Botrytis euroamericana , a new species from peony and grape in North America and Europe.

A novel species ofBotrytisisolated from peony in Alaska, USA, and grape in Trento District, Italy, was identified based on morphology, pathogenicity, and sequence data. The grape and peony isolates share sequence homology in the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH), heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), DNA-dependent RNA polymerase subunit II (RPB2), and necrosis- and ethylene-inducing protein 1 and 2 (NEP1andNEP2) genes that place them in a distinct group closely related toB. aclada, a globally distributed pathogen of onions. Genetic results were corroborated with morphological and pathogenicity trials that included two isolates ofB. cinereaand two isolates ofB. paeoniaefrom peony in Alaska and one isolate ofB. aclada. The authors observed differences in colony and conidia morphology and ability to cause lesions on different host tissues that suggest that the grape and peony isolates represent a distinct species. Most notably, the grape and peony isolates did not colonize onion bulbs, whereasB. acladareadily produced lesions and prolific sporulation on onion tissue. The new speciesBotrytis euroamericanais described herein. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]