New records of Botryosphaeriaceae genera associated with palms in Florida, USA

Monica L. Elliott, Aubrey D. Morales & Elizabeth A. Des Jardin

Sydowia 70: 166-178

Published online on September 11th, 2018

The objective of this study was to identify the Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with disease symptomatic palms in Florida, using both morphological and molecular techniques. Conidia for 15 of 23 isolates were observed and measured. DNA from all isolates was amplified to obtain sequences of the ITS locus and a portion of the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (tef1-α), which were then queried for similarity to other Botryosphaeriaceae species using BLASTn and used to build phyloge­netic trees. Three genera were identified: Lasiodiplodia, Neodeightonia and Neofusicoccum. Six new plant host-fungal genera associations were ascertained. A new Neodeightonia species has likely been isolated, but further research is needed before a spe­cies name can be assigned. This study illustrates that systematic studies are needed to examine Botryosphaeriaceae species as­sociations with palms (Arecaceae) and determine their pathogenicity.

Keywords: Arecaceae, Lasiodiplodia, Neodeightonia, Neofusicoccum.

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