Occurrence and pathogenicity of Graphium carbonarium on elm trees in Iran

In a survey on species diversity and phylogeny of ophiostomatoid fungi associated with bark beetle galleries and decline symptoms on woody hosts in the northwestern region of Iran, ninesynnematous fungal isolates with similar growth patterns were isolated from the bark beetle galleries on declining elm trees in Mazandaran, East, and West Azerbaijan provinces. Based on the integration of molecular phylogeny (ITS-rDNA region and tef1-αgene sequences) with cultural and morphological characteristics, the isolates were identified as Graphium carbonarium. Pathogenicity test using anexcised shoot assay revealed that the isolates are pathogenic on Ulmus carpinifolia. Our study is the first occurrence and pathogenicity of G. carbonariumfrom bark beetlae galleries on declining elm in the world.