Aspergillus olivicola, a new record for the funga of Iran

During a mycological survey of declining olive trees (Olea europaea) in the Kermanshah Province (Iran) in Dec. ۲۰۲۲, an Aspergillus strain belonging to sect. Nidulantes of subgenus Nidulantes was recovered from symptomatic bark and xylem tissues exhibiting dieback and discoloration. Based on comprehensive morphological characterization, our strain (IRAN ۵۵۳۱C) was identified as A. olivicola which is mainly characterized by having greenish-brown globose cleistothecial ascomata embedded in masses of brown, thin-walled Hülle cells, and reddish-brown, stellate ascospores. The morphological identification was further confirmed through multi-locus phylogenetic analysis using sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA and β-tubulin (BenA) gene, which resulted in clustering of Iranian strain with the ex-type strain of A. olivicola (CBS ۱۱۹.۳۷) with ۱۰۰% bootstrap support. BLASTn analysis of the ITS and BenA sequences, revealed ۹۸–۱۰۰% sequence identity of the strain with the CBS ۱۱۹.۳۷. The present study represents the first record of A. olivicola for the funga of Iran.

کلیدواژه ها:

Aspergillus sect. Nidulantes ، Multi-locus phylogeny ، Olea europaea ، stellate ascospores ، Taxonomy