Antonie van Leeuwenhoek - Journal of Microbiology (2016) 109, 543-564

Milica Zlatkovic, Nenad Keca, Michael J. Wingfield, Fahimeh Jami, Bernard Slippers (2016)
Botryosphaeriaceae associated with the die-back of ornamental trees in the Western Balkans
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek - Journal of Microbiology 109 (4), 543-564
Abstract: Extensive die-back and mortality of various ornamental trees and shrubs has been observed in parts of the Western Balkans region during the past decade. The disease symptoms have been typical of those caused by pathogens residing in the Botryosphaeriaceae. The aims of this study were to isolate and characterize Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with diseased ornamental trees in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Isolates were initially characterized based on the DNA sequence data for the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA and six major clades were identified. Representative isolates from each clade were further characterized using DNA sequence data for the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF 1-α), β-tubulin-2 (BT2) and large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene regions, as well as the morphology of the asexual morphs. Ten species of the Botryosphaeriaceae were identified of which eight i.e. Dothiorella sarmentorum, Neofusicoccum parvum, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Phaeobotryon cupressi, Sphaeropsis visci, Diplodia seriata, D. sapinea and D. mutila were known taxa. The remaining two species could be identified only as Dothiorella spp. Dichomera syn-asexual morphs of D. sapinea, Dothiorella sp. 2 and B. dothidea, as well as unique morphological characters for a number of the known species are described. Based on host plants and geographic distribution, the majority of Botryosphaeriaceae species found represent new records. The results of this study have contributed to our knowledge on the distribution, host associations and impacts of these fungi on trees in urban environments.
(original language: English)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Milica Zlatkovic, Nenad Keca, Michael J. Wingfield, Bernard Slippers

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
identification/taxonomy
surveys/sampling/distribution
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation
molecular biology - genes

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Botryosphaeria dothidea		Serbia
	Neofusicoccum parvum		Serbia
	Diplodia sapinea		Serbia
	Diplodia mutila		Serbia
	Diplodia seriata		Serbia
	Dothiorella sarmentorum		Serbia
	Dothiorella omnivora		Serbia
	Sphaeropsis visci		Serbia
	Phaeobotryon cupressi		Montenegro