Fomitiporia punctata (P. Karst.) Murrill is a wood decay fungus on broadleaves. It has only recently been reevaluated as a distinct species with respect to Phellinus punctatus (P. Karst.) Pilát sensu lato species complex, a group taxonomically complex to discriminate. In turn, F. mediterranea M. Fisch. was recognized as an independent species in 2002 based on strains isolated from Vitis vinifera L. in Germany. Since that moment, the species has been increasingly reported in Europe and Southern regions particularly, with special focus on its pathogenicity for some cultivated woody plants. Nevertheless, it has not been clarified yet whether F. punctata and F. mediterranea are sympatric in south Europe and South of Alps in particular. Aim of this work was to investigate whether F. punctata and F. mediterranea are both present in Lombardia by considering different provinces and hosts. Samplings in different provinces and environments in Lombardia provided the culture collection of DSTAUnipv (MicUNIPV) with over 60 dikaryon strains in pure culture morphologically recognized as belonging to P. punctatus sensu lato. ITS analysis on a subset including strains from Pavia, Varese, Como and Brescia provinces revealed the presence of F. mediterranea only, whereas no strains were attributed to F. punctata. For a strain subset, LSU sequences were obtained as well. Interspecific discrimination was furtherly explored by both ITS and ITS-LSU approach with respect to all available sequences in Genbank belonging to P. punctatus sensu lato and including sequences specifically referred to F. mediterranea. The cladograms clearly show that all the MicUNIPV isolates lie in F. mediterranea clade, as well as other available Italian strains examined by different authors in previous years. On the other hand, all the European strains lying in putative F. punctata clade come from areas lying North of Alps. Notwithstanding, F. mediterranea clades also include strains from German and Swiss vineyards (based on Fischer’s results). Despite the wide majority of currently available F. mediterranea sequences is thus referred to Mediterranean regions, the Northern front of this species is likely to be placed in correspondence of Alps, except for accidental introduction further North as a parasite of cultivated plants. The role of cultivated and wild host plants as carriers for F. mediterranea is discussed with respect to the sister species F. punctata (Fig. 1a-1b). Adaptation of F. mediterranea to other allochthonous species is discussed as well. In conclusion, this study confirmed that F. punctata and F. mediterranea are not sympatric in Lombardia; data thus suggest F. mediterranea only is present South of Alps. Since F. mediterranea is an important pathogen for several plants (unlikely F. punctata), it is of major concern to discriminate the two species, as well as to define the native ranges and whether climate change may favour F. mediterranea emergence.

Fomitiporia punctata missing: ITS-LSU analysis in Lombardia detects the polyphagous pathogen F. mediterranea only

Carolina Elena Girometta
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;
Rebecca Michela Baiguera
Investigation
;
Francesco Bracco
Resources
;
Simone Buratti
Investigation
;
Marco Cartabia
Investigation
;
Elena Savino
Supervision
2021-01-01

Abstract

Fomitiporia punctata (P. Karst.) Murrill is a wood decay fungus on broadleaves. It has only recently been reevaluated as a distinct species with respect to Phellinus punctatus (P. Karst.) Pilát sensu lato species complex, a group taxonomically complex to discriminate. In turn, F. mediterranea M. Fisch. was recognized as an independent species in 2002 based on strains isolated from Vitis vinifera L. in Germany. Since that moment, the species has been increasingly reported in Europe and Southern regions particularly, with special focus on its pathogenicity for some cultivated woody plants. Nevertheless, it has not been clarified yet whether F. punctata and F. mediterranea are sympatric in south Europe and South of Alps in particular. Aim of this work was to investigate whether F. punctata and F. mediterranea are both present in Lombardia by considering different provinces and hosts. Samplings in different provinces and environments in Lombardia provided the culture collection of DSTAUnipv (MicUNIPV) with over 60 dikaryon strains in pure culture morphologically recognized as belonging to P. punctatus sensu lato. ITS analysis on a subset including strains from Pavia, Varese, Como and Brescia provinces revealed the presence of F. mediterranea only, whereas no strains were attributed to F. punctata. For a strain subset, LSU sequences were obtained as well. Interspecific discrimination was furtherly explored by both ITS and ITS-LSU approach with respect to all available sequences in Genbank belonging to P. punctatus sensu lato and including sequences specifically referred to F. mediterranea. The cladograms clearly show that all the MicUNIPV isolates lie in F. mediterranea clade, as well as other available Italian strains examined by different authors in previous years. On the other hand, all the European strains lying in putative F. punctata clade come from areas lying North of Alps. Notwithstanding, F. mediterranea clades also include strains from German and Swiss vineyards (based on Fischer’s results). Despite the wide majority of currently available F. mediterranea sequences is thus referred to Mediterranean regions, the Northern front of this species is likely to be placed in correspondence of Alps, except for accidental introduction further North as a parasite of cultivated plants. The role of cultivated and wild host plants as carriers for F. mediterranea is discussed with respect to the sister species F. punctata (Fig. 1a-1b). Adaptation of F. mediterranea to other allochthonous species is discussed as well. In conclusion, this study confirmed that F. punctata and F. mediterranea are not sympatric in Lombardia; data thus suggest F. mediterranea only is present South of Alps. Since F. mediterranea is an important pathogen for several plants (unlikely F. punctata), it is of major concern to discriminate the two species, as well as to define the native ranges and whether climate change may favour F. mediterranea emergence.
2021
978-88-85915-26-8
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11571/1447439
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