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Diversity of Phytophthora Species from Declining Mediterranean Maquis Vegetation, including Two New Species, Phytophthora crassamura and P. ornamentata sp. nov.

ABSTRACT: The Mediterranean basin is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot accounting for more than 25,000 plant species that represent almost 10% of the world's vascular flora. In particular, the maquis vegetation on Mediterranean islands and archipelagos constitutes an important resource of the Mediterranean plant diversity due to its high rate of endemism. Since 2009, a severe and widespread dieback and mortality of Quercus ilex trees and several other plant species of the Mediterranean maquis has been observed in the National Park of La Maddalena archipelago (northeast Sardinia, Italy). Infected plants showed severe decline symptoms and a significant reduction of natural regeneration. First studies revealed the involvement of the highly invasive wide-host range pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi and several fungal pathogens. Subsequent detailed research led to a better understanding of these epidemics showing that multiple Phytophthora spp. were involved, some of them unknown to science. In total, nine Phytophthora species were isolated from rhizosphere soil samples collected from around symptomatic trees and shrubs including Asparagus albus, Cistus sp., Juniperus phoenicea, J. oxycedrus, Pistacia lentiscus and Rhamnus alaternus. Based on morphological characters, growth-temperature relations and sequence analysis of the ITS and cox1 gene regions, the isolates were identified as Phytophthora asparagi, P. bilorbang, P. cinnamomi, P. cryptogea, P. gonapodyides, P. melonis, P. syringae and two new Clade 6 taxa which are here described as P. crassamura sp. nov. and P. ornamentata sp. nov. Pathogenicity tests supported their possible involvement in the severe decline that is currently threatening the Mediterranean maquis vegetation in the La Maddalena archipelago.

SUBMITTER: Scanu B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4674107 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Diversity of Phytophthora Species from Declining Mediterranean Maquis Vegetation, including Two New Species, Phytophthora crassamura and P. ornamentata sp. nov.

Scanu Bruno B Linaldeddu Benedetto T BT Deidda Antonio A Jung Thomas T

PloS one 20151209 12

The Mediterranean basin is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot accounting for more than 25,000 plant species that represent almost 10% of the world's vascular flora. In particular, the maquis vegetation on Mediterranean islands and archipelagos constitutes an important resource of the Mediterranean plant diversity due to its high rate of endemism. Since 2009, a severe and widespread dieback and mortality of Quercus ilex trees and several other plant species of the Mediterranean maquis ha ...[more]

PMID: 26649428

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Project description:Urban forests consist of various environments from intensely managed spaces to conservation areas and are often reservoirs of a diverse range of invasive pathogens due to their introduction through the nursery trade. Pathogens are likely to persist because the urban forest contains a mixture of native and exotic plant species, and the environmental conditions are often less than ideal for the trees. To test the impact of different land management approaches on the Phytophthora community, 236 discrete soil and root samples were collected from declining trees in 91 parks and nature reserves in Joondalup, Western Australia (WA). Sampling targeted an extensive variety of declining native trees and shrubs, from families known to be susceptible to Phytophthora. A sub-sample was set aside and DNA extracted for metabarcoding using Phytophthora-specific primers; the remaining soil and root sample was baited for the isolation of Phytophthora. We considered the effect on the Phytophthora community of park class and area, soil family, and the change in canopy cover or health as determined through sequential measurements using remote sensing. Of the 236 samples, baiting techniques detected Phytophthora species from 24 samples (18 parks), while metabarcoding detected Phytophthora from 168 samples (64 parks). Overall, forty-four Phytophthora phylotypes were detected. Considering only sampling sites where Phytophthora was detected, species richness averaged 5.82 (range 1-21) for samples and 9.23 (range 2-24) for parks. Phytophthora multivora was the most frequently found species followed by P. arenaria, P. amnicola and P. cinnamomi. While park area and canopy cover had a significant effect on Phytophthora community the R2 values were very low, indicating they have had little effect in shaping the community. Phytophthora cinnamomi and P. multivora, the two most invasive species, often co-occurring (61% of samples); however, the communities with P. multivora were more common than those with P. cinnamomi, reflecting observations over the past decade of the increasing importance of P. multivora as a pathogen in the urban environment.

Project description:Black pod disease, caused by Phytophthora species, is among the main limiting factors of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) production. High incidence levels of black pod disease have been reported in Brazil, being induced by Phytophthora capsici, Phytophthora citrophthora, Phytophthora heveae, and Phytophthora palmivora. To assess the diversity of Phytophthora species affecting cacao in Brazil, 40 new isolates were obtained from cacao pods exhibiting symptoms of black pod disease collected in different smallholder farms in 2017. Further, ten cacao-infecting isolates morphologically identified as P. citrophthora and P. palmivora were molecularly characterized. The genomic regions beta-tubulin, elongation factor 1 alpha, heat shock protein 90, and internal transcribed spacer, and the mitochondrially encoded cytochrome c oxidase I and II genes were PCR-amplified and Sanger-sequenced from the cacao-infecting Phytophthora isolates. The morphological characterization and evaluation of the mycelial growth rates for the Phytophthora isolates were performed in vitro. Based on the molecular analysis and morphological comparisons, 19 isolates were identified as P. palmivora (clade 4). Interestingly, 31 isolates grouped together in the phylogenetic tree and were placed apart from previously known species in Phytophthora clade 2. Therefore, these isolates are considered as a new species herein referred to as Phytophthora theobromicola sp. nov., which produced papillate, semipapillate, and persistent sporangia on simple sporangiophores. The P. palmivora isolates were identified as A1 mating type by pairing each isolate with known A1 and A2 tester strains of P. capsici, but no oogonia/antheridia were observed when P. theobromicola was paired with the different tester strains. The P. theobromicola and P. citrophthora isolates showed higher mycelial growth rates, when compared to P. palmivora, on different media at 10, 15, and 20°C, but similar values were observed when grown on clarified CA media at 25 and 30°C. The pathogenicity tests carried out on pods of four cacao clones (CCN51, PS1319, Cepec2004, and CP49) showed significant variability among the isolates of both Phytophthora species, with P. theobromicola inducing higher rates of necrotic lesion expansion, when compared to P. palmivora. Here, two Phytophthora species were found associated with black pod disease in the state of Bahia, Brazil, and the previously undescribed P. theobromicola seems to be prevalent in field conditions. This is the first report of P. theobromicola on T. cacao. Also, these findings are crucial to improve the disease control strategies, and for the development of cacao materials genetically resistant to Phytophthora.

Dataset Information

Diversity of Phytophthora Species from Declining Mediterranean Maquis Vegetation, including Two New Species, Phytophthora crassamura and P. ornamentata sp. nov.

Publications

Diversity of Phytophthora Species from Declining Mediterranean Maquis Vegetation, including Two New Species, Phytophthora crassamura and P. ornamentata sp. nov.

Similar Datasets

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