Botrytis polyphyllae: A New Botrytis Species Causing Gray Mold on Paris polyphylla

Abstract

Paris polyphylla is an important perennial medicinal plant in China. A disease similar to gray mold on P. polyphylla occurred at the seedling stage in March 2016 and 2017 in Tengchong city, Yunnan Province of China. The disease resulted in up to 50% mortality in serious cases. Isolates from diseased plants grew 10.6 mm/day at 20°C on PDA. After 21 days, sclerotia were spherical to elliptical (0.4–2.5 × 0.3–1.8 mm). Conidia from diseased tissues were hyaline to pale brown, long, ovoid, unicellular, and measured 15.1–24.5 × 8.8–13.4 μm; conidiophores were 526–1,064 ×12–15 μm. Isolates did not form conidiophores or conidia on PDA or MYA. A phylogenetic analysis based on G3PDH, RPB2, and HSP60 sequence data supported assignment of three representative isolates as a new species of Botrytis. Based on morphological, phylogenetic characteristics and Koch’s Postulates, the causal agent of gray mold on P. polyphylla was identified as a novel species, Botrytis polyphyllae.