Reappraisal of the genus Alternariaster (Dothideomycetes).

ABSTRACT: Alternariaster was erected in 2007 to accommodate Alternaria helianthi, a fungal species known to cause leaf spots on Helianthus annuus (sunflower). It was segregated from Alternaria based on conidial morphology. Recently an unknown alternaria-like dematiaceous fungus was found associated with leaf spots on Bidens sulphurea (yellow cosmos) in Brazil. Based on a multi-gene phylogeny of parts of the ITS and LSU genes, this fungus was placed within the Leptosphaeriaceae with Alternariaster helianthi as its closest neighbour. Additional genes sequenced, RPB2 and GAPDH, confirmed this close relationship. The fungus on B. sulphurea has smaller conidia, 50-97.5 × 12.5-20 μm, compared to Al. helianthi, 80-160 × 18-30 μm, and lacks oblique or transverse septa which can be present in Al. helianthi.

SUBMITTER: Alves JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3904054 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature