Morpho-molecular characterization and pathogenicity of fungi associated with sweet cherry (Prunus avium) trunk diseases in China

Abstract

The production of sweet cherries makes a substantial economic contribution to many nations. However, little is known about the microfungi associated with sweet cherries globally, although fungal pathogens significantly affect tree health and production. Samples exhibiting trunk disease symptoms were collected from six provinces in China and 193 fungal isolates were obtained. Based on morpho-molecular approaches, these ascomycetous taxa were classified into 26 species in ten genera, nine families in Dothideomycetes, Leotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes. Among them, nine novel host records and two new geographical reports are identified. Pathogenicity assays revealed Colletotrichum godetiae, Co. fioriniae, Fusarium annulatum, F. verticillioides, F. compactum, F. citri, Fusarium sp., Neocosmospora solani and Ne. metavorans were causing symptoms on one-year old detached sweet cherry shoots. Fusarium planum, F. sulawesiense and F. lateritium did not develop any symptoms during the pathogenicity assay. Botryosphaeria dothidea, Cladosporium anthropophilum, Cl. cladosporioides, Cl. perangustum, Cl. ramotenellum, Cl. sphaerospermum, Cl. tenuissimum, Nothophoma pruni, No. quercina, Alternaria alternata, Monilinia fructicola, Cytospora leucostoma, Clonostachys farinose, Fusarium planum, F. sulawesiense and F. lateritium species were associated with trunk disease symptoms. In addition, we provide updated backbone trees for Alternaria, Botryosphaeria, Cladosporium, Clonostachys, Colletotrichum, Cytospora, Fusarium, Monilinia, Neocosmospora and Nothophoma. These findings revealed the high diversity of microfungi associated with cherry trunk diseases and this study is the first comprehensive study on the pathogenic micro-fungi associated with sweet cherry trunk diseases in China. Future studies are required to understand the pathogenicity mechanisms and disease epidemiology of isolated species and their impact on cherry production in China.