The Potential Fungal Pathogens of Euonymus japonicus in Beijing, China

Abstract

<i>Euonymus japonicus</i> tolerates the dry and frigid climate of Beijing, China, and effectively filters out particles during the winter. However, fungal infestation frequently causes extreme illness and can even lead to shrub death. In this study, 104 diseased <i>E. japonicus</i> specimens were collected from seven districts in Beijing. Seventy-nine isolates were identified as 22 fungal species in seven genera. The species were <i>Aplosporella hesperidica</i>, <i>A. javeedii</i>, <i>A. prunicola</i>, <i>Botryosphaeria dothidea</i>, <i>Colletotrichum aenigma</i>, <i>Co. euonymi</i>, <i>Co. euonymicola</i>, <i>Co. gloeosporioides</i>, <i>Cytospora ailanthicola</i>, <i>C. albodisca</i>, <i>C. diopuiensis</i>, <i>C. discotoma</i>, <i>C. elaeagni</i>, <i>C. euonymicola</i>, <i>C. euonymina</i>, <i>C. haidianensis</i>, <i>C. leucostoma</i>, <i>C. sophorae</i>, <i>C. zhaitangensis</i>, <i>Diaporthe eres</i>, <i>Dothiorella acericola</i>, and <i>Pestalotiopsis chaoyangensis</i>. On the basis of morphological and phylogenetic analyses, <i>Colletotrichum euonymi</i>, <i>Co. euonymicola</i>, <i>Cytospora zhaitangensis</i>, and <i>Pestalotiopsis chaoyangensis</i> were introduced as novel species. <i>Colletotrichum euonymi</i>, <i>Co. euonymicola</i>, and <i>Pestalotiopsis chaoyangensis</i> were subsequently confirmed as pathogens of <i>E. japonicus</i> leaves by pathogenicity testing. This study provides an important assessment of the fungi associated with diseases of <i>E. japonicus</i> in Beijing, China.