Ceratocystis manginecans sp. nov., causal agent of a destructive mango wilt disease in Oman and Pakistan

A serious wilt disease of mango trees (Mangifera indica) has recently appeared in Oman and Pakistan. Symptoms on affected trees resemble those of the mango disease known as "seca" in Brazil and include discolouration of the vascular tissue, gum exudation, galleries of the putative beetle vector of the fungal pathogen, wilting and rapid death. In both countries, the disease has been attributed to Ceratocystis fimbriata. This fungus is recognised as a complex of species and C. fimbriata sensu stricto is unlikely to be an appropriate name for the causal agent. We, therefore, considered the identity of Pakistan and Oman isolates using comparisons of combined DNA sequence data for partial ITS, beta -tubulin and EF-1 alpha gene regions. These comparisons were supported with morphological characteristics. Results showed that isolates from mango in Pakistan and Oman represent a species, distinct from other species in the C. fimbriata sensu lato species complex. The name Ceratocystis manginecans sp. nov. is provided for the fungus, which is also shown to be closely related to but distinct from available isolates from mango in Brazil.