Location: Systematic Mycology and Microbiology
Title: Five new species in the highly diverse genus Plagiostoma from Japan (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales) Authors
Submitted to: Mycological Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: March 11, 2014
Publication Date: June 12, 2014
Citation: Walker, D.M., Lawrence, B.R., Wooten, J.A., Rossman, A.Y., Castlebury, L.A. 2014. Five new species in the highly diverse genus Plagiostoma from Japan (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales). Mycological Progress. 13(4):1057-1067. Interpretive Summary: Fungi in the chestnut blight group can cause serious diseases of trees. Many of these species are often not known until they invade North America, thus it is crucial to know which fungi occur outside the United States. Following a trip to Japan to look for such fungi, five previously unknown species were discovered. In this paper, these new species are named, described and illustrated. In addition they are sequenced and shown to belong in a genus in the chestnut blight order. Knowledge of these fungi will be useful to plant pathologists who are working to prevent the entry of unknown fungi into the United States.
Technical Abstract: Members of the genus Plagiostoma (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales) are plant pathogenic and endophytic microfungi that inhabit woody and herbaceous plants in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In this study, pure cultures were isolated from specimens of Plagiostoma collected in Japan. Molecular markers consisting of regions of the ß -tubulin, ITS, and tef-1a genes were sequenced and analyzed phylogenetically. Genealogical concordance phylogenetic species recognition and genealogical nondiscordance methods were used to define species. Phylogenetic analyses revealed five previously unknown species of Plagiostoma that are described and illustrated. These species are associated with host plants in the genera Acer (Sapindaceae) and Salix (Salicaceae).