Introduction
Didymella aliena is a species of fungi that lives as an opportunistic pathogen on several species of plants world wide. First described in 1823 by Elias Fries, the species has undergone several name changes and been found worldwide (Fries, 1823).
Kingdom | Fungi |
---|---|
Phylum | Ascomycetes |
Subphylum | Pezizomycotina |
Class | Dothidiomycetes |
Subclass | Pleosporomycetidae |
Order | Pleosporales |
Family | Didymellaceae |
Genus | Didymella |
Species | Didymella aliena |
Synonyms
Phoma aliena, Sphaeria aliena
Etymology
The species was first described as Sphaeria aliena in 1823 by Elias Fries in the “Systema mycologicum”. In this book several species were named that would eventually undergo several name changes and replacements over the next 200+ years (Fries, 1823). The species would be revisited once again in “Contributions towards a monograph of Phoma” where several pathogenic fungi were placed within the Phoma genus based on Conidia size. This would include Sphaeria aliena due to its conidia being 7 micrometers long (Gruyter and Noordeloos, 1998). Then one of the same authors published another paper in 2009 called “Molecular phylogeny of Phoma and allied anamorph genera” where Didymellaceae was divided into three main genera: Phoma, Didymella, and Ascoschyta (Noordeloos et al, 2009). Finally, The most up to date name change was published in “Resolving the Phoma Enigma” where scientist used genetics to find out that the Phoma genus is polyphyletic and placed Phoma aliena into the genus Didymella to become Didymella aliena (Chen et al, 2015).
Distribution
There have been several publications of Didymella aliena being found around the world. A recent study in Tbilisi, Georgia found that Didymella aliena was found on diseased material in coniferous forests (Danelia et al, 2021). In a recently published survey of Didymella aliena, was when it was found in northern Greece 2024 on rotting pomegranates for the first time (Palavouzis, 2015). According to GlobalFungi Didymella aliena has also been found on all 7 continents.
Pathology
Didymella aliena is an opportunistic pathogen on several different species of plants. On pomegranate they cause large darkening spots on the fruits (Palavouzis, 2015). This species is also one of several that cause the disease phomosis in plants (Danelia, 2021).
References
Palavouzis, S. C., et al. "First report of Phoma aliena causing fruit rots of pomegranates in northern Greece." Journal of Plant Pathology 97.1 (2015).
Chen Q, Jiang JR, Zhang GZ, Cai L, Crous PW. Resolving the Phoma enigma. Stud Mycol. 2015 Sep;82:137-217. doi: 10.1016/j.simyco.2015.10.003. Epub 2015 Nov 26. PMID: 26955202; PMCID: PMC4774273.
Danelia, Irina, et al. “The Mycological Study of Conifers in Tbilisi and Its Surroundings.” Journal of Forest Science (Praha), vol. 67, no. 10, 2021, pp. 464–76, https://doi.org/10.17221/79/2021-JFS.
Chen, Qian & Jiang, J.R. & Zhang, G.Z. & Cai, Lei & Crous, Pedro. (2015). Resolving the Phoma enigma. Studies in Mycology. 82. 137-217. 10.1016/j.simyco.2015.10.003.
De Gruyter, J., Machiel E. Noordeloos, and G. H. Boerema. "Contributions towards a monograph of Phoma (Coelomycetes)—I. 3. Section Phoma: Taxa with conidia longer than 7 µm." Persoonia-Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution of Fungi 16.4 (1998): 471-490.
Didymella aliena (DIDYAL)[Overview] - Fungi - EPPO Q-Bank
Didymella aliena (Fr.) Qian Chen & L. Cai, in Chen, Jiang, Zhang, Cai & Crous, Stud. Mycol. 82: 173 (2015) Index Fungorum - Names Record
Hyde, K. D., et al. "Mycosphere notes 169–224." Mycosphere 9.2 (2018): 271-430.
Fries, Elias “Systema mycologicum : sistens fungorum ordines, genera et species, huc usque cognitas, quas ad normam methodi naturalis determinavit” (1823) Lundae, Ex Officina Berlingiana
De Gruyter, Johannes, et al. "Molecular phylogeny of Phoma and allied anamorph genera: towards a reclassification of the Phoma complex." Mycological research 113.4 (2009): 508-519.
Palavouzis, S. C., et al. “FIRST REPORT OF PHOMA ALIENA CAUSING FRUIT ROTS OF POMEGRANATES IN NORTHERN GREECE.” Journal of Plant Pathology, vol. 97, no. 1, 2015, pp. 215–215. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24579166. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Hyde, K. D., et al. "Mycosphere notes 169–224." Mycosphere 9.2 (2018): 271-430.
GlobalFungi