Resolving the Colletotrichum siamense species complex using ApMat marker

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides sensu lato has been associated with anthracnose in diverse commercial crops.It is now established that C.gloeosporioides sensu lato comprises 33 phylogenetic species and C.gloeosporioides sensu stricto is not a common pathogen of tropical fruits.In this study,we investigated the phylogenetic relationships of 85 Colletotrichum isolates associated with select tropical fruits and flowering plants from India.In the ApMat marker analysis,the 85 isolates clustered with 7 known Colletotrichum species(C.aotearoa,C.dianesei,C.endomangiferae,C.musae,C.siamense,C.theobromicola,Glomerella cingulata f.sp.camelliae)and six novel lineages.One of the novel lineages is described and illustrated in this paper as Colletotrichum communis sp.nov.,while new-host pathogen associations for C.aotearoa,C.endomangiferae,C.dianesei and C.theobromicola are reported from India.Out of the 85 isolates analysed in this paper,73 isolates clustered within the C.siamense species complex,indicating that C.siamense species complex,not C.gloeosporioides sensu stricto,is common on tropical fruits.In comparison with act,cal,gapdh,ITS and tub2 gene markers,we recommend the use of the ApMat marker for accurate identification of cryptic species within the C.siamense species complex.We believe that the ApMat marker,in combination with one or two similar‘phylogenetically superior’gene markers,is a better candidate for specieslevel classification of fungi that were traditionally identified as‘Colletotrichum gloeosporioides’.

Endophytic species of Colletotrichum associated with mango in northeastern Brazil

Endophytic species of Colletotrichum associated with Mangifera indica(mango)are poorly understood.In this study,Colletotrichum species were isolated from mango in Pernambuco State,Brazil.There were significant differences in isolation frequencies of Colletotrichum species among sites and plant tissues.Mature leaf blades were colonized by most Colletotrichum isolates at the majority of sites.Partial sequences of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH)of 97 Colletotrichum isolates were amplified as an initial measure of genetic diversity.Phylogenetic analysis with a subset of 22 isolates were performed based on a multilocus dataset(ACT,TUB2,CAL,CHS-1,GAPDH,ITS)followed by Apn2/MAT IGS sequence-analysis for isolates within the C.gloeosporioides species complex.Molecular analysis associated with phenotypic characteristics revealed six previously described species[C.asianum,C.cliviae,C.dianesei(syn.C.melanocaulon),C.fructicola,C.karstii and C.tropicale]and one new species.This new species is introduced as C.endomangiferae.All species isolated were pathogenic on mango fruits but varied in their virulence.There was no distribution pattern of species among sites and plant tissues,although C.asianum was the most prevalent species at all sites and in all plant tissues studied.Five previously reported Colletotrichum species causing anthracnose in mango fruits in northeastern Brazil were also recovered as endophytes.