Neoscytalidium dimidiatum associated with Albizia lebbeck disease in Saudi Arabia: Symptomatology, pathogenicity and molecular identification

@article{Hamed2024,
  Title = {Neoscytalidium dimidiatum associated with Albizia lebbeck disease in Saudi Arabia: Symptomatology, pathogenicity and molecular identification},
  Author = {Hamed, Khalid and Alsohim, Abdullah and Baschien, Christiane and Sayyed, Riyaz},
  Editor = {},
  Journal = {Forest Pathology},
  Year = {2024},
  Pages = {1-10},
  Volume = {54},
  Doi = {10.1111/efp.12884},
  Abstract = {Botryosphaeriaceae fungi cause infections that generate disease symptoms in plants
in extreme environments. The present study identified the causal agent of dieback
disease on lebbeck trees in Saudi Arabia. Albizia lebbeck trees showed widespread
dieback, decline and cracking symptoms of samples taken during a Qassim University,
Saudi Arabia survey. The survey showed that over 80% of lebbeck trees showed
wilted roots, stem cankers and death of wilted trees. Fungal colonies were obtained
from symptomatic tissues cultured on water agar for 3 weeks at 25°C. Elongation fac-
tor alpha (EF1-728 F, AL33R), ITS (ITS4) and LSU (128) regions of the rDNA operon
and the partial beta-tubulin gene (tub2; Bt2aF, Bt2bR) were sequenced for molecular
identification. Based on morphological and molecular characterization, the pathogen
was identified as Neoscytalidium dimidiatum. During the pathogenicity investigation,
the fungus re-isolated from the infected seedlings expressed the same morphological
characteristics on the culture media as the N. dimidiatum isolate. A host range study
involving six tree species inoculation with N. dimidiatum caused wilting and death in
three plants. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report on N. dimidiatum in
Saudi Arabia.},
}

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Hamed, Khalid
AU  - Alsohim, Abdullah
AU  - Baschien, Christiane
AU  - Sayyed, Riyaz
TI  - Neoscytalidium dimidiatum associated with Albizia lebbeck disease in Saudi Arabia: Symptomatology, pathogenicity and molecular identification
T2  - Forest Pathology
PY  - 2024
SP  - 1-10
VL  - 54
DO  - 10.1111/efp.12884
AB  - Botryosphaeriaceae fungi cause infections that generate disease symptoms in plants
in extreme environments. The present study identified the causal agent of dieback
disease on lebbeck trees in Saudi Arabia. Albizia lebbeck trees showed widespread
dieback, decline and cracking symptoms of samples taken during a Qassim University,
Saudi Arabia survey. The survey showed that over 80% of lebbeck trees showed
wilted roots, stem cankers and death of wilted trees. Fungal colonies were obtained
from symptomatic tissues cultured on water agar for 3 weeks at 25°C. Elongation fac-
tor alpha (EF1-728 F, AL33R), ITS (ITS4) and LSU (128) regions of the rDNA operon
and the partial beta-tubulin gene (tub2; Bt2aF, Bt2bR) were sequenced for molecular
identification. Based on morphological and molecular characterization, the pathogen
was identified as Neoscytalidium dimidiatum. During the pathogenicity investigation,
the fungus re-isolated from the infected seedlings expressed the same morphological
characteristics on the culture media as the N. dimidiatum isolate. A host range study
involving six tree species inoculation with N. dimidiatum caused wilting and death in
three plants. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report on N. dimidiatum in
Saudi Arabia.
ER  -