The Colletotrichum destructivum species complex in Korea, description of C. kummerowiae sp. nov. and neotypification of C. panacicola

Species of the Colletotrichum destructivum species complex are known as important pathogens of herbaceous plants, including forage and field crops. Colletotrichum isolates from different plants and geographic regions in Korea belonging to this complex that were stored in the Korean Agricultural Culture Collection (KACC) had originally been identified based on morphological characteristics and their host plants. A multi-locus DNA sequence analysis (ITS, TUB2, HIS3, GAPDH, CHS-1 and ACT) of 32 isolates resulted in eight known species, namely C. atractylodicola, C. destructivum, C. galinsogae, C. higginsianum, C. panacicola, C. shisoi, C. tabacum, C. utrechtense, and a new species that we describe as C. kummerowiae based on molecular and morphological characteristics. A pathogenicity test confirmed the pathogenicity of this species to its host plant Kummerowia striata. Colletotrichum panacicola was neotypified with newly collected material; the species was frequently isolated from ginseng fields in Korea. Four of the species, C. atractylodicola, C. galinsogae, C. shisoi and C. utrechtense, represent new reports for Korea.