Introduction:

The identification of Armillaria and Desarmillaria species associated with Armillaria root disease is important to determine management strategies, due to their variation in pathogenicity and virulence.

Objective:

To identify Desarmillaria/Armillaria species associated with lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.), avocado (Persea americana Mill.), and pine (Pinus sp.) trees with symptoms and signs of Armillaria root disease.

Materials and methods:

Root samples were collected from trees with signs and symptoms of Armillaria root disease from lychee trees in Veracruz, three avocado orchards in Michoacán, and a forest area in Michoacán. Eight fungal isolates were identified based on DNA sequences of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) gene.

Results:

Based on tef1 sequences, three isolates obtained from lychee trees in Veracruz were identified as Desarmillaria caespitosa; four isolates obtained from avocado trees and one from a pine tree in Michoacán were identified as Armillaria mexicana. Fungal isolates are deposited in the fungal culture collection of USDA Forest Service, RMRS, Moscow, Idaho, USA, and tef1 sequences are deposited in GenBank.

Conclusion:

This study represents the first reports of D. caespitosa on lychee in Veracruz and A. mexicana on avocado and pine trees in Michoacán, Mexico.