Multigene phylogeny and morphotaxonony of Septoria spp. from Iran along with a checklist of septoria-like taxa

Abstract

The genus <em>Septoria</em> includes important plant pathogens with worldwide distribution, commonly associated with leaf spots and stem cankers of a broad range of plant hosts. In this study, eight isolates of <em>Septoria</em> were recovered from leaves with leaf spot on four herbaceous and woody plants from Gilan, Ardebil, East and West Azerbaijan provinces in north and northwest of Iran. The isolates were studied by applying a polyphasic approach including morphological and cultural data, and multi-gene phylogeny (LSU, ITS, ACT, TEF1-α, CAL, TUB, and RPB2). They were then identified as <em>Septoria</em> <em>convolvuli </em>on<em> Sonchus </em>sp.,<em> S. protearum </em>on <em>Solanum pseudocapsicum</em>,<em> S.</em> <em>polygonorum </em>on <em>Punica granatum</em>,and <em>S. urticae </em>on<em> Urtica dioica</em>. <em>Septoria protearum</em> represents a new record for the mycobiota of Iran. Moreover, this research reports <em>Sonchus </em>sp. as new host of <em>S.</em> <em>convolvuli</em>, <em>Punica granatum</em> as new host of <br /> <em>S.</em> <em>polygonorum</em>, and <em>Solanum pseudocapsicum</em> as new host of <em>S. protearum</em> worldwide. Additionally, a comprehensive literature-based checklist for 102 septoria-like species known to occur on different plant species in Iran was also provided. The complete annotated list covers 78 <em>Septoria</em> species, eight <em>Stagonospora</em>, seven <em>Sphaerulina</em>, four <em>Zymoseptoria</em>, two <em>Phloeospora</em>, one <em>Caryophylloseptoria</em>, one <em>Parastagonospora</em>, and one <em>Stromatoseptoria</em>. <br /><strong> </strong>