Libor Jankovský

Delimitation of central and northern European species of the Phellinus igniarius group (Basidiomycota, Hymenochaetales) based on analysis of ITS and translation elongation factor 1 alpha DNA sequences

The Phellinus igniarius group comprises several closely related wood-decaying basidiomycetes with poroid hymenophores that are sometimes difficult to identify on a morphological basis. The delimitation of pileate species belonging to the group was the subject of ITS (internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA) and tefa (translation elongation factor 1 alpha) DNA sequence analyses applied to specimens from central and northern Europe. The results confirmed the distinctiveness of P. alni, P. igniarius, P. lundellii, P. nigricans, P. populicola, P. tremulae, and P. tuberculosus in Europe. The specimens of the previously distinguished species P. cinereus were found to be identical with either P. nigricans or P. alni. Thus, Phellinus cinereus does not follow the species criteria of phylogenetic species recognition. In addition, a recently described species, P. neolundellii, was grouped within the P. alni clade. The ITS and tefa analyses produced a different topology for P. populicola and P. igniarius. P. alni had the largest spectrum of hosts, including woody plants from nine families, and records on Aesculus hippocastanum and Ulmus glabra are reported for the first time. P. igniarius s.s. has been collected not only on Salix spp. as expected but also, though rarely, on Populus nigra, and it has been observed once on Malus domestica. The host specificity of the remaining species resembles previous data. An additional analysis of basidiospore dimensions did not reveal any differences between P. alni and P. igniarius, but both are distinguishable from those of P. nigricans.

Belowground infections of the invasive Phytophthora plurivora pathogen enhance the suitability of red oak leaves to the generalist herbivore Lymantria dispar

1. Globally, vast areas of forest are currently threatened by Lymantria dispar L. and Phytophthora species, which cause widespread declines and cascading ecological impacts. One important aim of evolutionary and ecological studies is to understand their interactions.

Variations in rDNA ITS of Czech Armillaria species determined by PCR and HPLC.

We analysed 40 isolates of species Armillaria. borealis, A. cepistipes, A. gallica, A. mellea, A. ostoyae and A. tabescens, mostly collected in the Czech Republic, by PCR-RFLP of the ITS rRNA genes using the restriction endonucleases AluI, HinfI and MboI. Restriction fragments were analysed by ion-exchange high performance liquid chromatography which proved to be more useful informative, and less time-consuming than classical electrophoresis on agarose gel. The HPLC method enabled detection of some heterozygous strains. HinfI discriminated between all six species. Ten isolates were sequenced to confirm changes in restriction sites found by restriction analysis. Cluster analysis based on the restrictions patterns of restriction endonucleases AluI and HinfI divided the analysed species into three groups. The first and the most distant group contained all A. mellea isolates, the second group was formed by A. tabescens and the third group contained species A. borealis, A. cepistipes, A. gallica and A. ostoyae. The A. tabescens group was very homogenous regardless of the origin of isolates (Czech Republic, France and Finland).

Identification of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, the causal agent of ash dieback in Slovakia

Abstract Symptoms of ash dieback have been recorded in Slovakia since 2004. The field sampling was carried out in 2013, included 59 segments of shoots and 10 and more petioles per locality from four localities. The causal agent of ash dieback, the hyphomycete Chalara fraxinea T. Kowalski, was isolated from Fraxinus excelsior L. from seven localities in Slovakia. The morphology of C. fraxinea isolates and the teleomorph Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (T. Kowalski) Baral, Queloz, Hosoya are described and ITS sequences are provided.

First report of powdery mildew on Cissus rhombifolia caused by Erysiphe necator in the Czech Republic

Cissus rhombifolia was found to be infected with a powdery mildew for the first time in the Czech Republic in 2008. The fungus was identified as Erysiphe necator based on the morphological characteristics of the anamorph. This is the second report of E. necator infection of C. rhombifolia in Europe.