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Species of Cryphonectriaceae occupy an endophytic niche in the Melastomataceae and are putative latent pathogens of Eucalyptus

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Abstract

Species of Cryphonectriaceae can occur as asymptomatic fungal endophytes in Melastomataceae trees and shrubs. One hypothesis suggests Chrysoporthe cubensis (Cryphonectriaceae) is an endophyte of the Melastomataceae that has undergone a host switch to infect species of Eucalyptus in South America. The potential for similar host switches by other species of the Cryphonectriaceae is exacerbated by native stands of Melastomataceae that grow alongside commercial plantations of Eucalyptus. We sought to determine the diversity of Cryphonectriaceae endophytic in Melastomataceae trees that occur naturally adjacent to Eucalyptus plantations in Colombia. Branch segments were taken from six different species in three genera of the Melastomataceae. A technique that simulated natural conditions was used to promote fruiting of endophytic Cryphonectriaceae. Taxa were identified using a phylogenetic species concept based on sequence data from the internal transcribed spacer and β-tubulin gene regions. Three species of Cryphonectriaceae, Aurapex penicillata, C. cubensis and C. inopina, were identified. We tested whether these endophytes were potential pathogens of Eucalyptus, and each species was mildly pathogenic. The results showed that at least six species of Melastomataceae are hosts of the Cryphonectriaceae in Colombia. They also emphasize the biosecurity risk of moving superficially healthy stem tissue of the Melastomataceae to new environments.

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Acknowledgements

We thank staff of Smurfit Kappa in Colombia for assistance with the field surveys and the National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa (Grant specific unique reference number UID: 78566) for financial support. This study would also not have been possible without the financial support of the members of the Tree Protection Cooperative Programme (TPCP) and the Departement of Science and Technology- NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB) based at the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, South Africa.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Private Bag X20, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa

    Ginna M. Granados, Alistair R. McTaggart, Carlos A. Rodas, Jolanda Roux & Michael J. Wingfield

  2. Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Ecosciences Precinct, GPO Box 267, Brisbane, QLD, 4001, Australia

    Alistair R. McTaggart

  3. Forestry Health Protection Programme, SmurfitKappa Colombia, Calle 15 #, 18-109, Yumbo, Colombia

    Carlos A. Rodas

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  1. Ginna M. Granados
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  2. Alistair R. McTaggart
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  3. Carlos A. Rodas
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Correspondence to Ginna M. Granados or Alistair R. McTaggart.

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Granados, G.M., McTaggart, A.R., Rodas, C.A. et al. Species of Cryphonectriaceae occupy an endophytic niche in the Melastomataceae and are putative latent pathogens of Eucalyptus. Eur J Plant Pathol 156, 273–283 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-019-01887-9

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