Evidence of Two Formae Speciales in Venturia inaequalis, Responsible for Apple and Pyracantha Scab

ABSTRACT Genetic relationships, mating crosses, and host specificity of Venturia inaequalis isolates from Malus spp. and of Spilocaea pyracanthae isolates from Pyracantha spp. were evaluated. Sequence analysis of the complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (ITS1-5.8S to ITS2) revealed a total similarity between these two putative species. ITS restriction fragment length polymorphism carried out with five restriction enzymes on a collection of 28 isolates confirmed a lack of diversity in this region between and within these two populations. Additional isolates from three related species (V. pirina, V. nashicola, and S. eriobotryae) were divided into two distinct monophyletic groups in a phylogenetic tree using ITS sequence comparison. These groups were related to their anamorph (i.e., Spilocaea or Fusicladium). When inoculated on their host of origin, fields isolates caused typical symptoms of scab disease, and a host specificity was demonstrated by cross pathogenicity of isolates from Malus x domestica and Pyracantha spp. Mating on dried leaves in vitro between one isolate of each putative species led to production of numerous perithecia. Ninety-six sporulating monoascosporic progenies were isolated from this cross. Based on these genetic and pathogenic data, we proposed that pathogens responsible for scab on Malus spp. and Pyracantha spp. are considered as two formae speciales belonging to V. inaequalis.