First report of Phaeoacremonium rubrigenum, associated with declining persimmon trees in Iran

The genus Phaeoacremonium is associated with decline disease of woody plants and with human infections. Members of this genus have broad host range and wide geographical distribution. During 2010, ten isolates of Phaeoacremonium were recovered from vascular tissues of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) trees, showing decline symptoms in Shiraz city. Anamorphic characteristics such as, conidiophore morphology, phialide type and shape, size of hyphal warts, conidial size and shape were investigated. Based on morphological characteristics the presence of Pm. rubrigenum in Iran was documented. To confirm morphological identification, DNA was extracted from isolates using a genomic DNA purification Kit. Region of internal transcribed spacers 1, 2 and 5.8S genes of rDNA were amplified using ITS4 and ITS1 universal primer set. Fragments of 630 bp were recovered from PCR, purified, sequenced, edited and deposited in GenBank. Pm. rubrigenum isolates had an average of 99 % identity with all P. rubrigenum sequences compared. This species is a new report from Iran.