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An infestation of parkinsonia (Parkinsonia aculeata) located on Alexandria Station, Northern Territory, Australia, was successfully treated with a bioherbicide using stem-implanted capsules. The bioherbicide (Di-Bak Parkinsonia®), containing three endemic endophytic fungi (Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae, Macrophomina phaseolina and Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae), is the first Australian registered woody weed bioherbicide. The product was effectively administered to the plant stems using a mechanical device, resulting in the subsequent development of a dieback event. After a period of establishment, it progressed through an adjacent untreated population, resulting in a significant decline in infestation vigour and preventing recruitment from the seedbank. This is the first report of large-scale management of parkinsonia by this method.

An infestation of parkinsonia (Parkinsonia aculeata) located on Alexandria Station, Northern Territory, Australia, was successfully treated with a bioherbicide using stem-implanted capsules. The bioherbicide (Di-Bak Parkinsonia®), containing three endemic endophytic fungi (Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae, Macrophomina phaseolina and Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae), is the first Australian registered woody weed bioherbicide. The product was effectively administered to the plant stems using a mechanical device, resulting in the subsequent development of a dieback event. After a period of establishment, it progressed through an adjacent untreated population, resulting in a significant decline in infestation vigour and preventing recruitment from the seedbank. This is the first report of large-scale management of parkinsonia by this method.

In June 2020, many plants exhibited symptoms of root rot and foliar blight in the experimental field of common sage in Sanliurfa province, Turkey. The pathogen was identified as Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of partial sequence of the transcription elongation factor 1-alpha gene and the internal transcribed spacer of rDNA. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by successful re-isolation of the pathogen from inoculated plants in the pathogenicity assay. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of N. novaehollandiae causing root rot and foliar blight of common sage worldwide.

From 2012 to 2015, several field surveys were conducted throughout forest areas in the north of Iran in order to determine the occurrence of species of Botryosphaeriaceae on forest trees. Fungal isolations were made from symptomatic branches of 20 tree genera including Acer, Alnus, Carpinus, Crataegus, Cupressus, Cydonia, Diospyros, Fagus, Fraxinus, Gleditsia, Mespilus, Parrotia, Pinus, Populus, Prunus, Pterocarya, Punica, Quercus, Ulmus and Zelkova, as well as fruiting bodies formed on the surface of woody debris. Morphological identification along with molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and a partial sequence of translation elongation factor 1-α (tef-1α) gene showed that at least nine species of Botryosphaeriaceae occur on forest trees in the north of Iran. These include Dothiorella sarmentorum, Dothiorella plurivora, Neofusicoccum parvum, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae, Diplodia seriata, Diplodia sapinea, Lasiodiplodia mahajangana and Diplodia intermedia. Pathogenicity tests were conducted for selected isolates from each species on six tree species (Mespilus germanica, Punica granatum, Parrotia persica, Alnus glutinosa, Quercus castaneifolia and Pterocarya fraxinifolia) under field conditions. Results of the pathogenicity tests showed a variation in lesion lengths (virulence) and re-isolation frequencies of inoculated species on branches of trees, Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae, B. dothidea and D. intermedia being the most virulence species. Based on host plant species, the majority of Botryosphaeriaceae species are new records. This is the first comprehensive study on the species identification, distribution and pathogenicity of Botryosphaeriaceae on forest trees in Iran. This is also the first report of L. mahajangana in this country.

Oksal, Erçin: Malatya Turgut Ozal University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, Malatya, Turkey urkey is one of noteworthy countries for both fruit genetic resources and amount of fruit production in the world. Mulberry is cultivated throughout Turkey, most commonly in Central, Northeast and Southeast Anatolia. Mulberry has a great market potential thanks to its fresh consumption and usage of processed food products. In June 2019, a disease was observed causing deaths in shoots and branches on mulberry trees in Malatya province of Turkey. The causative agent of the disease was identified as Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae according to morphological characteristics and sequencing of TEF 1-a gene (Accession no. MT362602 and MT362603), ITS (Accession no. MT195554 and MT195555) and LSU (Accession no. MT195552 and MT195553). Based on the concatenated sequences of the ITS, TEF 1-a, and LSU, a phylogenetic tree was built using Bayesian analysis. Reactions of nine mulberry cultivars against the disease ('Ulukale', Ayas/, 'Ichinose', 'Poser', 'Kenmochi', Arapgir', 'San as/, 'Horum' and 'Istanbul') inoculated with Malatya isolate of A! novaehollandiae were evaluated under growth chamber conditions. All-mulberry cultivars artificially inoculated with N. novaehollandiae isolate exhibited severe necrosis symptoms on woody tissues of tested plants. It was confirmed that N. novaehollandiae is a fungal pathogen associated with dieback and canker on mulberry trees in Turkey for the first time. New mulberry plantations could be endangered by this emerging new disease.

In 2019, a new disease of stem canker with branches dieback was observed in several commercial orchards in Diyarbakir province, Turkey. The pathogen was identified as Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of both internal transcribed spacer and transcription elongation factor 1-α regions. Koch’s postulates were confirmed by successful reisolation of N. novaehollandiae only from plants inoculated with the pathogen. This is thought to be the first report of N. novaehollandiae causing stem canker of almond trees.

[No abstract available]

Onychomycosis is considered a fungal nail infection caused mainly by dermatophytes, yeasts and non-dermatophyte molds including dematiaceous fungi. Onychomycosis caused by non-dermatophyte molds is a health problem in the medical environment as the patients frequently return to outpatient clinics seeking new therapeutic modalities. Here, we report the first case of onychomycosis caused by a black fungus, Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae, in the right hand finger nail of a 52-year-old Iranian female with no history of immunodeficiency and underlying disease. The pattern of nail involvement was recognized as total dystrophic onychomycosis. Examination of nail scrapings with potassium hydroxide revealed brown, septate and branching sub-hyaline to dark-colored hyphae. The black fungus isolated in culture was identified as Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae by molecular analysis. The patient received oral terbinafine plus ciclopirox nail lacquer twice a week and began responding to the treatment three months after initial antifungal therapy. Additional four weeks’ use of terbinafine plus ciclopirox nail lacquer completely resolved the clinical manifestations of onychomycosis. After four months, both microscopy and culture were negative.

[No abstract available]

One isolate from bark beetle galleries was identified and characterized using morphological and molecular methodology, and described and illustrated based on these data. These results identified a new species distribution record in China for Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae. Species morphology and micrographs are provided in this paper. The specimens are stored in Northeast Forestry University.

Members of the Botryosphaeriaceae, in particular Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Neofusicoccum parvum, N. mangiferum and Botryosphaeria dothidea, commonly cause stem cankers, dieback and stem end rot of mangoes worldwide. In the current study, eight taxa of Botryosphaeriaceae were identified as canker-associated fungi, pathogens, potential pathogens or endophytes of mangoes in the Kimberley, Australia. These include Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae, Ne. dimidiatum, Pseudofusicoccum adansoniae, P. ardesiacum, P. kimberleyense, Lasiodiplodia sp. 1, L. iraniensis and L. pseudotheobromae. The pathogenicity of a selection of these species toward fruit and branches was tested. All were pathogenic to mango in comparison to the control, with Lasiodiplodia spp. being the most pathogenic. It appears that either geographic isolation or the unique growing conditions in the Kimberley may have provided an effective barrier to the acquisition or establishment of known botryosphaeriaceous pathogens. Wounds caused by mechanical pruning may provide an entry point for infection, whilst severe pruning may increase plant stress.

In this study seven new species of the Botryosphaeriaceae are described from baobab (Adansonia gibbosa) and surrounding endemic tree species growing in the Kimberley region of north- western Australia. Members of the Botryosphaeria- ceae were predominantly endophytes isolated from apparently healthy sapwood and bark of endemic trees; others were isolated from dying branches. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS and EF1-a sequence data revealed seven new species: Dothiorella longicollis, Fusicoccum ramosum, Lasiodiplodia margaritacea, Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae, Pseudofusicoccum adansoniae, P. ardesiacum and P. kimberleyense.