Diversity of airborne Cladosporium species isolated from agricultural environments of Northern Argentinean Patagonia, molecular characterization and plant pathogenicity.

TEMPERINI C.; PARDO A.; POSE G.

AEROBIOLOGIA

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2018 vol. 8 p. 1 - 6

0393-5965

Fungal spores are normal components ofexternal environments. They have been reported to beassociated with human, animal and plant diseasescausing primary and opportunistic infections. Cladosporiumis commonly the most frequently isolatedgenus from air samples, and its species are consideredmainly saprophytic, but there is a wide variety of taxathat can cause adverse effects on human and animalhealth and also on plants. In this work, we aimed torecord Cladosporium spores frequency of isolation innorthern Argentinean Patagonia and to perform amolecular characterization based on actin gene complementedwith EF1a and ITS genes. The ability of thepathogens to cause disease in pip fruits of Packham?sTriumph and Abate Fetel pears and red deliciousapples was determined. Results confirmed Cladosporiumspores as the main genera isolated from airsamples, and the molecular characterization revealedthe existence of 11 species in this region grouped in C.cladosporioides and C. herbarum complexes.Pathogenicity tests revealed that Cladosporium sp.cause disease on fruit. Abate Fetel was the mostsusceptible to infection. These results compose thefirst study in Argentina in respect of identification atspecies level of airborne Cladosporium spores, andfurthermore, it is the first report in northern Patagoniaand the high valley of Rı´o Negro productive region.This knowledge can help farmers to take preventivemeasures in order to avoid biological damage.