Trichoderma evansii and T. lieckfeldtiae: two new T. hamatum-like species

Abstract

The new species, Trichoderma evansii and T. lieckfeldtiae, resemble the closely related T. hamatum and T. pubescens in forming discrete, setose conidial pustules within which arise smooth, green conidia from pachybasium-like conidiophores. The phylogenetic position of these species was determined with combined partial sequences of ITS, translation-elongation factor 1-alpha, RNA polymerase II subunit and actin genes. All are members of the Viride clade. Trichoderma evansii forms a sister group relationship with a clade that includes T. hamatum and T. pubescens. It differs from the latter two species in having subglobose conidia; it was isolated as an endophyte from sapwood of Lophira alata (Ochnaceae) and Cola verticillata (Malvaceae) in Cameroon and Theobroma gileri (Malvaceae) in Peru. Trichoderma lieckfeldtiae occupies an unresolved position in the Viride clade despite being virtually morphologically indistinguishable from T. hamatum; it was isolated from fruit of cacao infected with Moniliophthora roreri in Colombia, pseudostroma of Moniliophthora roreri on pods of Theobroma cacao in Peru and from soil in a cacao farm in Cameroon (central Africa).

• ascomycetes
• endophytic fungi
• Hypocrea
• Hypocreaceae
• Hypocreales
• soil fungi
• systematics

These individuals provided isolates that were used in this study: Drs H.C. Evans and K. Holmes (Cabi BioScience, UK), Enrique Arevalo (ICT, Peru), Harry Hoitink (Ohio State University), Pierre R. Tondje (IRAD, Cameroon), Prakash Hebbar (Mars Inc., USA), Jose and Orlando Rondon (CORPOICA, Colombia), Giovanni Vanacci (University of Pisa, Italy). Mss Jamie Everett and Latonia Miller (Howard University) provided technical assistance.