Description of a taxonomically undefined Sclerotiniaceae strain from withered rotten-grapes

Microscopic fungi isolated from different Slovak grape varieties

The aim of this study was to isolate and identify microscopic fungi in different grape samples. We collected 13 grapes varienties samples (9 white and 4 red) from local Slovak winemakers in the end of the September 2017. Used 13 grape samples in this study: Alibernet, Irsai Oliver, Dornfelder, Blue Frankish, Feteasca regala, Green Veltliner, Pálava, Mūller Thurgau, Rhinriesling, Cabernet Savignon, Pinot Blanc, Savignon Blanc and Welschriesling. Microscopic fungi in grape samples were detected on Malt extract agar by spread plate method. The number of microscopic fungi ranged from 2.85 log cfu.g-1 in Cabernet Savignon to 4.83 log cfu.g-1 in Feteasca regala. A total of 627 isolates of microscopic fungi were obtained in this study. The most abundant fungi belonged to genera Alternaria and Penicillium (100% frequency). The high frequency was also detected for Aspergillus (76.92%) and Cladosporium (76.92%) but with lesser relative density. Alternaria sp., Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus sp., Botrytis cinerea, Cladosporium sp., Penicillium expansum, Phoma sp., Rhizopus sp. and Trichoderma sp. species were isolated from grape berries.

Shifts in diversification rates and host jump frequencies shaped the diversity of host range among Sclerotiniaceae fungal plant pathogens

The range of hosts that a parasite can infect in nature is a trait determined by its own evolutionary history and that of its potential hosts. However, knowledge on host range diversity and evolution at the family level is often lacking. Here, we investigate host range variation and diversification trends within the Sclerotiniaceae, a family of Ascomycete fungi. Using a phylogenetic framework, we associate diversification rates, the frequency of host jump events and host range variation during the evolution of this family. Variations in diversification rate during the evolution of the Sclerotiniaceae define three major macro-evolutionary regimes with contrasted proportions of species infecting a broad range of hosts. Host-parasite cophylogenetic analyses pointed towards parasite radiation on distant hosts long after host speciation (host jump or duplication events) as the dominant mode of association with plants in the Sclerotiniaceae. The intermediate macro-evolutionary regime showed a low diversification rate, high frequency of duplication events and the highest proportion of broad host range species. Our findings suggest that the emergence of broad host range fungal pathogens results largely from host jumps, as previously reported for oomycete parasites, probably combined with low speciation rates. These results have important implications for our understanding of fungal parasites evolution and are of particular relevance for the durable management of disease epidemics.