First Report of Allantophomopsiella pseudotsugae Isolated from Soil in Korea

A fungal isolate designated 17E029 was isolated from a soil sample in Jeju, Korea. The strain was similar to other Allantophomopsiella species in its morphological characteristics such as grey mycelia, conidiophore, and conidia sizes. The isolate produced aerial mycelia, which appeared grey on the reverse side of the media surfaces and turned black on the front side of the colonies. The conidiophores emanating from the hyphae were hyaline, grey, aseptate, branched, and 6.7~9.2 × 1.8~2.5 µm. Conidiogenous cells were ovoid to subcylindrical, discrete, guttulate, and hyaline. Conidia were hyaline, aseptate, smooth, guttulate, oval to subcylindrical, irregular in shape, and 6.0~7.8 × 3.0~3.4 µm. The strain was confirmed based on phylogenetic analysis of the closest related organism, A. pseudotsugae CBS 288.37, using the partial 28S, internal transcribed spacer rDNA regions, and partial RNA polymerase II second largest subunit locus (RPB 2) gene sequences along with its culture characteristics. Therefore, morphological observations and phylogenetic analysis revealed that strain 17E029 is similar to the previously identified A. pseudotsugae. Hence, this species was described as A. pseudotsugae strain 17E029, which is a new record in Korea.