Geographic variation in fungal diversity associated with leaf spot symptoms of <i>Coffea arabica</i> in Yunnan, China.

ABSTRACT: In China, the small grain coffee plants (Coffea arabica) are mainly cultivated in Yunnan province, yet the diversity of associated fungi remains poorly characterized. In this study we collected symptomatic leaves from 16 locations across Pu'er City and Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture (n = 48 samples, triplicate controls). Fungal communities were analyzed via ITS amplicon sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). We identified 3,638 fungal OTUs, dominated by Ascomycota (92%), including pathogens (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Cercospora coniogrammes), saprophytes, and beneficial entomopathogens (Lecanicillium, Simplicillium). The fungal communities showed significant geographical variation, with Pu'er City exhibiting a higher relative abundance of pathogenic fungi s

SUBMITTER: Fu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12491272 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature