Glomus cubense sp. nov., an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus from Cuba

Abstract

Glomus cubense (Glomeraceae, Glomeromycetes) was isolated from a lagoon vegetation area on a clay soil deposition environment in the vicinity of San José de las Lajas, Cuba. The species description is based on spore morphological parameters from in vivo pot cultures and molecular analyses. The new species is characterized by its small, generally irregular in shape, 20-48 × (24–)54-72 μm hyaline to faintly yellow spores that have a 2-layered spore wall and arise in clusters. Phylogenetic analyses of the rDNA ITS region and H+ATPase place the species into the Glomeraceae without close relatives among named Glomus species. Glomus cubense forms mycorrhizal associations with sorghum and leek plants under greenhouse pot-culture growing conditions and with a diversity of crop plants under field conditions. The name cubense refers to Cuba, the country where the species was found.