The ApMat marker can resolve Colletotrichum species: a case study with Mangifera indica

Anthracnose disease caused by the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex is a major problem worldwide.In this study,we investigated the phylogenetic diversity of 207 Indian Colletotrichum isolates,associated with symptomatic and asymptomatic tissues of mango,belonging to this species complex.Phylogenetic analyses were performed based on a 6-gene dataset(act,cal,chs1,gapdh,ITS and tub2),followed by ApMat sequence-analysis.The ApMat-based phylogeny was found to be superior as it provided finer resolution in most of the species-level clades.Importantly,the ApMat marker identified seven lineages within C.siamense sensu lato,including C.jasmini-sambac,C.hymenocallidis,C.melanocaulon,C.siamense sensu stricto and three undesignated,potentially novel lineages.In this study,C.fragariae sensu stricto,C.fructicola,C.jasmini-sambac,C.melanocaulon and five undesignated,potentially novel lineages were found to be associated with mango tissues.There is a need to develop a consensus among mycologists as to which genes should be used to define and delimit a Colletotrichum species and in the mean time mycologists should voluntarily restrain from describing new species based on inadequate datasets.