Cyclaneusma Needle Cast is associated with the fungal pathogen Cyclaneusma minus. The disease has led to significant losses of Pinus radiata production in New Zealand, but the disease appears less serious in Australia. Two cultural morphotypes of C. minus have been discriminated in New Zealand, and isolates from Australia also correspond to these two morphotypes. To examine if the two morphotypes of Cyclaneusma are different species, phylogenetic analysis using sequences from five gene regions (rDNA ITS, mt-LSU, n-LSU, tef–1 and βT-1) was conducted. This study revealed that C. minus consists of two distinct clades which correspond to the two morphotypes. One morphotype (‘verum’) was more closely related to Cyclaneusma niveum than to the other morphotype (‘simile’). A morphological description is required to formalise the new species represented by the ‘simile’ clade; an investigation of the individual pathogenic behaviours of both morphotypes is also required.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	radiata pine, needle cast, cyclaneusma
Research Division:	Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences
Research Group:	Forestry sciences
Research Field:	Forest health and pathology
Objective Division:	Plant Production and Plant Primary Products
Objective Group:	Forestry
Objective Field:	Softwood plantations
UTAS Author:	Prihatini, I (Ms Istiana Prihatini)
UTAS Author:	Glen, M (Dr Morag Glen)
UTAS Author:	Mohammed, CL (Professor Caroline Mohammed)
ID Code:	94012
Year Published:	2014
Funding Support:	Australian Research Council (LP0669742)
Web of Science® Times Cited:	5
Deposited By:	Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture
Deposited On:	2014-08-26
Last Modified:	2018-03-28
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