Plant Pathology (2010) 59, 798 Doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3059.2009.02254.x

Phytophthora alni on reported for the first time in Spain A. Sollaa,A.Pe´rez-Sierrab, T. Corcobadoa, M. M. Haquec, J. J. Diezc and T. Jungde* aIngenierı´aTe´cnica Forestal, Universidad de Extremadura, Avenida Virgen del Puerto 2, 10600 Plasencia; bInstituto Agroforestal Mediterra´neo, Universidad Polite´cnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s ⁄ n, 46022 Valencia; cProduccio´n Vegetal y Recursos Forestales, Universidad de Valladolid, Avenida de Madrid 44, 34071 Palencia, Spain; dPhytophthora Research and Consultancy, Thomastrasse 75, 83098 Brannenburg, Germany; and eCentre for Science and Management, School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia

Since the mid 2000s extensive mortality of common (Alnus glutin- which will allow the administration to adopt proper management osa) has been observed along many rivers of northern Spain (Tuset et al., strategies. 2006). Symptoms include sparse yellowish and small-sized foliage, die- back of branches, increased fruit production and dark-stained necrosis of the bark at the collar and lower stem. These resemble symptoms of the Acknowledgements root and collar rot epidemic of which is caused by the different sub- We thank O. Locos and to P. Abad-Campos. Supported by Consejerı´as species of the host-specific pathogen Phytophthora alni and has led to high ECI and IEMA (Junta de Extremadura, III-PRI 08-A78), University of mortality of riparian alders across 14 countries in Western, Central and Valladolid (061 ⁄ 060831), and Ministerio Educacio´ n y Ciencia Northern Europe (Gibbs et al., 2003; Jung & Blaschke, 2004). (AGL2007-64690 ⁄ AGR). In September 2009, samples from five symptom-bearing A. glutinosa trees were collected along the river Min˜ o (Lugo, Galicia, 42º59¢N 7º32¢W, 367 m above sea level). Bark samples, including the cambium, References were taken from the upper 20 cm of the orange-brown active lesions, placed in distilled water and transported to the laboratory in cool jars. Brasier CM, Kirk SA, Delcan J, Cooke DEL, Jung T, Man in’t Veld WA, 2004. Over 2–3 days the water was replaced four times per day in order to Phytophthora alni sp. nov. and its variants: designation of emerging heteroploid remove excess polyphenols. Small pieces (c.4 · 4 · 2 mm) were cut from hybrid pathogens spreading on Alnus trees. Mycological Research 108, the lesions, blotted dry and plated onto V8-PARPH agar (Jung & Blas- 1172–84. chke, 2004). After five days incubation at 20C, tentative Phytophthora CookeDEL,DrenthA,DuncanJM,WagelsG,BrasierCM,2000.Amolecular isolates were obtained from four trees. The isolates were homothallic with phylogeny of Phytophthora and related . Fungal Genetics and amphigynous antheridia, predominantly two-celled, and produced orna- Biology 30, 17–32. Gibbs JN, Van Dijk C, Webber JF, eds, 2003. Phytophthora Disease of Alder mented, occasionally comma-shaped oogonia ranging from 33 to 50 lm in Europe. Forestry Commission Bulletin 126. Edinburgh, UK: in diameter. In soil-extract they produced nonpapillate, ellipsoid to ovoid Forestry Commission. sporangia (60 · 49 lm). On V8 agar, colonies had a slightly woolly mor- Jung T, Blaschke M, 2004. Phytophthora root and collar rot of alders in Bavaria: phology and showed radial growth rates of 3Æ6–7Æ5, 2Æ2–5Æ4 and 0Æ0mm )1 distribution, modes of spread and possible management strategies. Plant day at 20, 25 and 30C, respectively. These features resemble those of Pathology 53, 197–208. P. alni ssp. alni (Brasier et al., 2004). DNA of the ITS region was amplified Tuset JJ, Gonza´lez V, Hinarejos C, Mira JL, Sa´nchez G, 2006. Prospeccio´npara as described previously (Cooke et al., 2000). The sequences of all isolates determinar la posible presencia de Phytophthora spp. en las alisedas del norte de were identical (GU175431) and a Blast search at GenBank showed 99% Espan˜a.In:CobosJM,ed.,Proceedings of the XXIII Annual Meeting of the identity with P. alni ssp. alni (AF139366.1). This is the first report of Forest Health Working Group, Madrid, Spain, 2006, Comunidad Auto´noma de P. alni in the Iberian Peninsula. Additional surveys will be carried out, Madrid. 527–37.

*E-mail: [email protected]. Accepted 1 December 2009 at http://www.bspp.org.uk/ndr where figures relating to this paper can be viewed.

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