Name and publication

Phytophthora litchii (C.C. Chen ex W.H. Ko, H.S. Chang, H.J. Su, C.C. Chen & L.S. Leu) Voglmayr, Göker, Riethm. & Oberw. (2007)

Göker M, Voglmayr H, Riethmüller A, and Oberwinkler F. 2007. How do obligate parasites evolve? A multi-gene phylogenetic analysis of downy mildews. Fungal Genet. Biol. 44: 105–122.

Basionym: Peronophythora litchii C.C. Chen ex W.H. Ko, H.S. Chang, H.J. Su, C.C. Chen & L.S. Leu 1978 (Index Fungorum)

Nomenclature

from Göker et al. (2007)

Mycobank

MB532416

Synonymy

≡ Peronophythora litchii C.C. Chen ex W.H. Ko, H.S. Chang, H.J. Su, C.C. Chen & L.S. Leu, Mycologia 70: 381 (1978) [MB344384]
≡ Phytophthora litchii (C.C. Chen ex W.H. Ko, H.S. Chang, H.J. Su, C.C. Chen & L.S. Leu) P.K. Chi, X.P. Pang & R. Liu (1981) [MB532800]

Typification

Neotype: TAIWAN, from diseased litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) fruits in Taiwan, TAI 4800 (dried dead culture) deposited at Herbarium of Department of Botany, National Taiwan University, Taiepei, Taiwan (from Ko et al. 1978)

Ex-neotype: ATCC 34595 (from Ko et al. 1978)

NOTE: TAI 4800 and ATCC 34595 were deposited as the type and ex-type of Peronophythora litchii (Ko et al. 1978). It is not clear if this isolate exists at ATCC. 

Selected specimen(s) by Gloria Abad:
CPHST BL 48G = P15218 (WPC)
CPHST BL 145 = P19950 (WPC) 

Selected specimen(s) in other collections

(ENT) CBS 100.81, ATCC34595, WPC P15218, S&T BL 48G (Abad)

Molecular identification

Voucher sequences for barcoding genes (ITS rDNA and COI) of the ex-type (see Molecular protocols page)

Phytophthora litchii isolate CPHST BL 48G (= P15218 WPC) = ITS rDNA MG865525, COI MH136920
Phytophthora litchii isolate CPHST BL 145 (= P19950 WPC) = ITS rDNA MG865524, COI MH136919

Voucher sequences for Molecular Toolbox with seven genes (ITS, β-tub, COI, EF1α, HSP90, L10, and YPT1

(see Molecular protocols page) (In Progress)

Voucher sequences for Metabarcoding High-throughput Sequencing (HTS) Technologies [Molecular Operational Taxonomic Unit (MOTU)]

(see Molecular protocols page) (In Progress)

Sequences with multiple genes for ex-type in other sources

• NCBI: Phytophthora litchii CPHST BL 48G
• NCBI: Phytophthora litchii CPHST BL 145
• NCBI: Phytophthora litchii CBS 100.81
• EPPO-Q-bank: Phytophthora litchii CBS 100.81
• BOLDSYSTEMS: Phytophthora litchii (barcoding COI & ITS)

Position in multigenic phylogeny with 7 genes (ITS, β-tub, COI, EF1α, HSP90, L10, and YPT1)

Clade clade:
a taxonomic group of organisms classified together on the basis of homologous features traced to a common ancestor
4

Morphological identification

Colonies and cardinal temperatures

Colony colony:
assemblage of hyphae which usually develops form a single source and grows in a coordinated way
morphology after 7 days of growth on V8 agar, potato-dextrose agar and malt extract with no distinct pattern. Minimum temperature for growth is 12°C, optimum 27–28°C, and maximum 30°C.

Conditions for growth and sporulation

Sporangia readily produced in V-8 agar flooded with 10% soil solution. OosporesOospores:
zygote or thick-walled spore that forms within the oogonium after fertilization by the antheridium; may be long-lived
rarely produced in culture media, except in hemp seed agar with fatty acids. Phytophthora litchii can easily grow in culture media like many species of Phytophthora.

Asexual phase

SporangiaSporangia:
sac within which zoospores form, especially when water is cooled to about 10°C below ambient temperature; in solid substrates, sporangia usually germinate by germ tubes
papillatepapillate:
pertaining to the production of a distinct papilla at the distal end of the sporangium (cf. nonpapillate and semipapillate)
; caducouscaducous:
pertaining to sporangia that become dislodged readily (i.e. deciduous) and separate from the sporangiophore (cf. persistent)
with short pedicelpedicel:
the hyphal base of a sporangium that remains attached after the sporangium separates, or is shed, from the sporangiophore; the pedicel may be short (< 5 µm), medium (5–20 µm), or long (> 20 µm)
; globoseglobose:
having a rounded form resembling that of a sphere
, ovoidovoid:
egg-shaped, with the widest part at the base of the sporangium and the narrow part at the apex
, ellipsoidellipsoid:
refers to a solid body that forms an ellipse in the longitudinal plane and a circle in cross section; many fungal spores are ellipsoidal or elliptic
(20–33 L x 16–22 W µm), produced in typical compound sympodial erected sporangiophores that resemble those produced in downy mildews. Hyphal swellings with finger-like shape. ChlamydosporesChlamydospores:
an asexual spore with a thickened inner wall&nbsp;that is delimited from the mycelium by a septum; may be terminal or intercalary, and survives for long periods in soil
absent.

Sexual phase

Sterile/homothallic. OogoniaOogonia:
the female gametangium in which the oospore forms after fertilization by the antheridium
smooth-walled, globoseglobose:
having a rounded form resembling that of a sphere
to ovoidovoid:
egg-shaped, with the widest part at the base of the sporangium and the narrow part at the apex
(25–33 L x 22–28 W µm); antheridiaantheridia:
the male gametangium; a multinucleate, swollen hyphal tip affixed firmly to the wall of the female gametangium (the oogonium)
amphigynousamphigynous:
pertaining to the sexual stage in which the antheridium completely surrounds the stalk of the oogonium (cf. paragynous)
; oosporesoospores:
zygote or thick-walled spore that forms within the oogonium after fertilization by the antheridium; may be long-lived
(18–21 µm diam.).

Most typical characters

Phytophthora litchii is characterized by the production of typical compound sympodial erected sporangiophores that resemble those produced in downy mildews.

Specimen(s) evaluated

Phytophthora litchii CPHST BL 48G, duplicate of P15218 (World Phytophthora Collection) (selected specimen)

CPHST BL 145, duplicate of P19950 (World Phytophthora Collection)

Hosts and distribution

Distribution: Asia, Europe (Netherlands)
Disease note: blossom blight
Host: Litchi chinensis (Sapindaceae)

Retrieved January 31, 2018 from U.S. National Fungus Collections Nomenclature Database.

Additional info
Substrate: fruits

Additional references and links

 

• SMML USDA-ARS: Phytophthora litchii
• EPPO Global Database: Phytophthora lilii
• Forest Phytophthoras of the world: Phytophthora lilii
• CABI Digital Library: Phytophthora lilii
• Encyclopedia of Life (EOL): Phytophthora litchii
• Index Fungorum (IF): Phytophthora litchii

 

• Google All Phytophthora litchii
• Google Images Phytophthora litchii
• Google Scholar Phytophthora litchii

Fact sheet author

Z. Gloria Abad, Ph.D., USDA-APHIS-PPQ-S&T Plant Pathogen Confirmatory Diagnostics Laboratory (PPCDL), United States of America.