Oomycetes – Diversity, Taxonomy, Evolution, Ecology and Host-Pathogen Interactions 2.0

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fungal Evolution, Biodiversity and Systematics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 4618

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Phytophthora Research Centre, Mendel University, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Interests: diversity, biogeography, ecology, pathology and evolution of Phytophthora species; their impacts on natural and semi-natural ecosystems; their pathways and possible management and control options for Phytophthora diseases
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Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Agraria, Sezione di Patologia Vegetale ed Entomologia, Università degli Studi di Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Interests: forest pathology; diversity, biology and taxonomy of fungal pathogens and oomycetes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fungal-like oomycetes from the kingdom Stramenipila are diverse saprotrophs, necrotrophic, hemibiotrophic, or obligate biotrophic pathogens of a wide range of plant species or, in rare cases, parasites of animals in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. They have water-, soil-, or air-borne lifestyles and homothallic, heterothallic, or sterile breeding strategies. Due to the continuously increasing emergence of new pathogens in both managed and natural ecosystems and the advances in molecular methods, our understanding of oomycetes has considerably changed in the past decade. It is estimated that only 10% of oomycete species are known to date, and their true diversity and roles in natural and, in particular, marine environments are still a conundrum. This Special Issue aims to bring together a collection of papers focusing on the diversity, taxonomy, evolution, ecology, epidemiology, host–pathogen interactions, new detection methods, and control strategies of oomycetes, with special emphasis on Phytophthora species and related genera in the Peronosporaceae family, such as Halophytophthora (sensu latu), NothophytophthoraPhytopythium, and downy mildews. Review articles are also welcome, but please contact the Guest Editors before submission.

Dr. Thomas Jung
Dr. Bruno Scanu
Guest Editors

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1839 KiB  
Article
Evidence of a Natural Hybrid Oomycete Isolated from Ornamental Nursery Stock
by Clara Benavent-Celma, Debbie McLaggan, Pieter van West and Steve Woodward
J. Fungi 2023, 9(6), 627; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9060627 - 29 May 2023
Viewed by 1638
Abstract
The oomycete genus Phytophthora includes many plant pathogens important in agricultural and environmental systems. Natural interspecific hybridization has been reported several times in Phytophthora, and although the fundamental processes of interspecific hybridization and the consequences of subsequent ecological distribution are poorly understood, [...] Read more.
The oomycete genus Phytophthora includes many plant pathogens important in agricultural and environmental systems. Natural interspecific hybridization has been reported several times in Phytophthora, and although the fundamental processes of interspecific hybridization and the consequences of subsequent ecological distribution are poorly understood, reports suggest some hybrids can infect a broader host range and display enhanced virulence compared to the putative parental species. During a survey carried out at the University of Aberdeen in 2014–2015, of oomycetes present in ornamental plants purchased via the internet, a batch of oomycete isolates remained unidentified, showing, in some isolates, features generally related to hybridization. The aim of this study was to determine whether hybridization events had occurred between endemic and introduced oomycetes, probably/possibly facilitated through the international plant trade. The list of isolates examined included a putative hybrid closely related to Phytophthora cryptogea. The putative hybrid isolate was further characterized, and pathogenicity were tests carried out on Eucalyptus globulus, using an isolate of P. cryptogea as a positive control. Cloning of ITS, COXI and β-tubulin genes resulted in different sequence versions of the putative hybrid isolate; after mapping and a polymorphism position comparison, it was concluded that the studied isolate contained genetic information from P. cryptogea, P. erythroseptica, P. kelmanii, P. sansomeana and Phytopythium chamaehyphon. A PCR-RFLP assay, a NEBcutter analysis and flow cytometry analysis (genomes ranged between 0.168 to 0.269 pg/2C) added further evidence of the hybrid nature of this isolate. The putative hybrid presented complex growing patterns ranging from rosaceous to chrysanthemum-like and had an optimum growth temperature of 25 °C. Although the putative hybrid produced visible symptoms of disease on E. globulus seedlings, assessment of the relative susceptibility of E. globulus to P. cryptogea and the putative hybrid indicated that P. cryptogea was significantly more virulent than the putative hybrid, based on mortality, disease severity and foliar symptoms. Full article
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23 pages, 4738 KiB  
Article
Synchrospora gen. nov., a New Peronosporaceae Genus with Aerial Lifestyle from a Natural Cloud Forest in Panama
by Thomas Jung, Yilmaz Balci, Kirk D. Broders, Ivan Milenković, Josef Janoušek, Tomáš Kudláček, Biljana Đorđević and Marilia Horta Jung
J. Fungi 2023, 9(5), 517; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9050517 - 27 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2507
Abstract
During a survey of Phytophthora diversity in Panama, fast-growing oomycete isolates were obtained from naturally fallen leaves of an unidentified tree species in a tropical cloud forest. Phylogenetic analyses of sequences from the nuclear ITS, LSU and ßtub loci and the mitochondrial cox1 [...] Read more.
During a survey of Phytophthora diversity in Panama, fast-growing oomycete isolates were obtained from naturally fallen leaves of an unidentified tree species in a tropical cloud forest. Phylogenetic analyses of sequences from the nuclear ITS, LSU and ßtub loci and the mitochondrial cox1 and cox2 genes revealed that they belong to a new species of a new genus, officially described here as Synchrospora gen. nov., which resided as a basal genus within the Peronosporaceae. The type species S. medusiformis has unique morphological characteristics. The sporangiophores show determinate growth, multifurcating at the end, forming a stunted, candelabra-like apex from which multiple (8 to >100) long, curved pedicels are growing simultaneously in a medusa-like way. The caducous papillate sporangia mature and are shed synchronously. The breeding system is homothallic, hence more inbreeding than outcrossing, with smooth-walled oogonia, plerotic oospores and paragynous antheridia. Optimum and maximum temperatures for growth are 22.5 and 25–27.5 °C, consistent with its natural cloud forest habitat. It is concluded that S. medusiformis as adapted to a lifestyle as a canopy-dwelling leaf pathogen in tropical cloud forests. More oomycete explorations in the canopies of tropical rainforests and cloud forests are needed to elucidate the diversity, host associations and ecological roles of oomycetes and, in particular, S. medusiformis and possibly other Synchrospora taxa in this as yet under-explored habitat. Full article
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