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Issue: Vol. 461 No. 3: 6 October 2020
Type: Article
Published: 2020-10-06
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.461.3.2
Page range: 155–165
Abstract views: 40
PDF downloaded: 2

Diaporthe taiwanensis: A new taxon causing leaf spots and necrosis on Ixora chinensis in Taiwan

Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, College of Bio-Resources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan.
Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, College of Bio-Resources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan.
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, College of Bio-Resources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan.
Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand. Innovative Agriculture Research Centre, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand. Research Center of Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
Diaporthales new taxon pathogenicity taxonomy Fungi

Abstract

Diaporthe taiwanensis sp. nov. (Diaporthales, Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota) isolated on living leaves of Ixora chinensis from Taiwan, is characterized using both phenotypic and genetic characters. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on concatenated DNA sequence data of four nuclear genetic markers (ITS, tef1-α, β-tubulin and cal) show that the new taxon is separated from other representative species of Diaporthe with high statistical support. The new taxon differs from its phylogenetically related congeners mainly by having larger alpha conidia and producing beta conidia in culture and further by host and geographical distribution. Artificial inoculation on leaves confirmed the pathogenicity of the novel fungus to Ixora. The present study is the first report of Diaporthe species causing leaf spots and necrosis on Ixora chinensis in Taiwan.