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Pythium montanum sp. nov., a new species from a spruce stand in the Bavarian Alps

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Abstract

During a study on soilborne Pythiaceae in the Bavarian Alps, 3 isolates of a papillate Pythium species with aplerotic oospores were found in rhizosphere soil from a declining spruce stand. The isolates showed a unique combination of sporangial and gametangial characters, and could not be assigned to any known species of the genus. They were characterised by a relatively low growth rate, internally proliferating sporangia and extremely variable, monoclinous, sessile or shortly stalked antheridia. Direct germination of sporangia frequently occurred in water culture. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the ribosomal DNA showed very low levels of similarity to those of all known species of Pythium. This paper describes the isolates as Pythium montanum sp. nov., gives details on its morphology and provides preliminary information on its pathogenicity. Additional molecular evidence for its status as a new species is also provided. Phylogenetic analyses with a set of Pythium spp. showed that P. montanum groups in a clade together with P. vexans, a species whose taxonomical status still remains unclear, and that is considered a ‘border species’ between Pythium and Phytophthora.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department für Ökologie, Pathologie der Waldbäume, Technische Universität München, WZW, Am Hochanger 13, D-85354, Freising, Germany

    Jan Nechwatal & Wolfgang F. Oßwald

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  1. Jan Nechwatal
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  2. Wolfgang F. Oßwald
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Correspondence to Wolfgang F. Oßwald.

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Nechwatal, J., Oßwald, W.F. Pythium montanum sp. nov., a new species from a spruce stand in the Bavarian Alps. Mycol Progress 2, 73–80 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-006-0046-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-006-0046-3

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