Morphology and DNA phylogeny differentiate several anamorphic ascomycetes associated with a cereal cyst nematode, Heterodera filipjevi, and new records for the mycobiota of Iran

Heterodera filipjevi is one of the widely distributed cyst nematodes of cereals, causing significant yield losses. This species has been reported from many wheat-producing areas in Iran, including East Azarbaijan province. During the surveys on fungal species associated with H. filipjevi cyst nematode in East Azarbaijan province, several fungal isolates were recovered from shells, egg suspensions, and whole cysts. Integration of cultural and morphological characteristics with sequence data of ITS-rDNA differentiated Auxarthron alboluteum, Exophiala equina, Juxtiphoma eupyrena, Oidiodendron cereale, Periconia macrospinosa and Pleotrichocladium opacum from the cysts of H. filipjevi for the first time worldwide. Additionally, A. alboluteum, J. eupyrena, O. cereale and P. opacum represent new records for the mycobiota of Iran. Here we provide descriptions, fully illustrate these species and further discuss their ecology, host range, and geographical distribution. Their antagonistic potential and pathogenicity on this nematode remain to be studied.