Three novel species of fungi associated with pine species showing needle blight-like disease symptoms

Pine needle diseases, such as red band and brown spot blight, are serious pine diseases that threatens forests in many countries. Several outbreaks have been reported resulting loss of productivity mortality both exotic native plantations Pinus spp. Symptomatology these two is quite similar characterized by the appearance yellowish areas/bands on hosts’ leaves subsequently lead to more extensive lesions and/or necrotic areas. In an attempt understand main causes blight-like disease symptoms a study was carried stands were apparently affected blights. Needles showing spots bands with fruiting bodies sampled. From 25 trees samples, 82 fungal isolates successfully retrieved. The most common genera Pestalotiopsis (42.68%, n = 35), Rhizosphaera (28.04%, 23) Cladosporium (9.75%, 8). Seven could not be assigned species through molecular identification ITS sequence analysis, potentially representing novel taxa. Based multilocus phylogenetic analyses, using ITS, tub2 tef1-α sequences, morphological data, we propose three species: Didymocyrtis pini sp. nov., iberica nov. pinicola These potential active players symptomatology initially associated blight diseases. Although pathogenicity fungi needs confirmed, this suggests high complexity underlying which may impact epidemiology management.