Poaceascoma zborayi sp. nov. and Agrorhizomyces patris gen. et spec. nov. – Two novel dark septate endophytes colonizing wheat (Triticum aestivum) roots from a cropland in Hungary

In this study, we investigated two distinct new phylogenetic lineages of root-colonizing dark septate endophytic fungi colonizing wheat (Triticum aestivum) roots from a long-term agricultural experimental site in Hungary. According to four-locus (internal transcribed spacer, partial large and small subunit regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA, and partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha) phylogenetic analyses, the isolates belong to the Lentitheciaceae and Didymosphaeriaceae of the Pleosporales (Dothideomycetes). We studied the morphology and culture characteristics of the strains. We carried out in vitro resynthesis pot experiments with their original hosts and found no overall negative effect of the inoculation with different isolates of the new taxa. One of the lineages belonged to the genus Poaceascoma (Lentitheciaceae) and represented a novel species described here as Poaceascoma zborayi. We could describe conidia-like structures from this species. Isolates of the other lineage represented a monotypic novel genus in the Didymosphaeriaceae. Accordingly, the new genus, Agrorhizomyces, represented by the species A. patris, is introduced. Sterile, globose structures resembling immature sporocarps were detected. Sequence similarity searches indicated that P. zborayi might be widely distributed, while no sequence similar to A. patris was found outside the sampling area.