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First Report of Diaporthe goulteri on Soybean in Germany

Summary

Researchers in Germany discovered a fungal disease called Diaporthe goulteri infecting soybean plants for the first time. This fungus, previously known only from sunflowers in Australia, was isolated from a soybean seed and confirmed through genetic testing. Laboratory experiments showed the fungus can infect soybean stems and cause dark discoloration and tissue damage. This finding is important for soybean farmers as it indicates a new disease threat that may need to be monitored and managed.

Background

Diaporthe species are important fungal pathogens affecting soybean cultivation globally, with several species already identified on German soybean. Diaporthe goulteri was recently described as a novel species found on sunflower in Australia and an unknown host in Thailand. This study reports the first isolation of D. goulteri from soybean in Germany.

Objective

To report the isolation and identification of D. goulteri from soybean plants in southern Germany, provide molecular species identification through phylogenetic analysis, and demonstrate the pathogenic capability of this species on soybean.

Results

Isolate DPC_HOH36 recovered from a soybean seed showed high sequence similarity to D. goulteri across all three genes tested (ITS, TUB, TEF). Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the isolate as D. goulteri, with ITS and TUB sequences identical to the original species description. Pathogenicity testing demonstrated that D. goulteri can infect soybean, causing stem discoloration and necrosis extending up to 2 cm from inoculation sites.

Conclusion

This is the first report of D. goulteri on soybean in Germany and the first demonstration of its ability to infect plants. The discovery expands the known host range of D. goulteri and adds to the diversity of Diaporthe species affecting soybean in Germany, necessitating further field monitoring to assess disease severity.
  • Published in:Journal of Fungi (Basel),
  • Study Type:First Report and Pathogenicity Study,
  • Source: 10.3390/jof10110803, PMID: 39590722, PMCID: PMC11595983
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