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Title: THE SPECIES OF COLLETOTRICHUM ON AGAVACEAE

Author
item Farr, David
item Aime, Mary
item Rossman, Amy
item PALM, MARY - APHIS, BELTSVILLE, MD

Submitted to: Mycological Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2006
Publication Date: 11/20/2006
Citation: Farr, D.F., Aime, M.C., Rossman, A.Y., Palm, M.E. 2006. The Species of Colletotrichum on Agavaceae. Mycological Research. 110:1395-1408.

Interpretive Summary: Fungi cause serious diseases of crop plants and trees. Many of these fungi do not occur in the United States and have potential as invasive species. In order to prevent the entry of invasive fungi, it is critical to know which species exist both inside and outside the United States. In this paper fungi in a group that causes leaf diseases were examined using characters visible with the microscope as well as genetic characters. The fungi on the plant family that includes American aloe, New Zealand flax, and lucky bamboo were characterized, described and illustrated. In addition their relationship to other species was determined using genetic characters. A total of five fungal species were found on these plants. Of these, two species are present in the United States while three do not occur in the U.S. Thus, it is important to be able to tell the difference between these related fungi. One of the three species not found in the U.S. is new to science. This research will be used by plant quarantine officials and plant pathologists to identify these fungi and to prevent entry of these potentially invasive species into the United States.

Technical Abstract: Members of the genus Colletotrichum cause diseases on a number of host plants. Plants belonging to the Agavaceae (Monocotyledons: Liliales) and inspected at U.S. ports of entry frequently are infected with species of Colletotrichum. Three species of Colletotrichum, which seem to be restricted to the Agavaceae, were detected through morphological studies and molecular sequence analyses of the large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (LSU) and the internally transcribed spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS) of specimens and cultures. Colletotrichum agaves on Agave is fully described and illustrated. Colletotrichum dracaenophilum is described as a new species for isolates having long conidia and occurring on Draceana sanderiana from China. Colletotrichum phormii and G. phormii are determined to be the correct names for the asexual and sexual states, respectively, of a species mainly on Phormium and formerly referred to as C. rhodocyclum and G. phacidiomorpha. In addition, C. gloeosporioides and C. boninense were isolated from plants in the Agavaceae. A key to species of Colletotrichum on Agavaceae is included.