Morphological and phylogenetic analyses reveal three new species of Fusarium (Hypocreales, Nectriaceae) associated with leaf blight on Cunninghamia lanceolata in China

Abstract

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) is a special fast-growing commercial tree species in China with high economic value. In recent years, leaf blight disease on C. lanceolata has been observed frequently. The diversity of Fusarium species associated with leaf blight on C. lanceolata in China (Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Hunan provinces) was evaluated using morphological study and molecular multi-locus analyses based on RNA polymerase second largest subunit (RPB2), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-1α), and RNA polymerase largest subunit (RPB1) genes/region as well as the pairwise homoplasy index tests. A total of five Fusarium species belonging to four Fusarium species complexes were recognized in this study. Two known species including Fusarium concentricum and F. fujikuroi belonged to the F. fujikuroi species complex, and three new Fusarium species were described, i.e., F. fujianense belonged to the F. lateritium species complex, F. guizhouense belonged to the F. sambucinum species complex, and F. hunanense belonged to the F. solani species complex. To prove Koch’s postulates, pathogenicity tests on C. lanceolata revealed a wide variation in pathogenicity and aggressiveness among the species, of which F. hunanense HN33-8-2 caused the most severe symptoms and F. fujianense LC14 led to the least severe symptoms. To our knowledge, this study also represented the first report of F. concentricum, F. fujianense, F. fujikuroi, F. guizhouense, and F. hunanense causing leaf blight on C. lanceolata in China.