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Open Access Multiple Didymella teleomorphs are linked to the Phoma clematidina morphotype

The fungal pathogen Phoma clematidina is used as a biological agent to control the invasive plant species Clematis vitalba in New Zealand. Research conducted on P. clematidina as a potential biocontrol agent against C. vitalba, led to the discovery of two perithecial-forming strains. To assess the diversity of P. clematidina and to clarify the teleomorph-anamorph relationship, phylogenetic analyses of 18 P. clematidina strains, reference strains representing the Phoma sections in the Didymellaceae and strains of related species associated with Clematis were conducted. Partial sequences of the ITS1, ITS2 and 5.8S rRNA gene, the ß-tubulin gene and 28S rRNA gene were used to clarify intra- and inter-species relationships. These analyses revealed that P. clematidina resolves into three well-supported clades which appear to be linked to differences in host specificity. Based on these findings, Didymella clematidis is newly described and the descriptions of P. clematidina and D. vitalbina are amended.

Keywords: ASCOCHYTA VITALBAE; CLEMATIS; DIDYMELLA CLEMATIDIS; DIDYMELLA VITALBINA; DNA PHYLOGENY; ITS; LSU; SZLIG-TUBULIN; TAXONOMY

Document Type: Research Article

Publication date: 30 June 2009

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  • Persoonia aims to publish papers dealing with molecular phylogeny and evolution of fungi. A further aim is to promote fungal taxonomy by employing a polythetic approach to clarify the true phylogeny and relationships within the kingdom Fungi. The journal publishes high-quality papers elucidating known and novel fungal taxa at the DNA level, and also strives to present novel insights into evolutionary processes and relationships. Papers to be considered include research articles and reviews.

    Papers are published using a Fast Track system. This implies that the papers are immediately published online and freely available through the internet via this website. Volumes appear twice a year (June and December). From Volume 36 onwards (2016) hard copy volumes will only be made available through printing-on-demand. The issues can be ordered separately through the Publication Division of Naturalis Biodiversity Center; e-mail: [email protected].

    Persoonia is a journal published jointly by the Naturalis Biodiversity Center and the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute.
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