threatened by the root parasitic weeds (RPWs) Striga hermonthica and Striga asiatica in sub-Saharan Africa. Research has shown that Striga control depends on eliminating its seed reserves in soil. Several species of the genus Fusarium (Nectriaceae, Hypocreales), which have been isolated from diseased Striga plants have proven to be highly pathogenic to all developmental stages of these RPWs. In the present study 439 isolates of Fusarium spp. were found associated with soils from Sorghum growing fields, Sorghum rhizosphere, or as endophytes with Sorghum roots and seeds, or as endophytes of Striga stems and seeds. Based on multi-locus phylogenies of combinations of CaM, tef1, rpb1 and rpb2 alignments, and morphological characteristics, 42 species were identified, including three species that are newly described, namely F. extenuatum and F. tangerinum from Sorghum soils, and F. pentaseptatum from seed of Striga hermonthica. Using a previously published AFLP-derived marker that is specific to detect isolates of F. oxysporum f.sp. strigae, an effective soil-borne biocontrol agent against Striga, we also detected the gene in several other Fusarium species. As these isolates were all associated with the Striga/Sorghum pathosystem, the possibility of horizontal gene transfer among these fusaria will be of interest to further investigate in future. Citation: Lombard L, van Doorn R, Groenewald JZ, Tessema T, Kuramae EE, Etolo DW, Raaijmakers JM, Crous PW (2022). Fusarium diversity associated with the Sorghum-Striga interaction in Ethiopia. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 10: 177-215. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2022.10.08.

New and Interesting Fungi. 5.

Nine new genera, 17 new species, nine new combinations, seven epitypes, three lectotypes, one neotype, and 14 interesting new host and / or geographical records are introduced in this study. New genera: Neobarrmaelia (based on Neobarrmaelia hyphaenes), Neobryochiton (based on Neobryochiton narthecii), Neocamarographium (based on Neocamarographium carpini), Nothocladosporium (based on Nothocladosporium syzygii), Nothopseudocercospora (based on Nothopseudocercospora dictamni), Paracamarographium (based on Paracamarographium koreanum), Pseudohormonema (based on Pseudohormonema sordidus), Quasiphoma (based on Quasiphoma hyphaenes), Rapidomyces (based on Rapidomyces narthecii). New species: Ascocorticium sorbicola (on leaves of Sorbus aucuparia, Belgium), Dactylaria retrophylli (on leaves of Retrophyllum rospigliosii, Colombia), Dactylellina miltoniae (on twigs of Miltonia clowesii, Colombia), Exophiala eucalyptigena (on dead leaves of Eucalyptus viminalis subsp. viminalis supporting Idolothrips spectrum, Australia), Idriellomyces syzygii (on leaves of Syzygium chordatum, South Africa), Microcera lichenicola (on Parmelia sulcata, Netherlands), Neobarrmaelia hyphaenes (on leaves of Hyphaene sp., South Africa), Neobryochiton narthecii (on dead leaves of Narthecium ossifragum, Netherlands), Niesslia pseudoexilis (on dead leaf of Quercus petraea, Serbia), Nothocladosporium syzygii (on leaves of Syzygium chordatum, South Africa), Nothotrimmatostroma corymbiae (on leaves of Corymbia henryi, South Africa), Phaeosphaeria hyphaenes (on leaves of Hyphaene sp., South Africa), Pseudohormonema sordidus (on a from human pacemaker, USA), Quasiphoma hyphaenes (on leaves of Hyphaene sp., South Africa), Rapidomyces narthecii (on dead leaves of Narthecium ossifragum, Netherlands), Reticulascus parahennebertii (on dead culm of Juncus inflexus, Netherlands), Scytalidium philadelphianum (from compressed air in a factory, USA). New combinations: Neobarrmaelia serenoae, Nothopseudocercospora dictamni, Dothiora viticola, Floricola sulcata, Neocamarographium carpini, Paracamarographium koreanum, Rhexocercosporidium bellocense, Russula lilacina. Epitypes: Elsinoe corni (on leaves of Cornus florida, USA), Leptopeltis litigiosa (on dead leaf fronds of Pteridium aquilinum, Netherlands), Nothopseudocercospora dictamni (on living leaves of Dictamnus albus, Russia), Ramularia arvensis (on leaves of Potentilla reptans, Netherlands), Rhexocercosporidium bellocense (on leaves of Verbascum sp., Germany), Rhopographus filicinus (on dead leaf fronds of Pteridium aquilinum, Netherlands), Septoria robiniae (on leaves of Robinia pseudoacacia, Belgium). Lectotypes: Leptopeltis litigiosa (on Pteridium aquilinum, France), Rhopographus filicinus (on dead leaf fronds of Pteridium aquilinum, Netherlands), Septoria robiniae (on leaves of Robinia pseudoacacia, Belgium). Neotype: Camarographium stephensii (on dead leaf fronds of Pteridium aquilinum, Netherlands). Citation: Crous PW, Begoude BAD, Boers J, Braun U, Declercq B, Dijksterhuis J, Elliott TF, Garay-Rodriguez GA, Jurjevic Z, Kruse J, Linde CC, Loyd A, Mound L, Osieck ER, Rivera-Vargas LI, Quimbita AM, Rodas CA, Roux J, Schumacher RK, Starink-Willemse M, Thangavel R, Trappe JM, van Iperen AL, Van Steenwinkel C, Wells A, Wingfield MJ, Yilmaz N, Groenewald JZ (2022) New and Interesting Fungi. 5. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 10: 19-90. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2022.10.02.

Pseudocercospora and allied genera associated with leaf spots of banana (Musa spp.).

The Sigatoka leaf spot complex on Musa spp. includes three major pathogens: Pseudocercospora, namely P. musae (Sigatoka leaf spot or yellow Sigatoka), P. eumusae (eumusae leaf spot disease), and P. fijiensis (black leaf streak disease or black Sigatoka). However, more than 30 species of Mycosphaerellaceae have been associated with Sigatoka leaf spots of banana, and previous reports of P. musae and P. eumusae need to be re-evaluated in light of recently described species. The aim of the present study was thus to investigate a global set of 228 isolates of P. musae, P. eumusae and close relatives on banana using multigene DNA sequence data [internal transcribed spacer regions with intervening 5.8S nrRNA gene (ITS), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit gene (rpb2), translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (tef1), beta-tubulin gene (tub2), and the actin gene (act)] to confirm if these isolates represent P. musae, or a closely allied species. Based on these data one new species is described, namely P. pseudomusae, which is associated with leaf spot symptoms resembling those of P. musae on Musa in Indonesia. Furthermore, P. eumusae, P. musae and P. fijiensis are shown to be well defined taxa, with some isolates also representing P. longispora. Other genera encountered in the dataset are species of Zasmidium (Taiwan leaf speckle), Metulocladosporiella (Cladosporium leaf speckle) and Scolecobasidium leaf speckle. Citation: Crous P, Carlier J, Roussel V, Groenewald JZ (2020). Pseudocercospora and allied genera associated with leaf spots of banana (Musa spp.). Fungal Systematics and Evolution 7: 1-19. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2021.07.01.

Redefining genera of cereal pathogens: Oculimacula, Rhynchosporium and Spermospora.

The taxonomy of Oculimacula, Rhynchosporium and Spermospora is re-evaluated, along with that of phylogenetically related genera. Isolates are identified using comparisons of DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer ribosomal RNA locus (ITS), partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), actin (act), DNA-directed RNA polymerase II largest (rpb1) and second largest subunit (rpb2) genes, and the nuclear ribosomal large subunit (LSU), combined with their morphological characteristics. Oculimacula is restricted to two species, O. acuformis and O. yallundae, with O. aestiva placed in Cyphellophora, and O. anguioides accommodated in a new genus, Helgardiomyces. Rhynchosporium s. str. is restricted to species with 1-septate conidia and hooked apical beaks, while Rhynchobrunnera is introduced for species with 1-3-septate, straight conidia, lacking any apical beak. Rhynchosporium graminicola is proposed to replace the name R. commune applied to the barley scald pathogen based on nomenclatural priority. Spermospora is shown to be paraphyletic, representing Spermospora (type: S. subulata), with three new species, S. arrhenatheri, S. loliiphila and S. zeae, and Neospermospora gen. nov. (type: N. avenae). Ypsilina (type: Y. graminea), is shown to be monophyletic, but appears to be of minor importance on cereals. Finally, Vanderaaea gen. nov. (type: V. ammophilae), is introduced as a new coelomycetous fungus occurring on dead leaves of Ammophila arenaria. Citation: Crous PW, Braun U, McDonald BA, Lennox CL, Edwards J, Mann RC, Zaveri A, Linde CC, Dyer PS, Groenewald JZ (2020). Redefining genera of cereal pathogens: Oculimacula, Rhynchosporium and Spermospora. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 7: 67-98. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2021.07.04.

Phylogenetic placement and reassessment of Asperisporium pongamiae as Pedrocrousiella pongamiae gen. et comb. nov. (Mycosphaerellaceae).

The leaf spot disease of Pongamia pinnata caused by an asperisporium-like asexual morph, which is usually referred to as Asperisporium pongamiae, is quite common during monsoon seasons in India. Phylogenetic analyses, based on LSU and rpb2 sequence data, and blast searches using ITS sequence data, revealed that this ascomycete forms a lineage within Mycosphaerellaceae distant from all other generic lineages. Pedrocrousiella gen. nov., with P. pongamiae comb. nov., based on Fusicladium pongamiae (≡ A. pongamiae), as type species is introduced for this lineage. This species has been considered the asexual morph of Mycosphaerella pongamiae (≡ Stigmatea pongamiae). However, this connection is unproven and was just based on the occasional association of the two taxa in some collections. Several attempts to induce the formation of a sexual morph in culture failed, therefore the putative connection between these morphs could not be confirmed. Asperisporium pongamiae-pinnatae is reduced to synonymy with P. pongamiae. Asperisporium pongamiae-pinnatae was introduced because of the wrong assumption that F. pongamiae had been described on another host, Pongamia globosa. But Fusicladium pongamiae was actually described in India on Pongamia glabra, which is a synonym of P. pinnata, and hence on the same host as Asperisporium pongamiae-pinnatae. Pedrocrousiella pongamiae clusters in a clade containing Distocercospora, Clypeosphaerella, and "Pseudocercospora" nephrolepidicola, a species which is not congeneric with Pseudocercospora. Phylogenetically, Pedrocrousiella is distant from the Asperisporium s. str. clade (type species A. caricae), which is more closely related to Amycosphaerella, Pseudocercosporella, Distomycovellosiella and Nothopassalora. Citation: Rajeshkumar KC, Braun U, Groenewald JZ, Lad SS, Ashtekar N, Fatima S, Anand G (2021). Phylogenetic placement and reassessment of Asperisporium pongamiae as Pedrocrousiella pongamiae gen. et comb. nov. (Mycosphaerellaceae). Fungal Systematics and Evolution 7: 165-176. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2021.07.08.

New and Interesting Fungi. 4.

An order, family and genus are validated, seven new genera, 35 new species, two new combinations, two epitypes, two lectotypes, and 17 interesting new host and / or geographical records are introduced in this study. Validated order, family and genus: Superstratomycetales and Superstratomycetaceae (based on Superstratomyces ). New genera: Haudseptoria (based on Haudseptoria typhae); Hogelandia (based on Hogelandia lambearum); Neoscirrhia (based on Neoscirrhia osmundae); Nothoanungitopsis (based on Nothoanungitopsis urophyllae); Nothomicrosphaeropsis (based on Nothomicrosphaeropsis welwitschiae); Populomyces (based on Populomyces zwinianus); Pseudoacrospermum (based on Pseudoacrospermum goniomae). New species: Apiospora sasae on dead culms of Sasa veitchii (Netherlands); Apiospora stipae on dead culms of Stipa gigantea (Spain); Bagadiella eucalyptorum on leaves of Eucalyptus sp. (Australia); Calonectria singaporensis from submerged leaf litter (Singapore); Castanediella neomalaysiana on leaves of Eucalyptus sp. (Malaysia); Colletotrichum pleopeltidis on leaves of Pleopeltis sp. (South Africa); Coniochaeta deborreae from soil (Netherlands); Diaporthe durionigena on branches of Durio zibethinus (Vietnam); Floricola juncicola on dead culm of Juncus sp. (France); Haudseptoria typhae on leaf sheath of Typha sp. (Germany); Hogelandia lambearum from soil (Netherlands); Lomentospora valparaisensis from soil (Chile); Neofusicoccum mystacidii on dead stems of Mystacidium capense (South Africa); Neomycosphaerella guibourtiae on leaves of Guibourtia sp. (Angola); Niesslia neoexosporioides on dead leaves of Carex paniculata (Germany); Nothoanungitopsis urophyllae on seed capsules of Eucalyptus urophylla (South Africa); Nothomicrosphaeropsis welwitschiae on dead leaves of Welwitschia mirabilis (Namibia); Paracremonium bendijkiorum from soil (Netherlands); Paraphoma ledniceana on dead wood of Buxus sempervirens (Czech Republic); Paraphoma salicis on leaves of Salix cf. alba (Ukraine); Parasarocladium wereldwijsianum from soil (Netherlands); Peziza ligni on masonry and plastering (France); Phyllosticta phoenicis on leaves of Phoenix reclinata (South Africa); Plectosphaerella slobbergiarum from soil (Netherlands); Populomyces zwinianus from soil (Netherlands); Pseudoacrospermum goniomae on leaves of Gonioma kamassi (South Africa); Pseudopyricularia festucae on leaves of Festuca californica (USA); Sarocladium sasijaorum from soil (Netherlands); Sporothrix hypoxyli in sporocarp of Hypoxylon petriniae on Fraxinus wood (Netherlands); Superstratomyces albomucosus on Pycnanthus angolensis (Netherlands); Superstratomyces atroviridis on Pinus sylvestris (Netherlands); Superstratomyces flavomucosus on leaf of Hakea multilinearis (Australia); Superstratomyces tardicrescens from human eye specimen (USA); Taeniolella platani on twig of Platanus hispanica (Germany), and Tympanis pini on twigs of Pinus sylvestris (Spain). Citation: Crous PW, Hernández-Restrepo M, Schumacher RK, Cowan DA, Maggs-Kölling G, Marais E, Wingfield MJ, Yilmaz N, Adan OCG, Akulov A, Álvarez Duarte E, Berraf-Tebbal A, Bulgakov TS, Carnegie AJ, de Beer ZW, Decock C, Dijksterhuis J, Duong TA, Eichmeier A, Hien LT, Houbraken JAMP, Khanh TN, Liem NV, Lombard L, Lutzoni FM, Miadlikowska JM, Nel WJ, Pascoe IG, Roets F, Roux J, Samson RA, Shen M, Spetik M, Thangavel R, Thanh HM, Thao LD, van Nieuwenhuijzen EJ, Zhang JQ, Zhang Y, Zhao LL, Groenewald JZ (2021). New and Interesting Fungi. 4. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 7: 255-343. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2021.07.13.

Citizen science project reveals novel fusarioid fungi (Nectriaceae, Sordariomycetes) from urban soils.

Soil fungi play a crucial role in soil quality and fertility in being able to break down organic matter but are frequently also observed to play a role as important plant pathogens. As part of a Citizen Science Project initiated by the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute and the Utrecht University Museum, which aimed to describe novel fungal species from Dutch garden soil, the diversity of fusarioid fungi (Fusarium and other fusarioid genera), which are members of Nectriaceae (Hypocreales) was investigated. Preliminary analyses of ITS and LSU sequences from more than 4 750 isolates obtained indicated that 109 strains belong to this generic complex. Based on multi-locus phylogenies of combinations of cmdA, tef1, rpb1, rpb2 and tub2 alignments, and morphological characteristics, 25 species were identified, namely 22 in Fusarium and three in Neocosmospora. Furthermore, two species were described as new namely F. vanleeuwenii from the Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC), and F. wereldwijsianum from the Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC). Other species encountered in this study include in the FOSC: F. curvatum, F. nirenbergiae, F. oxysporum and three undescribed Fusarium spp.; in the FIESC: F. clavus, F. croceum, F. equiseti, F. flagelliforme and F. toxicum; Fusarium tricinctum species complex: F. flocciferum and F. torulosum; the Fusarium sambucinum species complex: F. culmorum and F. graminearum; the Fusarium redolens species complex: F. redolens; and the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex: F. verticillioides. Three species of Neocosmospora were encountered, namely N. solani, N. stercicola and N. tonkinensis. Although soil fungal diversity has been well studied in the Netherlands, this study revealed two new species, and eight new records: F. clavus, F. croceum, F. flagelliforme, F. odoratissimum, F. tardicrescens, F. toxicum, F. triseptatum and N. stercicola.

Evaluating species in Botryosphaeriales.

The Botryosphaeriales (Dothideomycetes) includes numerous endophytic, saprobic, and plant pathogenic species associated with a wide range of symptoms, most commonly on woody plants. In a recent phylogenetic treatment of 499 isolates in the culture collection (CBS) of the Westerdijk Institute, we evaluated the families and genera accommodated in this order of important fungi. The present study presents multigene phylogenetic analyses for an additional 230 isolates, using ITS, tef1, tub2, LSU and rpb2 loci, in combination with morphological data. Based on these data, 58 species are reduced to synonymy, and eight novel species are described. They include Diplodia afrocarpi (Afrocarpus, South Africa), Dothiorella diospyricola (Diospyros, South Africa), Lasiodiplodia acaciae (Acacia, Indonesia), Neofusicoccum podocarpi (Podocarpus, South Africa), N. rapaneae (Rapanea, South Africa), Phaeobotryon ulmi (Ulmus, Germany), Saccharata grevilleae (Grevillea, Australia) and S. hakeiphila (Hakea, Australia). The results have clarified the identity of numerous isolates that lacked Latin binomials or had been deposited under incorrect names in the CBS collection in the past. They also provide a solid foundation for more in-depth future studies on taxa in the order. Sequences of the tef1, tub2 and rpb2 genes proved to be the most reliable markers. At the species level, results showed that the most informative genes were inconsistent, but that a combination of four candidate barcodes (ITS, tef1, tub2 and rpb2) provided reliable resolution. Furthermore, given the large number of additional isolates included in this study, and newly generated multigene DNA datasets, several species could also be reduced to synonymy. The study illustrates the value of reassessing the identity of older collections in culture collections utilising modern taxonomic frameworks and methods. Citation: Zhang W, Groenewald JZ, Lombard L, et al. 2021. Evaluating species in Botryosphaeriales. Persoonia 46: 63-115. https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2021.46.03.

The Genera of Fungi - G6: Arthrographis, Kramasamuha, Melnikomyces, Thysanorea, and Verruconis.

The Genera of Fungi series, of which this is the sixth contribution, links type species of fungal genera to their morphology and DNA sequence data. Five genera of microfungi are treated in this study, with new species introduced in Arthrographis, Melnikomyces, and Verruconis. The genus Thysanorea is emended and two new species and nine combinations are proposed. Kramasamuha sibika, the type species of the genus, is provided with DNA sequence data for first time and shown to be a member of Helminthosphaeriaceae (Sordariomycetes). Aureoconidiella is introduced as a new genus representing a new lineage in the Dothideomycetes.

New and Interesting Fungi. 3.

Seven new genera, 26 new species, 10 new combinations, two epitypes, one new name, and 20 interesting new host and / or geographical records are introduced in this study. New genera are: Italiofungus (based on Italiofungus phillyreae) on leaves of Phillyrea latifolia (Italy); Neolamproconium (based on Neolamproconium silvestre) on branch of Tilia sp. (Ukraine); Neosorocybe (based on Neosorocybe pini) on trunk of Pinus sylvestris (Ukraine); Nothoseptoria (based on Nothoseptoria caraganae) on leaves of Caragana arborescens (Russia); Pruniphilomyces (based on Pruniphilomyces circumscissus) on Prunus cerasus (Russia); Vesiculozygosporium (based on Vesiculozygosporium echinosporum) on leaves of Muntingia calabura (Malaysia); Longiseptatispora (based on Longiseptatispora curvata) on leaves of Lonicera tatarica (Russia). New species are: Barrmaelia serenoae on leaf of Serenoa repens (USA); Chaetopsina gautengina on leaves of unidentified grass (South Africa); Chloridium pini on fallen trunk of Pinus sylvestris (Ukraine); Cadophora fallopiae on stems of Reynoutria sachalinensis (Poland); Coleophoma eucalyptigena on leaf litter of Eucalyptus sp. (Spain); Cylindrium corymbiae on leaves of Corymbia maculata (Australia); Diaporthe tarchonanthi on leaves of Tarchonanthus littoralis (South Africa); Elsinoe eucalyptorum on leaves of Eucalyptus propinqua (Australia); Exophiala quercina on dead wood of Quercus sp., (Germany); Fusarium californicum on cambium of budwood of Prunus dulcis (USA); Hypomyces gamsii on wood of Alnus glutinosa (Ukraine); Kalmusia araucariae on leaves of Araucaria bidwillii (USA); Lectera sambuci on leaves of Sambucus nigra (Russia); Melanomma populicola on fallen twig of Populus canadensis (Netherlands), Neocladosporium syringae on branches of Syringa vulgarishorus (Ukraine); Paraconiothyrium iridis on leaves of Iris pseudacorus (Ukraine); Pararoussoella quercina on branch of Quercus robur (Ukraine); Phialemonium pulveris from bore dust of deathwatch beetle (France); Polyscytalum pinicola on needles of Pinus tecunumanii (Malaysia); Acervuloseptoria fraxini on Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Russia); Roussoella arundinacea on culms of Arundo donax (Spain); Sphaerulina neoaceris on leaves of Acer negundo (Russia); Sphaerulina salicicola on leaves of Salix fragilis (Russia); Trichomerium syzygii on leaves of Syzygium cordatum (South Africa); Uzbekistanica vitis-viniferae on dead stem of Vitis vinifera (Ukraine); Vermiculariopsiella eucalyptigena on leaves of Eucalyptus sp. (Australia).

Venturiales.

Members of Venturiales (Dothideomycetes) are widely distributed, and comprise saprobes, as well as plant, human and animal pathogens. In spite of their economic importance, the general lack of cultures and DNA data has resulted in taxa being poorly resolved. In the present study five loci, ITS, LSU rDNA, tef1, tub2 and rpb2 are used for analysing 115 venturialean taxa representing 30 genera in three families in the current classification of Venturiales. Based on the multigene phylogenetic analysis, morphological and ecological characteristics, one new family, Cylindrosympodiaceae, and eight new genera are described, namely Bellamyces, Fagicola, Fraxinicola, Fuscohilum, Neofusicladium, Parafusicladium, Pinaceicola and Sterila. In addition, 12 species are described as new to science, and 41 new combinations are proposed. The taxonomic status of 153 species have been re-evaluated with 20 species excluded from Venturiales. Based on this revision of Venturiales, morphological characteristics such as conidial arrangement (solitary or in chains) or conidiogenesis (blastic-solitary, sympodial or annellidic), proved to be significant at generic level. Venturia as currently defined represents a generic complex. Furthermore, plant pathogens appear more terminal in phylogenetic analyses within Venturiaceae and Sympoventuriaceae, suggesting that the ancestral state of Venturiales is most likely saprobic.

The phoma-like dilemma.

Species of Didymellaceae have a cosmopolitan distribution and are geographically widespread, occurring in diverse ecosystems. The family includes several important plant pathogenic fungi associated with fruit, leaf, stem and root diseases on a wide variety of hosts, as well as endophytic, saprobic and clinically relevant species. The Didymellaceae was recently revised based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses of ex-type strains subjected to DNA sequencing of partial gene data of the LSU, ITS, rpb2 and tub2 loci. Several poly- and paraphyletic genera, including Ascochyta, Didymella and Phoma were redefined, along with the introduction of new genera. In the present study, a global collection of 1 124 Didymellaceae strains from 92 countries, 121 plant families and 55 other substrates, including air, coral, human tissues, house dust, fungi, insects, soil, and water were examined via multi-locus phylogenetic analyses and detailed morphological comparisons, representing the broadest sampling of Didymellaceae to date. Among these, 97 isolates representing seven new genera, 40 new species and 21 new combinations were newly introduced in Didymellaceae. In addition, six epitypes and six neotypes were designated to stabilise the taxonomy and use of older names. A robust, multi-locus reference phylogenetic tree of Didymellaceae was generated. In addition, rpb2 was revealed as the most effective locus for the identification of Didymellaceae at species level, and is proposed as a secondary DNA marker for the family.

Evolution of lifestyles in Capnodiales.

The Capnodiales, which includes fungi known as the sooty moulds, represents the second largest order in Dothideomycetes, encompassing morphologically and ecologically diverse fungi with different lifestyles and modes of nutrition. They include saprobes, plant and human pathogens, mycoparasites, rock-inhabiting fungi (RIF), lichenised, epi-, ecto- and endophytes. The aim of this study was to elucidate the lifestyles and evolutionary patterns of the Capnodiales as well as to reconsider their phylogeny by including numerous new collections of sooty moulds, and using four nuclear loci, LSU, ITS, TEF-1α and RPB2. Based on the phylogenetic results, combined with morphology and ecology, Capnodiales s. lat. is shown to be polyphyletic, representing seven different orders. The sooty moulds are restricted to Capnodiales s. str., while Mycosphaerellales is resurrected, and five new orders including Cladosporiales, Comminutisporales, Neophaeothecales, Phaeothecales and Racodiales are introduced. Four families, three genera, 21 species and five combinations are introduced as new. Furthermore, ancestral reconstruction analysis revealed that the saprobic lifestyle is a primitive state in Capnodiales s. lat., and that several transitions have occurred to evolve lichenised, plant and human parasitic, ectophytic (sooty blotch and flyspeck) and more recently epiphytic (sooty mould) lifestyles.

The Genera of Fungi - G5: Arthrinium, Ceratosphaeria, Dimerosporiopsis, Hormodochis, Lecanostictopsis, Lembosina, Neomelanconium, Phragmotrichum, Pseudomelanconium, Rutola, and Trullula.

The present paper represents the fifth contribution in the Genera of Fungi series, linking type species of fungal genera to their morphology and DNA sequence data. This paper focuses on 11 genera of microfungi, for seven of which the type species are neo- or epitypified here: Arthrinium (Arthrinium caricicola; Apiosporaceae, Xylariales, Sordariomycetes), Ceratosphaeria (Ceratosphaeria lampadophora; Magnaporthaceae, Magnaporthales, Sordariomycetes), Dimerosporiopsis (Dimerosporiopsis engleriana; Venturiaceae, Venturiales, Dothideomycetes), Hormodochis (Hormodochis melanochlora; Stictidaceae, Ostropales, Ostropomycetidae, OSLEUM clade, Lecanoromycetes), Lecanostictopsis (Lecanostictopsis kamatii; Mycosphaerellaceae, Capnodiales, Dothideomycetes), Lembosina (Lembosina aulographoides; Lembosinaceae fam. nov., Lembosinales ord. nov., Dothideomycetes), Neomelanconium (Neomelanconium gelatosporum; Cenangiaceae, Helotiales, Leotiomycetes), Phragmotrichum (Phragmotrichum chailletii; Melanommataceae, Pleosporales, Pleosporomycetidae, Dothideomycetes), Pseudomelanconium gen. nov. (Pseudomelanconium spartii; incertae sedis, Pezizomycotina), Rutola (Rutola graminis; Torulaceae, Pleosporales, Pleosporomycetidae, Dothideomycetes), and Trullula (Trullula oreoselini; incertae sedis, Pezizomycotina).

Genera of phytopathogenic fungi: GOPHY 3.

This paper represents the third contribution in the Genera of Phytopathogenic Fungi (GOPHY) series. The series provides morphological descriptions, information about the pathology, distribution, hosts and disease symptoms for the treated genera, as well as primary and secondary DNA barcodes for the currently accepted species included in these. This third paper in the GOPHY series treats 21 genera of phytopathogenic fungi and their relatives including: Allophoma, Alternaria, Brunneosphaerella, Elsinoe, Exserohilum, Neosetophoma, Neostagonospora, Nothophoma, Parastagonospora, Phaeosphaeriopsis, Pleiocarpon, Pyrenophora, Ramichloridium, Seifertia, Seiridium, Septoriella, Setophoma, Stagonosporopsis, Stemphylium, Tubakia and Zasmidium. This study includes three new genera, 42 new species, 23 new combinations, four new names, and three typifications of older names.