Molecular and morphological taxonomy of Pythium species isolated from soil in West Azarbaijan province (N.W. Iran)

Abstract

<em>Pythium</em> is a fungus-like genus with worldwide distribution that is found in most terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It is a species-rich genus contains important plant pathogenic species. Little is known on the systematics of <em>Pythium</em> in West Azarbaijan province (N.W. Iran). Thus, the aim of this study was to identify 200 isolates collected from different cultivated soils of West Azarbaijan province during 2012–13. Based on morphological and molecular (ITS and coxI sequences) data, 14 <em>Pythium</em> species from six clades, A, D, E, F, I and J, were identified. Of these, <em>P. ornamentatum </em>from clade D, <em>P. nodosum</em> from clade J and <em>P. stipitatum</em> from clade E are new records for Iran mycobiota. Molecular data failed to separate <em>P. glomeratum</em>, <em>P. ornamentatum</em> and <em>P. viniferum</em> from closely related species and they were identified based on morphological features. Detailed description is presented here for <em>P. minus</em>, <em>P. ornamentatum</em><em>, </em><em>P. nodosum</em> and <em>P. stipitatum</em>.