Multigene phylogeny and morphotaxonony of Septoria spp. from Iran along with a checklist of septoria-like taxa

The genus Septoria includes important plant pathogens with worldwide distribution, commonly associated with leaf spots and stem cankers of a broad range of plant hosts. In this study, eight isolates of Septoria were recovered from leaves with leaf spot on four herbaceous and woody plants from Gilan, Ardebil, East and West Azerbaijan provinces in north and northwest of Iran. The isolates were studied by applying a polyphasic approach including morphological and cultural data, and multi-gene phylogeny (LSU, ITS, ACT, TEF1-α, CAL, TUB, and RPB2). hey were then identified as Septoria convolvuli on Sonchus sp., S. protearum on Solanum pseudocapsicum, S. polygonorum on Punica granatum, and S. urticae on Urtica dioica. Septoria protearum represents a new record for the mycobiota of Iran. Moreover, this research reports Sonchus sp. as new host of S. convolvuli, Punica granatum as new host of S. polygonorum, and Solanum pseudocapsicum as new host of S. protearum worldwide. Additionally, a comprehensive literature-based checklist for 102 septoria-like species known to occur on different plant species in Iran was also provided. The complete annotated list covers 78 Septoria species, eight Stagonospora, seven Sphaerulina, four Zymoseptoria, two Phloeospora, one Caryophylloseptoria, one Parastagonospora, and one Stromatoseptoria.