Neotypification of Colletotrichum coccodes, the causal agent of potato black dot disease and tomato anthracnose

Abstract

Colletotrichum coccodes is a well-studied and important pathogen responsible for black dot disease on potato and anthracnose disease on many plants, including tomato and hemp. The type specimen of C. coccodes is lost and, therefore, a neotype with living cultures is designated to stabilize the application of the species name. The morphology of conidia, appressoria and cultural characters of the ex-neotype culture is provided. Five gene fragments of the ex-neotype culture were sequenced and deposited in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis shows that C. coccodes is distant from the C. gloeosporioides complex, but has a close relationship with a few curved spored species, such as C. liriopes, C. verruculosum and C. spaethianum, as indicated by strong statistical support. The designation of this type specimen with living culture for C. coccodes will facilitate subsequent taxonomic work in the genus and serve as a foundation for applied research of this important pathosystem. © 2011 Copyright 2011 Mycological Society of China.