Species Complex Research Articles

Pathogenic and Comparative Genomic Analysis of Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum Isolated from Casuarina.

Casuarina equisetifolia is crucial in protecting coastal regions of China against typhoon attacks but has faced a substantial challenge due to wilt disease caused by pathogens of the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC). Although the initial outbreak of Casuarina wilt in the 1970s was effectively controlled by disease-resistant C. equisetifolia varieties, the disease has recently re-emerged in coastal regions of Guangdong. In this study, we report the isolation, characterization, and comparative genomic analysis of 11 RSSC strains from diseased C. equisetifolia at various locations along the coast of Guangdong. Phylogenomic analysis showed that the strains were closely related and clustered with phylotype I strains previously isolated from peanuts. Single-gene-based analysis further suggested these strains could be derived from strains present in Guangdong since the 1980s, indicating a historical context to their current pathogenicity. Casuarina-isolated strains exhibited notably higher virulence against C. equisetifolia and peanuts than the representative RSSC strains GMI1000 and EP1, suggesting host-specific adaptations that possibly contributed to the recent outbreak. Comparative genomic analysis among RSSC strains revealed a largely conserved genome structure and high levels of conservation in gene clusters encoding extracellular polysaccharide biosynthesis, secretion systems, and quorum sensing regulatory systems. However, we also found a number of unique genes in the Casuarina-isolated strains that were absent in GMI1000 and EP1, and vice versa, pointing to potential genetic factors underpinning their differential virulence. These unique genes offer promising targets for future functional studies. Overall, our findings provide crucial insights into the RSSC pathogens causing Casuarina wilt in Guangdong, guiding future efforts in disease control and prevention.

Plankton and contour algal communities in the Ukrainian section of the Western Bug River and its tributaries

The paper deals with spatial dynamics of cell count, biomass, dominant species complexes, information diversity of planktonic and contour algal communities in the Western Bug River and its tributaries. The trophic state and water quality of the rivers under study have been assessed. The spatial heterogeneity of phytoplankton, microphytobenthos and phytoperiphyton brought about high cell count and biomass values during the low-water summer-autumn season. The cell count and biomass have been shown to increase from the upper reaches downstream, correlating with the river bed width. High quantitative diversity of algal communities was due to Bacillariophyta dominance. Cyanobacteria and Chlorophyta were recorded as subdominants. The trophic state of the aquatic ecosystems under study varied between oligotrophic and eutrophic. The Shannon’s index made up 1.58–4.62 bit/cell and 1.60–4.40 bit/mg. The trophic state and information diversity assessed according to contour algal communities were higher than according to phytoplankton. This is indicative of the clear water regime forming in the rivers under study during the low-water summer-autumn season. The obtained findings differ from the data, published earlier for the Kaniv Water Reservoir, where the primary role belonged to phytoplankton. The spatial heterogeneity of algal communities is related to the dominant complexes structure. As a rule, these are monodominant Bacillariophyta complexes or oligodominant Bacillariophyta – Cyanobacteria or Bacillariophyta – Chlorophyta complexes. The water quality assessment according to the abiotic variables and saprobiologic characteristics has shown that the modal classes of water quality are the 2nd–3rd classes (clean waters – satisfactory clean waters). Therefore, the water quality of the Ukrainian section of the Western Bug River and its tributaries does not pose any substantial hazard to the adjacent European countries.

Genetic Variability in Mediterranean Coastal Ecosystems: Insights into Ostrea spp. (Bivalvia: Ostreidae).

Oysters are sessile, filter-feeding bivalve molluscs widely distributed in estuarine and coastal habitats worldwide. They constitute a valuable resource for fisheries and extensive aquaculture and provide essential ecological services. Yet, their genetic diversity and distribution remain understudied. The variability in shell morphology complicates species classification, which is influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Although molecular phylogenetics research has refined oyster taxonomy and identified approximately 100 extant species, numerous taxonomic uncertainties persist. In the present study, we aimed to document the occurrence of small flat oysters of the genus Ostrea along the Mediterranean coastal areas of Liguria and Sardinia (Italy). Specifically, 16S rRNA sequence data were used to identify Ostrea species. Our findings offer novel insights into the O. stentina species complex and O. neostentina, a new species in the Mediterranean coastal areas of Italy. The study data further our understanding of Ostrea species diversity, distribution, and evolutionary patterns.

Synthesis of Lactams via a Chiral Phosphoric Acid-Catalyzed Aniline Cyclization.

The enantioenriched lactams disclosed in this work are synthesized concisely in four steps. In the penultimate reaction, a benzylamine species complexes with a chiral phosphoric acid to produce benzo-fused δ-lactams equipped with an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter. Partial and full reductions were carried out on the ester and amide moieties, and a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling expanded the molecule from the aromatic ring. Finally, our method was successful at a >1 g scale, indicating that the method has important practical use.

A Sister Species for the Blue Crab, Callinectes sapidus? A Tale Revealed by Mitochondrial DNA.

The Atlantic blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, is acknowledged as one of the worst invasive alien species in the Mediterranean, impacting biodiversity and human activities. Native to the western Atlantic, it has expanded to European coastal waters since the early 1900s. Despite its ecological and commercial importance, genetic research on this species is limited. Here we show a comprehensive investigation of the genetic variation and evolutionary history in Callinectes sapidus using 667 mitochondrial COI gene sequences. Our dataset encompasses 36 newly generated sequences from previously understudied Mediterranean sites and 631 from worldwide locations obtained from the GenBank public database. Our findings reveal two distinct, but closely related, genetic groups within the species' distribution range, suggesting the occurrence of a potential species complex. Furthermore, in the Mediterranean, low levels of genetic variability were observed except for substantial haplotypic differentiation in Turkish samples. This study depicts the global genetic diversity and evolutionary patterns of Callinectes sapidus, offering new insights into the taxonomic status of the species.

Deciphering the differences of bacterial communities between high- and low-productive wheat fields using high-throughput sequencing.

Microbial communities have been demonstrated to be essential for healthy and productive soil ecosystems. However, an understanding of the relationship between soil microbial community and soil productivity levels is remarkably limited. In this study, bulk soil (BS), rhizosphere soil (RS), and root (R) samples from the historical high-productive (H) and low-productive (L) soil types of wheat in Hebei province of China were collected and analyzed by high-throughput sequencing. The study highlighted the richness, diversity, and structure of bacterial communities, along with the correlation networks among different bacterial genera. Significant differences in the bacterial community structure between samples of different soil types were observed. Compared with the low-productive soil type, the bacterial communities of samples from the high-productive soil type possessed high species richness, low species diversity, complex and stable networks, and a higher relative abundance of beneficial microbes, such as Pseudoxanthomonas, unclassified Vicinamibacteraceae, Lysobacter, Massilia, Pseudomonas, and Bacillus. Further analysis indicated that the differences were mainly driven by soil organic matter (SOM), available nitrogen (AN), and electrical conductivity (EC). Overall, the soil bacterial community is an important factor affecting soil health and crop production, which provides a theoretical basis for the targeted regulation of microbes in low-productivity soil types.

Three new species of Colletotrichum (Glomerellales, Glomerellaceae) associated with walnut (Juglansregia) anthracnose from China.

Colletotrichum species are significant pathogens of various economic plant hosts worldwide. In this study, 45 Colletotrichum isolates were obtained from symptomatic walnut leaves of walnut anthracnose in Shaanxi and Sichuan Provinces. In conjunction with morphological evidence and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), actin (act), chitin synthase 1 (chs1), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gapdh) and beta-tubulin (tub2) sequences support the introduction of three new species, namely Colletotrichumcordae, C.guangyuanense and C.juglandium. Five species of Colletotrichum were identified to be C.fioriniae of the C.acutatum species complex, C.karsti of the C.boninense species complex, C.gloeosporioides, C.mengyinense and C.siamense of the C.gloeosporioides species complex. The three new species are described and illustrated in this paper and compared with taxa in the Colletotrichumgloeosporioides species complex. The current results improve the understanding of Colletotrichum species causing walnut anthracnose in China.

Between sea angels and butterflies: A global phylogeny of pelagic pteropod molluscs

Pteropods, holoplanktonic gastropods, play pivotal roles in marine ecosystems as integral components of food webs and carbon cycling. With global change threatening pelagic ecosystem equilibrium, conserving pteropod biodiversity is paramount. Here, we present the most extensive phylogenetic study of the order Pteropoda to date, utilizing a complete mitogenome phylogeny to support the suppression of Thecosomata, thus demonstrating the lack of relationship between Pseudothecosomata and Euthecosomata. Through multilocus Sanger-based taxon sampling with 411 specimens (92 newly sequenced), representing nearly 100 species (out of 163 valid) from various oceans, we elucidate robust support for higher taxonomic rankings. Despite strong support, relationships between the major groups Gymnosomata, Pseudothecosomata, and Euthecosomata remain contentious. Our study addresses unresolved taxonomic questions, identifying cryptic species complexes across vast biogeographic areas, and offering unprecedented insights into pteropod diversity. We shed light on several open questions in pteropod systematics, proposing the reclassification of L. antarctica stat. rest. and elucidating the position of Thliptodon, Heliconoididae, and Thieleidae. This systematic review enhances our understanding of pteropod diversity and underscores the urgency of conservation efforts in the face of changing oceanic conditions.

Hydrographic basins dictate the genetic structure of the paradoxical frog Pseudis bolbodactyla (Anura: Hylidae) in the rivers of Central Brazil

Abstract Rivers are prominent landscape features, acting as key promoters of diversification among freshwater organisms. Albeit generally considered potential barriers to species movement, they may also facilitate gene flow and structure populations of semiaquatic species (Riverine Thruway Hypothesis, RTH). We evaluated the role of rivers on the processes responsible for current genetic variation in the semiaquatic frog Pseudis bolbodactyla, testing whether each hydrographic basin harbours distinct genetic lineages. We sequenced three markers on 166 samples from 13 localities along the Paraná (PR), Araguaia–Tocantins (AT), and São Francisco (SF) River basins in Brazil. We recovered three populations geographically matching each hydrographic basin. Our results indicate migration among basins, with the best model selected using approximate Bayesian computation, including migration between AT and SF and ancient gene flow from PR to the AT–SF ancestor. Our findings are likely related to the orogenic events in Central Brazil dating to the Late Miocene (5 Mya), when hydrographic basins and the geomorphological features of the Brazilian Shield were formed. This suggests that P. bolbodactyla probably represents a species complex, with each lineage occurring in a distinct hydrographic basin, matching the predictions of the RTH.

Satellite DNAs and the evolution of the multiple X1X2Y sex chromosomes in the wolf fish Hoplias malabaricus (Teleostei; Characiformes)

Multiple sex chromosomes usually arise from chromosomal rearrangements which involve ancestral sex chromosomes. There is a fundamental condition to be met for their long-term fixation: the meiosis must function, leading to the stability of the emerged system, mainly concerning the segregation of the sex multivalent. Here, we sought to analyze the degree of differentiation and meiotic pairing properties in the selected fish multiple sex chromosome system present in the wolf-fish Hoplias malabaricus (HMA). This species complex encompasses seven known karyotype forms (karyomorphs) where the karyomorph C (HMA-C) exhibits a nascent XY sex chromosomes from which the multiple X1X2Y system evolved in karyomorph HMA-D via a Y-autosome fusion. We combined genomic and cytogenetic approaches to analyze the satellite DNA (satDNA) content in the genome of HMA-D karyomorph and to investigate its potential contribution to X1X2Y sex chromosome differentiation. We revealed 56 satDNA monomers of which the majority was AT-rich and with repeat units longer than 100 bp. Seven out of 18 satDNA families chosen for chromosomal mapping by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) formed detectable accumulation in at least one of the three sex chromosomes (X1, X2 and neo-Y). Nine satDNA monomers showed only two hybridization signals limited to HMA-D autosomes, and the two remaining ones provided no visible FISH signals. Out of seven satDNAs located on the HMA-D sex chromosomes, five mapped also to XY chromosomes of HMA-C. We showed that after the autosome-Y fusion event, the neo-Y chromosome has not substantially accumulated or eliminated satDNA sequences except for minor changes in the centromere-proximal region. Finally, based on the obtained FISHpatterns, we speculate on the possible contribution of satDNA to sex trivalent pairing and segregation.

Complete Genome Sequence of Candida mucifera from an Otitis Media Patient.

We describe for the first time, a high-quality genome for a rare human yeast pathogen Candida mucifera, from a patient with chronic suppurative otitis media. This pathogen exhibited reduced azole susceptibility, similar to its close relatives within the Trichomonascus ciferrii species complex.

Reticulate evolution and rapid development of reproductive barriers upon secondary contact in a forest fungus

Reproductive barriers between sister species of the mushroom-forming fungi tend to be stronger in sympatry, leading to speculation on whether they are being reinforced by selection against hybrids. We have used population genomic analyses together with invitro crosses of a global sample of the wood decay fungus Trichaptum abietinum to investigate reproductive barriers within this species complex and the processes that have shaped them. Our phylogeographic analyses show that T.abietinum is delimited into six major genetic groups: one in Asia, two in Europe, and three in North America. The groups present in Europe are interfertile and admixed, whereas our crosses show that the North American groups are reproductively isolated. In Asia, a more complex pattern appears, with partial intersterility between subgroups that likely originated independently and more recently than the reproductive barriers in North America. We found pre-mating barriers in T.abietinum to be moderately correlated with genomic divergence, whereas mean growth reduction of the mated hybrids showed a strong correlation with increasing genomic divergence. Genome-wide association analyses identified candidate genes with programmed cell death annotations, which are known to be involved in intersterility in distantly related fungi, although their link here remains unproven. Our demographic modeling and phylogenetic network analyses fit a scenario where reproductive barriers in Trichaptum abietinum could have been reinforced upon secondary contact between groups that diverged in allopatry during the Pleistocene glacial cycles. Our combination of experimental and genomic approaches demonstrates how T.abietinum is a tractable system for studying speciation mechanisms.

Generalist species exhibit more genetic structure in comparison to a habitat specialist: Evidence from a phylogeographic study of two freshwater crabs (Decapoda: Potamonautidae: Potamonautes), implications for habitat conservation.

During the present study, the phylogeography of the wetland specialist, freshwater crab, Potamonautes flavusjo, was investigated and compared to that of the ubiquitous, generalist, P. sidneyi, using DNA sequence data from the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit one (COI). We inferred the evolutionary history of each species and compared their population-level genetic structure by constructing haplotype networks and using an analysis of molecular variation. Additionally, we explored the evolutionary relationship between southern African lentic and lotic freshwater crab species by examining the usefulness of carapace attributes in relation to genetic indices and a species' assumed dispersal capacity. In the lentic species, P. flavusjo, a single interconnected haplocluster characterized by shared haplotypes was observed, suggesting marked maternal dispersal, a result corroborated by the low F ST values. In contrast, for the lotic species, P. sidneyi two distinct haploclusters and marked genetic differentiation was observed indicating the absence of maternal dispersal, a result corroborated by the high F ST values. The phylogenetic relationship in P. sidneyi was further investigated using a maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses with the addition of sequence data from the mitochondrial 16S rRNA locus to estimate divergence times. Three species delimitation methods (ASAP, PTP, and bGMYC) were used to explore the presence of distinct lineages in P. sidneyi. The phylogenetic results indicated that within P. sidneyi two clades were present, while divergence time estimates suggest cladogenesis during the middle to late Pleistocene. The species delimitation methods used showed moderate congruence, however all oversplit the number of putative lineages. Our results indicated that P. sidneyi is a species complex comprised of two cryptic lineages, occurring in sympatry contemporarily possibly alluding to secondary contact. Carapace height was found to have no discernible influence on the genetic indices and presumed dispersal capabilities of mainland southern African freshwater crab species. The importance of our results are discussed in terms of conservation of freshwater habitats.

Establishing the Performance of Next-Generation Amplicon Sequencing for Detection of Giardia duodenalis in Ready-to-Eat Packaged Leafy Greens

Giardia duodenalis is a globally distributed intestinal parasite that commonly infects both humans and animals. G. duodenalis is a species complex, which includes eight assemblages that vary both in genetic structure and host specificity. The prevalence of mixed-assemblage G. duodenalis cysts on food, an understudied infection route for G. duodenalis, remains unknown. In the present study, a method able to detect G. duodenalis mixed-assemblage infections using next-generation amplicon sequencing (NGS) of the beta-giardin gene was applied in combination with the US-FDA’s BAM Chapter 19b protocol for the detection of G. duodenalis from fresh produce to ascertain the limit of detection of G. duodenalis on leafy greens. Ready-to-eat baby Romaine lettuce was inoculated with 5 (n = 5), 20 (n = 10), 100 (n = 10), 200 (n = 10), or 1,000 (n = 10) G. duodenalis cysts of the assemblage B strain H3. Detection of G. duodenalis was successful in 100% of the samples seeded with 1,000, 200, and 100 cysts, in 50% of the samples seeded with 20 cysts, and in none of the samples seeded with 5 cysts. We thus demonstrate robust detection of G. duodenalis on packaged leafy greens using the BAM Chapter 19B method coupled with assemblage-sensitive NGS. This protocol provides a new diagnostic tool useful for both prevalence studies and outbreak investigations involving fresh produce that may assist in better describing the role of G. duodenalis in foodborne illness and in protecting consumers from contaminated fresh produce.

Using Transcriptomics to Determine the Mechanism for the Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight of a Wheat-Th. elongatum Translocation Line.

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by the Fusarium graminearum species complex, is a destructive disease in wheat worldwide. The lack of FHB-resistant germplasm is a barrier in wheat breeding for resistance to FHB. Thinopyrum elongatum is an important relative that has been successfully used for the genetic improvement of wheat. In this study, a translocation line, YNM158, with the YM158 genetic background carrying a fragment of diploid Th. elongatum 7EL chromosome created using 60Co-γ radiation, showed high resistance to FHB under both field and greenhouse conditions. Transcriptome analysis confirmed that the horizontal transfer gene, encoding glutathione S-transferase (GST), is an important contributor to FHB resistance in the pathogen infection stage, whereas the 7EL chromosome fragment carries other genes regulated by F. graminearum during the colonization stage. Introgression of the 7EL fragment affected the expression of wheat genes that were enriched in resistance pathways, including the phosphatidylinositol signaling system, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, plant-pathogen interaction, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway at different stages after F. graminearium infection. This study provides a novel germplasm for wheat resistance to FHB and new insights into the molecular mechanisms of wheat resistance to FHB.

Description of six new species from Mesalina watsonana complex in the Iranian plateau and neighboring regions

Mesalina watsonana is a species complex with a wide distribution range in Iran, some parts of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwest India. Recent molecular and morphological investigations detected remarkable hidden diversity among the geographical populations of the complex, more likely referring to the persistence of undescribed species. In this study, we conducted a very detailed sampling of localities and carried out a morphological study to investigate populations within the complex. Investigation of morphological features within the M. watsonana species complex indicated that it consists of seven distinct populations. They include the West-Southeast-South, East-Northeast, East Dasht-e Kavir, West Dasht-e Kavir, and two central groups (Halil and Kerman groups). Considering our findings, each of the seven populations corresponding to distinct geographic regions should be recognized as species. The six new species include Mesalina khuzestanensis sp. nov., Mesalina halilica sp. nov., Mesalina kermanensis sp. nov., Mesalina ardestanica sp. nov., Mesalina bardaskanensis sp. nov., Mesalina esfarayensis sp. nov. which are distinctive from each other due to their unique morphological characteristics.

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates Circulating in North Santander, Colombia.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an important infectious disease in relation to global public health and is caused species of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). In this study, we used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and comparative genomics to investigate the genetic diversity of M. tuberculosis (Mtb) isolates circulating in North Santander (NS), Colombia. WGS was used for the phylogenetic and lineage characterization of 18 isolates of Mtb typed with orphan genotypes from 11 municipalities of NS between 2015 and 2018. The isolates studied were included in six sublineages from L4; the most frequent were 4.1.2.1, 4.3.3, and 4.3.4.2, corresponding to a proportion of 22.2%. The genome analysis conducted allowed the identification of a set of genetic variants mainly associated with determinants of virulence and evasion of the immune system (PPE34 and PE_PGRS2); adaptation and survival (PGL/p-HBAD); stress response (sigJ and sigM); geographic variability (PPE34); and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism (aldA, rocA, and cyp144). This is the first description of the molecular epidemiology of Mtb isolates circulating in NS achieved through WGS. It was possible to perform comparative genomics analyses between Mtb isolates against the universal reference H37Rv and Colombian UT205 genome, which can help us to understand the local genetic diversity and is relevant for epidemiological studies, providing insight into TB transmission dynamics in NS.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of whiteflies raised on cotton leaf curl Multan virus-infected cotton plants.

Cotton leaf curl Multan virus (CLCuMuV), a serious viral disease causative agent in cotton plants in South Asia, is transmitted by the Bemisia tabaci cryptic species complex in a persistent circulative manner. A previous study indicated that Asia II-7 whiteflies could transmit CLCuMuV, while Mediterranean (MED) whiteflies failed to transmit CLCuMuV. However, little is known about the genes involved in this process. In this study, Asia II-7 and MED B. tabaci were utilized to determine transcriptomic responses after 48 h of acquisition access periods (AAPs). Result of Illumina sequencing revealed that, 14,213 and 8,986 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Furthermore, DEGs related to the immune system and metabolism of Asia II-7 and MED in response to CLCuMuV-infected plants were identified and analyzed using Gene Ontologies (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and the number of related DEGs in MED was lower than that of Asia II-7. The most abundant groups of DEGs between both viruliferous and aviruliferous whitefly species were the zf-C2H2 family of transcription factors (TFs). Notably, in comparison to viruliferous MED, Asia II-7 exhibited more DEGs related to cathepsin biosynthesis. Overall, this study provides the basic information for investigating the molecular mechanism of how begomoviruses affect B. tabaci metabolism and immune response either as vector cryptic species or non-vector species.

Metarhizium caribense sp. nov., a Novel Species of Entomopathogenic Metarhizium Fungi Associated with Weevils Impairing Coffee, Sugar Cane and Sweet Potato Cultivation.

(1) Background: Insect pathogenic fungi of the genus Metarhizium are under study and in application as highly solicited, more eco-system friendly substitutes for chemical insecticides in many countries and in different agricultural contexts. In Cuba and Florida, Metarhizium strains have previously been isolated from economically important coffee and sugar cane pests. (2) Methods: Unambiguous species delineation within the Metarhizium anisopliae species complex is methodologically challenging. Recently, a species-discriminating PCR approach has been developed based on ribosomal intergenic spacer (rIGS) sequences that covered the prominent four "PARB" species within the complex. This approach is combined here with further genetic markers and is extended to a further species. (3) Results: Metarhizium isolates from Cuba, found to be more naturally associated with the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei, were morphologically, microscopically and molecular taxonomically characterized. Multilocus sequence analysis based on 5TEF, MzIGS3 and rIGS markers delineated these weevil-associated strains from all previously established Metarhizium species. (4) Conclusions: The isolates under study represent a new fungal taxon proposed to be designated Metarhizium caribense. The rIGS-based species-discriminating diagnostic PCR is a suitable tool for the identification of new Metarhizium species and can be productively combined to approaches using further genetic markers.

<i>Fusarium</i> species affecting potato tubers and tomato fruits in Uganda

Irish potato and tomato are among the most widely cultivated crops in Uganda. In 2020, samples of affected potato tubers and tomato fruits were collected from farms across four regions in Uganda for analysis. A total of 22 strains of Fusarium spp. were isolated from potato tubers and seven strains were isolated from tomato fruits. Identification of the fungal species was accomplished using cultural and morphological characteristics, as well as DNA sequencing targeting specific regions: ITS1–5.8S–ITS2, parts of the elongation factor 1 (tef 1) gene, and beta-tubulin (β-tub) gene. The analysis of the isolated strains from potato tubers revealed the presence of Fusarium incarnatum-equisety species complex, F. sambucinum species complex, F. oxysporum species complex, F. solani species complex. Additionally, F. incarnatum-equiseti species complex was detected in tomato fruits. All the investigated strains exhibited the ability to successfully infect both injured tomato fruits and potato tubers. Tested strains were susceptible to difenoconazole (ЕС50 = 0.08–8.5 mg/L) and thiabendazole (EC50 = 0.67–5.1 mg/L).