avocado subgroup of Phytophthora citricola constitutes a distinct species, Phytophthora mengei sp. nov

• Published in: Mycologia Vol. 101; no. 6; pp. 833 - 840
• Main Authors: Hong, C.X, Gallegly, M.E, Browne, G.T, Bhat, R.G, Richardson, P.A, Kong, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 01.11.2009; Mycological Society of America
• Subjects: avocado canker pathogen; avocados; Biological taxonomies; cankers (plants); DNA Fingerprinting; DNA, Fungal - analysis; DNA, Fungal - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal - analysis; DNA, Ribosomal - genetics; fungal anatomy; fungal diseases of plants; identification; molecular systematics; New species; Oogonia; Oomycete; Oospores; pathogen identification; Pathogens; Persea - microbiology; Persea americana; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Phytophthora; Phytophthora - classification; Phytophthora - cytology; Phytophthora - genetics; Phytophthora citricola; Phytophthora mengei; Plant diseases; Plant Diseases - microbiology; plant pathogenic fungi; Plant Pathogens; Polymerase chain reaction; ribosomal DNA; Sequence Alignment; sequence analysis; Sequence Analysis, DNA; single-stranded conformational polymorphism; Species Specificity; Sporangia; Tropical regions; Tubulin - analysis; Tubulin - genetics
• ISSN: 0027-5514; 1557-2536
• DOI: 10.3852/08-214

Isolates from avocado tree cankers have been recognized as a distinct subgroup within the P. citricola complex since 1974, both morphologically and molecularly (isozyme and amplified fragment length polymorphism [AFLP] analyses). This subgroup is formally separated from P. citricola after comparative DNA fingerprinting and sequence analyses of the ITS region, as well as by morphological examinations. This new taxon is homothallic, produces plerotic oospores with paragynous antheridia and noncaducous semipapillate sporangia. Morphologically it differs from other species of Waterhouse group III by producing many large bizarre-shaped sporangia and smaller oogonia with asymmetric capitate antheridia. It belongs to clade 2 and is phylogenetically closer to P. siskiyouensis, P. capsici and P. tropicalis than to P. citricola. P. mengei can be easily differentiated from its relatives in the same clade and other species of this morpho-group by DNA fingerprints and sequence analysis. This new taxon is named Phytophthora mengei sp. nov.