Plant Pathology (2016) 65, 643-654

M. Michalecka, H. Bryk, A. Poniatowska and J. Pulawska (2016)
Identification of Neofabraea species causing bull's eye rot of apple in Poland and their direct detection in apple fruit using multiplex PCR
Plant Pathology 65 (4), 643-654
Abstract: Based on partial sequence analysis of the ß-tubulin gene, 19 isolates of fungi causing bull's eye rot on apple in Poland were classified into species: Neofabraea alba, N. perennans and N. kienholzii. To the authors' knowledge, the detection of N. kienholzii is the second in Europe and the first in Poland. Species affiliation of these fungi was confirmed by a new species-specific multiplex PCR assay developed on the basis of previously published methods. The new protocol allowed for the specific identification of bull's eye rot-causing species, both from pure cultures and directly from the skin of diseased or apparently healthy apples. In 550 samples of diseased fruits collected from nine cold storage rooms located in three regions of Poland, in 2011 and 2012, N. alba was detected as the predominant species causing bull's eye rot, occurring on average in 94% of the tested samples. Neofabraea perennans was found in a minority of apple samples, N. kienholzii was found only in two apple samples, while N. malicorticis was not detected in any sample tested. In tests on 120 apparently healthy fruits, only N. perennans was detected in a single sample. The results of genetic diversity analyses of bull's eye rot-causing fungi based on the ß-tubulin gene sequence and an ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeat) PCR assay with two primers were consistent, showing the expected segregation of tested isolates with respect to their species boundaries. However, the genetic distance between N. perennans and N. malicorticis was very low, as reported previously.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Monika Michalecka, Anna Poniatowska, Joanna Pulawska

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phlyctema vagabunda	Apple (Malus)	Poland
	Neofabraea perennans	Apple (Malus)	Poland