Vasyl P. Heluta

Four powdery mildew species with catenate conidia infect Galium: molecular and morphological evidence

The Erysiphaceae are a group of obligately biotrophic fungi that cause powdery mildew disease of angiosperms. Due to their inability to be cultured on artificial media, the taxonomy of the Erysiphaceae has generally been based on the morphological characteristics of fresh and herbarium specimens. Thus, several morphological species with wide host ranges have long been maintained in this family, even though they clearly consist of several biological species. Erysiphe galii has been known as a powdery mildew of Galium spp. Recently, the former E. galii var. galii has been reassessed as Neoerysiphe galii and E. galii var. riedliana as Golovinomyces riedlianus, along with a taxonomic revision of the generic concept of the Erysiphaceae. The present study was conducted to evaluate the validity of the taxonomic revision of the two varieties of E. galii. During the course of this study, we found that the Galium powdery mildews consist of at least four different species, viz. Neoerysiphe galii, Golovinomyces orontii, G. riedlianus, and an unknown species collected in Argentina. The latter species is described as a new species, Golovinomyces calceolariae. The three species belonging to Golovinomyces are morphologically very similar to each other, i.e. the discrimination between them is rather difficult. The morphological differences of the three Golovinomyces species of Galium are discussed.

Phylogeny and taxonomy of powdery mildew fungi of Erysiphe sect. Uncinula on Carpinus species

A phylogenetic analysis of the Erysiphe with uncinuloid ascoma appendages (Erysiphe section Uncinula, Erysiphales, Ascomycota) on Carpinus spp. was done using sequences of the rDNA ITS regions and the D1/D2 domains of the 28S rDNA. These results, combined with morphological data, revealed a complex consisting of several distinct taxa. These included the already described Erysiphecarpinicola on C. japonica distinguishable from the Erysiphe sp. on C. betulus and C. tschonoskii as well as the one on C. laxiflora. Thus, it was shown that Oidiumcarpini, described from Europe on Carpinus betulus, the powdery mildew with uncinula-like ascomata, recently found in Europe on this host, as well as an Erysiphe on C. tschonoskii in Japan, described previously as E. carpinicola, all belong to a single new species, named E. arcuata in this paper. As the powdery mildew on C. laxiflora was also distinct from other known species, it is named E. carpini-laxiflorae in this paper. The already described E. pseudocarpinicola and Erysiphe sp. on Carpinus cordata are two additional taxa, which are morphologically and genetically distinguished from the other species of Erysiphe sect. Uncinula on Carpinus spp.

First comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the genus Erysiphe (Erysiphales, Erysiphaceae) I. The Microsphaera lineage

The genus Erysiphe (including powdery mildew fungi only known as anamorph, Pseudoidium) is the largest genus in the Erysiphaceae and contains more than 50% of all species in this family. Little is known about the phylogenetic structure of this genus. We conducted a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the Microsphaera-lineage, a monophyletic group including species of sects. Microsphaera and Erysiphe, using 401 sequences of nuc ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and the 28S rDNA regions. This analysis gave many small clades delimited by the host plant genus or family. We identified two deep branches, albeit with moderate bootstrap supports, that divided the 401 sequences into three large groups. In addition, we identified four large clades consisting of homogeneous sequences of powdery mildews from a wide range of host plants beyond family level, namely, the E. aquilegiae clade, the E. alphitoides clade, the E. quercicola clade, and the E. trifoliorum s. lat. clade. Isolates from herbaceous plants were mostly situated in the E. aquilegiae clade and in Group III that was located at the most derived position of the Microsphaera-lineage. On the other hand, the basal part of the Microsphaera-lineage was occupied by isolates from woody plants except for E. glycines that was used as an outgroup taxon. This supports our previous hypothesis that tree-parasitic powdery mildews are phylogenetically primitive in the Erysiphaceae in general, and host-shift from trees to herbs occurred many times independently during the evolution of powdery mildews. Molecular clock analyses suggested that the divergence of the Microsphaera-lineage began ca. 20 million years ago in the Miocene Epoch of the Neogene Period.

Molecular phylogeny and taxonomy of Eurasian Neoerysiphe species infecting Asteraceae and Geranium.

Because Eurasian samples of Neoerysiphe collected on the Asteraceae were not identical in morphology, the molecular and morphological differences among these specimens were compared with those of the American N. cumminsiana. Neoerysiphe on Asteraceae was found to consist of at least four different species. Three of them are described as new species, viz. N. hiratae, N. joerstadii, and N. nevoi. Neoerysiphe hiratae is a Japanese species parasitizing hosts belonging to the genera Cacalia and Ligularia (tribe Senecioneae). Neoerysiphe joerstadii was found in Israel on Phagnalon rupestre (tribe Gnaphalieae). Neoerysiphe nevoi was recorded in Israel and Ukraine on a number of hosts in different genera but all belonging to tribe Cichorieae. Thus, Eurasian Neoerysiphe species infecting the Asteraceae are strongly specialised to particular tribes of this family. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the three new species were not closely allied. Neoerysiphe hiratae is related to the American N. cumminsiana and species belonging to Oidium subg. Striatoidium. Neoerysiphe nevoi is sister to N. geranii, and N. joerstadii is allied to N. galii. In addition, Ukrainian Neoerysiphe samples on Geranium were phylogenetically and morphologically identical to Japanese samples of N. geranii, and this fungus seems to be an invasive species in Ukraine.

Anthracoidea caricis-meadii is a new North American smut fungus on Carex sect. Paniceae

The morphology and phylogeny of Anthracoidea on Carex meadii (sect. Paniceae) collected in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, USA, were studied by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and LSU rDNA sequence analyses. As a result A. caricis-meadii sp. nov. is described. The fungus differs morphologically from Anthracoidea laxae and A. paniceae, which also occur on sedges from the section Paniceae. Molecular analyses support the placement of the latter species and Anthracoidea caricis-meadii in different phylogenetic lineages. Because of morphological discrepancies in the literature, A. laxae and A. paniceae also are described and illustrated based on re-examination of respective holotype and isotype specimens.

Revision of Entyloma (Entylomatales, Exobasidiomycetes) on Eryngium

The genus Entyloma consists of more than 160 species of smut fungi distributed worldwide on dicots, with Apiaceae being one of the main host families. This study aims to clarify the systematics and phylogeny of Entyloma on Eryngium (Apiaceae) with molecular and morphological data. Eleven species from Eryngium are discussed herein. Four of them are described as new taxa: E. carmeli sp. nov. on Eryngium falcatum, E. eryngii-cretici sp. nov. on Eryngium creticum, E. eryngii-maritimi sp. nov. on Eryngium maritimum and E. ho-chunkii sp. nov. on Eryngium yuccifolium. Analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA is presented and supports the polyphyly of Entyloma on Eryngium.

Erysiphe kenjiana (Erysiphales), a new invasive fungus in Europe

An Asian powdery mildew fungus Erysiphe (Uncinula) kenjiana (Erysiphales, Ascomycota) has been found in Ukraine. This is the first record of this fungus in Europe. In 2007, E. kenjiana was collected on four Ulmus species in Kiev. All locations adjoined railways or an airport. Development of E. kenjiana was epiphytotic. This species was not found on elms surveyed at towns situated north-east, east or south of Kiev. The fungus may have been brought directly to Ukraine by rail or air transport. In 2008, the fungus was also collected in Chernihiv situated north-east of Kiev. It is likely that E. kenjiana will spread over all Ukraine and into countries of central and western Europe in 2009 or later. Molecular phylogenetic analyses using D1/D2 domains of the 28S rDNA and ITS sequences revealed that the Ulmaceae-Cannabaceae-parasitic powdery mildews, including E. kenjiana, form a clade with strong supports, suggesting that these species diverged from a single ancestor and expanded their host ranges within the Ulmaceae and allied Cannabaceae. This hypothesis is supported by these species sharing the unique morphology of enlarged apices on their chasmothecial appendages. These fungi formed part of a larger grouping with species on Fagaceae, Nothofagaceae, Rosaceae, and Sapindaceae with strong statistical supports. These results suggest that Uncinula-like powdery mildew fungi on these plant families exhibit close evolutionary relationships with their hosts.

Stripe smuts of grasses: one lineage or high levels of polyphyly?

Stripe smut of grasses, Ustilago striiformis s.l., is a complex of smut fungi widely distributed over temperate and subtropical regions. The disease results in the shredding and death of leaf tissue following the rupture of elongated sori. Nearly 100 different grass species in more than 30 genera are infected by stripe smut. During the last two centuries more than 30 smut taxa have been described from members of this complex. The present study attempts to clarify the taxonomy and phylogeny of stripe smuts on grasses by analysing both morphological and molecular data. More than 200 specimens from different continents and host plants were examined. DNA was extracted from teliospores of 23 specimens from different hosts collected in Europe, Asia, and North America. The ITS and LSU regions of ribosomal DNA were amplified and used in phylogenetic analyses. The results of Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian analyses demonstrated that there are several lineages of stripe smut fungi. Analyses of morphological characters assessed with light and scanning electron microscopy showed high support for the differentiation of two clades as distinct from U. striiformis s.l., i.e., U. nunavutica sp. nov. and U. bromina. Two additional clades, U. striiformis s.str. on Holcus and a clade containing specimens from Elymus, were identified with molecular data although morphological differences were not apparent. Descriptions are given for each species.

A contribution to the study of smut fungi of Israel.

Four species of smut fungi, Antherospora vaillantii, Microbotryum holostei, Urocystis magica, and U. muscaridis, are reported for the first time in Israel. Urocystis magica was found in the Judean desert on a new host plant, Allium rothii, and M. holostei is new for Asia.

First record of Erysiphe syringae-japonicae in Turkey

Abstract — Erysiphe syringae-japonicae was reported on leaves of Syringa vulgaris for the first time from Turkey. A short description, distribution, and illustrations for this powdery mildew fungus are provided and discussed briefly.Key words — Asia Minor, Erysiphales , invasive species, lilac, Microsphaera Introduction A powdery mildew collected in Japan on the lilac, Syringa amurensis var. japonica [= S. reticulata ], was described by Braun (1982) as Microsphaera syringae-japonicae ( Erysiphales , Ascomycota ). Later, this species was reported from the Russian Far East (Bunkina 1991, as “ Microsphaera syringae ”) and from Korea (Shin 2000). Microsphaera syringae-japonicae was already known on lilacs in North America and Europe, and was distinguished from M. syringae , mainly by its evanescent mycelium, its larger number of spores in the ascus, and its usually more extensively pigmented chasmothecial appendage bases.In 1988, one of the authors (VP Heul ta) critically examined the type specimens of powdery mildews described from the Russian Far East, and showed that one of them, the type specimen of