Abstract
Research Highlights: Pestalotiopsis pini sp. nov. is an emerging pathogen on stone pine, Pinus pinea L., in Portugal. Background and Objectives: Stone pine is one of the most important forest tree species in Portugal and in the whole Mediterranean basin. Pestalotiopsis species are common endophytes, saprobes or pathogens in a variety of hosts and environments. The objective of the present study was to identify the Pestalotiopsis species associated with the symptomatic stone pine trees. Materials and Methods: Samples of stone pine trees showing shoot blight and stem necrosis were obtained from stone pine orchards and urban areas in Portugal, and the isolated Pestalotiopsis species were identified based on morphology and combined ITS, TEF and TUB DNA sequence data. Artificial inoculations on one-year-old stone pine seedlings were performed with the two species most frequently found in association with shoot blight disease. Results: Five Pestalotiopsis spp. were isolated. A taxonomic novelty, Pestalotiopsis pini is described, representing a new pathogen for stone pine. Conclusions: Pestalotiopsis species may represent a threat to the health of pine forests in the Mediterranean basin. Future research should be done in order to increase our knowledge about the potential impact of pestalotioid species in stone pine, in order to develop management strategies against these pathogens.
Highlights
Stone pine, Pinus pinea L., is one of the most important forestry species in Portugal and the Mediterranean basin
After macro- and microscopic observation of the sampled material, small pieces from the leading edge of the lesions were surface sterilized for 1 min in 1% NaClO and plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with 0.5 mg/mL of streptomycin sulphate in order to avoid bacterial growth
To determine the phylogenetic position of the Pestalotiopsis isolates, phylogenetic analyses were performed based on the combined internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF), and TUB sequence data
Summary
Pinus pinea L., is one of the most important forestry species in Portugal and the Mediterranean basin. Stone pine forests play an important role in the economy of the areas where they are planted, especially due to the high value of edible pine nuts, which are the main resource of this industry [1]. Pinus pinea is broadly considered a robust species. Pine nut production has been decreasing due to several factors, including pests and diseases [1,2]. Fungi within this genus are normally considered secondary pathogens that can be responsible for a variety of plant diseases, including cankers, dieback, leaf spots, needle blight, tip blight, Forests 2020, 11, 805; doi:10.3390/f11080805 www.mdpi.com/journal/forests
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