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Title: Systematics of the genus Nectria based on a six-gene phylogeny

Author
item HIROOKA, YUURI - University Of Maryland
item Rossman, Amy
item CHAVERRI, PRISCILA - University Of Maryland

Submitted to: Inoculum
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2009
Publication Date: 6/8/2009
Citation: Hirooka, Y., Rossman, A.Y., Chaverri, P. 2009. Systematics of the genus Nectria based on a six-gene phylogeny. Inoculum. 60(3):22

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The genus Nectria sensu stricto is characterized by red, fleshy, warted perithecia that become cupulate when dry, and sporodochial conidiomata in Tubercularia and pycnidial anamorphs in Gyrostroma and Zythiostroma. Nectria is the type of the family Nectriaceae currently considered to include 21 genera and at least 200 species, many of which are plant pathogens especially on hardwood tress. To understand the phylogeny of Nectria and determine if Nectria species with Gyrostroma and Zythiostroma anamorphs are congeneric with Nectria s. str., we have examined specimens and cultures of Nectria from around the world. In addition, we constructed phylogenies based on sequences from six genes (ITS, LSU, ß-tubulin, TEF, ACT, RPB1). Based on these results Nectria is divided into two major non-sister clades: (1) species with Tubercularia anamorphs, including the type species Nectria cinnabarina; and (2) species with Gyrostroma and Zythiostroma anamorphs Nectria cinnabarina was determined to comprise at least four phylogenetic lineages. Nectria xanthoxyli in the Gyrostroma clade is represented by two distinct lineages as are N. cucurbitula and N. aquifolii. New species in each clade were discovered. This study concludes that Nectria s. str. is restricted to N. cinnabarina and species having Tubercularia anamorphs. For species having pycnidial anamorphs (Gyrostroma, Zythiostroma), the next available generic name is Pleonectria.