Colletotrichum Species Causing Anthracnose of Rubber Trees in China

Xianbao Liu,Xiaolan Zheng,Yanli Feng,Guixiu Huang,Boxun Li,Jimiao Cai

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-28166-7

Abstract

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum is one of the most severe diseases of Hevea brasiliensis. However, research on the diversity and geographical distribution of Colletotrichum remains limited in China. In this study, we investigated the phylogenetic diversity of Colletotrichum isolates associated with symptomatic tissues of H.brasiliensis from four provinces of China (Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan). Based on multi-locus phylogenetic analyses and phenotypic characteristics, five species were distinguished, including two known species (C. fructicola, C. siamense), one novel species of C. gloeosporioides species complex (C. ledongense), and two novel species of C. acutatum species complex (C. bannanense and C. australisinense). Of these, C. siamense and C. australisinense have been recognized as major causative agents of anthracnose of H. brasiliensis.

Highlights

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum is one of the most severe diseases of Hevea brasiliensis
Based on the BLAST search results on the NCBI database with the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) sequences, all Colletotrichum isolates in this study were preliminarily allocated to the following species complexes: 40 isolates belong to the C. gloeosporioides species complex and 22 isolates belong to C. acutatum species complex
Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was considered as the major species responsible for Colletotrichum leaf disease of rubber trees[10,40], until C. acutarnm was identified from CLD lesions on Hevea brasiliensis using ITS sequence

Summary

Introduction

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum is one of the most severe diseases of Hevea brasiliensis. Most Colletotrichum species isolated from rubber trees in different countries were reported C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides. Most species are associated with plant diseases, commonly referred to as anthracnose[16,17,21,23] These pathogens can affect a wide range of hosts. Many members of C. gloeosporioides species complexes and C. acutatum species complexes were recorded as the causes of anthracnose[25,26]. The aim of the present study was to investigate the Colletotrichum species causing anthracnose of rubber trees in China by employing large-scale sampling and isolation, and combining morphological characterization with multi-locus phylogeny. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to G.H.

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