A new polyporus macrofungi parasite from Tanzania elucidated using four gene datasets
Donatha D Tibuhwa, Juma M Hussein, Mark E.R. Sijaona, Leif Ryvaden, Sanja Tibell
University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Uppsala University, Sweden
Agricultural Research Institute, Tanzania
University of Oslo, Norway
: J Plant Physiol Pathol
Abstract
There are few studies on Polyporales that have been undertaken in Tanzania1. Recently wilting and death of cashew trees, Eucalyptus, cassava, and some indigenous trees in the Southern regions of Tanzania was observed to be caused by unknown polyporoid parasitic macrofungus. The aim of the present work is to describe a parasitic macrofungus (Fig 1) from Tanzania using both morphological and molecular features. Superficially its fruitbodies are quite similar to those of Laetiporus sulphureus. Some of the differences versus L. sulphureus include: Laetiporus causes a brown rot in the host plant that takes a long time to harm the host; the new species causes wilting and rapidly kills the plant; Old fruitbodies of Laetiporus are perennial, turn pale and brittle while of this species darken to brown tints then complete self-digestion within 3-4 weeks; Fruitbodies of the new species are huge weighing up to 10 kg; Microscopically the new species has a sarcotrimitic hyphal system in contrast to the generative and binding hyphae of L. sulphureus. Based on the molecular phylogenetic analyses of rDNA 5.8S, nuLSU, nuSSU, and TEF1sequences of P. baudonii with additional sequences from Gene Bank comprises species from the antrodia clade (Vilgalys & Hester 1990; Hibbett 1996), we propose a revision of Piptoporellus baudonii, based on a new combination which formerly was designated as Laetiporus baudonii in Polyporales. Both morphological and phylogenetic evidences justify the incorporation of Piptoporellus baudonii comb. nov. in Piptoperellus genus together with other three members of the genus. A study on the genome and possible mitigation measures of this parasite are ongoing.
Biography
Tibuhwa Donatha Damian completed her PhD at the age of 35 years from Dar es Salaam University, Tanzania. She is a Director of postgraduate studies at the University of Dar es Salaam. She has published more than 32 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of several journals.
E-mail: dtibuhwa@yahoo.co.uk
