Endophytic Botryosphaeriaceae, including five new species, associated with mangrove trees in South Africa.
Little is known regarding the fungi, especially fungal pathogens, associated with mangroves in Africa. This includes fungi in the Botryosphaeriaceae that comprise numerous opportunistic, stress-associated pathogens often associated with trees affected by environmental and anthropogenically generated stresses, such as those affecting mangroves. We investigated the occurrence of endophytic Botryosphaeriaceae along the entire distribution of mangroves in South Africa. Asymptomatic branches were collected from ten localities and six mangrove species. Isolates resembling species of Botryosphaeriaceae were identified based on multi-gene sequence data of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), including the 5.8S nrRNA, the beta-tubulin (tub2), partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-α), and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) gene regions. Inoculation trials were conducted on healthy branches of Avicennia marina and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza to evaluate the potential pathogenicity of the collected species. Fourteen species in the Botryosphaeriaceae belonging to four genera, Botryosphaeria, Diplodia, Lasiodiplodia, and Neofusicoccum were collected, including five new species. Neofusicoccum was the most prevalent genus followed by Lasiodiplodia, with species of Diplodia and Botryosphaeria being the least frequent. The inoculation studies revealed that one of the new species, Lasiodiplodia avicenniae is highly pathogenic to A. marina and could pose a threat to the health of these trees.
Department of Microbiology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB), Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
J Alexander
JA
Osorio
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB), Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
Casparus J
CJ
Crous
Department of Microbiology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB), Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
Z Wilhelm
ZW
de Beer
Department of Microbiology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB), Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
Michael J
MJ
Wingfield
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB), Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa. Electronic address: jolanda.roux@fabi.up.ac.za.
Jolanda
J
Roux
D001203:Ascomycota / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D032407:Avicennia / Q000382:microbiology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D060026:Endophytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000235:genetics; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S / Q000235:genetics; D043982:Rhizophoraceae / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013019:South Africa; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics
D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S; D014404:Tubulin; D012319:RNA Polymerase II
Barringtonia racemosa; Ceriops tagal; Host association patterns; Lumnitzera racemosa; Rhizophora mucronata