Botryosphaeriaceae on palms—a new species of Neodeightonia, N. chamaeropicola, and new records from diseased foliage of ornamental palms in Portugal

Abstract

The Botryosphaeriaceae is the largest family in Botryosphaeriales and currently comprises 22 genera of important endophytes, saprobes and plant pathogens. Most botryosphaeriaceous species have a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on a wide range of woody hosts. Nonetheless, in many hosts, including palms (Arecaceae), the complex of associated Botryosphaeriaceae taxa is as yet unknown. The present study aimed to identify the botryosphaeriaceous species associated with foliar lesions of ornamental palms in Lisbon, Portugal. Twenty-nine Botryosphaeriaceae taxa were isolated from seven different palm species and identified based on both morphological and phylogenetic analyses. Six genera were detected: Botryosphaeria, Diplodia, Dothiorella, Neodeightonia, Neofusicoccum and Sardiniella. A new species of Neodeightonia, N. chamaeropicola, is introduced. Three botryosphaeriaceous species are reduced to synonymy. Thirteen new plant host-fungus associations are reported, while four new geographical records are noted for Portugal. A synopsis of accepted and phylogenetically validated Botryosphaeriaceae taxa reported from palms worldwide is presented. A total of 31 botryosphaeriaceous species have been currently reported from Arecaceae hosts, and many of them are associated with disease symptoms. This illustrates that more systematic studies are needed to examine the complex of Botryosphaeriaceae taxa associated with palms and determine their potential pathogenicity.