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Taxonomy and pathogenicity of Ceratocystis species on Eucalyptus trees in South China, including C. chinaeucensis sp. nov.

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Abstract

Commercial plantations of Eucalyptus species have been established in South China, especially during the past 20 years, to meet the needs of a rapidly growing national economy. As part of a survey of fungal diseases affecting Eucalyptus species in South China, Ceratocystis species were collected from Eucalyptus plantations in the GuangDong Province. The aims of this study were to identify these Ceratocystis isolates and to test their pathogenicity to Eucalyptus. The most aggressive isolates were also used to screen different species and clones of Eucalyptus for susceptibility to infection under field conditions. The fungi were identified based on morphology and through comparisons of DNA sequence data of the ITS, partial β-tubulin and TEF-1α gene regions. Morphological and DNA sequence comparisons showed that isolates collected from Chinese Eucalyptus plantations represent two species, C. acaciivora in the C. fimbriata s.l. species complex and a previously undescribed species belonging to the C. moniliformis s.l. species complex, for which the name C. chinaeucensis sp. nov. is provided. In pathogenicity trials, both C. acaciivora and C. chinaeucensis gave rise to lesions on wounded Eucalyptus trees, and the former fungus was most pathogenic. Differences were also observed in the responses of different Eucalyptus clones to inoculation and this could be useful in reducing disease, if C. acaciivora should emerge as a pathogen in the future.

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Acknowledgments

This study was initiated through the bilateral agreement between South Africa and China, and funded through the projects of 2012DFG31830, 2010KJCX015-03 and 10145624536-400000. We also thank the members of Tree Protection Co-operative Programme (TPCP) for financial support. We thank Prof. Hennie Groeneveld and Dr. Mike van der Linde for assisting with the statistical analyses and colleagues ChunYan Xie, GuiXiang Zhao, GuoQing Li, Mingliang Yin, RunLei Chang, XinTao Mou and Yan Wang for their valuable assistance in the field.

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Author notes

  1. XuDong Zhou

    Present address: FuturaGene Biotechnology Shanghai Co., LTD, Shanghai, China

  2. ShuaiFei Chen

    Present address: Department of Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis/Kearney Agricultural Research & Extension Center (KARE), Parlier, CA, 93648, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa

    ShuaiFei Chen, Jolanda Roux, Michael J. Wingfield & XuDong Zhou

  2. Department of Genetics, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa

    Marelize Van Wyk

  3. China Eucalypt Research Centre (CERC), Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF), ZhanJiang, 524022, GuangDong Province, China

    ShuaiFei Chen, YaoJian Xie & XuDong Zhou

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  1. ShuaiFei Chen
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Correspondence to XuDong Zhou.

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Chen, S., Van Wyk, M., Roux, J. et al. Taxonomy and pathogenicity of Ceratocystis species on Eucalyptus trees in South China, including C. chinaeucensis sp. nov.. Fungal Diversity 58, 267–279 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-012-0214-5

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