Identification and characterization of Pyrenophora species causing leaf spot on oat (Avena sativa) in western China

Drechslera leaf spot (DLS) is a serious leaf disease of oats chiefly caused by Pyrenophora chaetomioides in the main oat-producing areas of the world. However, other species of Pyrenophora that may cause DLS have not been investigated in China. From 2018 to 2020, a total of 256 strains of Pyrenophora were isolated from nine oat-producing areas in three provinces in western China. Using a combination of morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS), 28S ribosomal RNA gene (LSU), RNA polymerase second largest subunit region (RPB2), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase region (GAPDH), 66% of the isolates were identified as P. chaetomioides and 34% of isolates belonged to P. avenicola. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that P. avenicola also infected oat and caused DLS, but it was less virulent than P. chaetomioides. From our survey, DLS caused by P. avenicola generally occurred in warm areas at lower altitude and the annual average temperature was above 0 degrees C (Huan and Zhenyuan county in Gansu, Huize county in Yunnan), compared to high-altitude areas (Tianzhu county, Shandan county, Haiyan county). The combination of optimal and maximal temperature indicated that P. avenicola had greater tolerance to high temperature, which was also an important factor for its distribution on oats. Precise identification and understanding of virulence, distribution, and occurrence of these pathogens has significance for control of oat DLS in the future.