New genomic resources for insect-vectored plant pathogenic fungal species in the Ceratocystidaceae and Ophiostomataceae: Bretziella, Ceratocystis, and Ophiostoma

Authors: Salgado-Salazar, Catalina; NUNZIATA, SCHYLER - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); BASSINGWHITE, SHAYLA - Clark University; JONIC, JOVANA - Clark University; ZELLER, KURT - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); Broders, Kirk; Rivera Rivera, Yazmin; TABIMA, JAVIER - Clark University

Submitted to: Mycological Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2025
Publication Date: 10/3/2025
Citation: Salgado-Salazar, C., Nunziata, S., Bassingwhite, S., Jonic, J., Zeller, K., Broders, K.D., Rivera Rivera, Y.N., Tabima, J.F. 2025. New genomic resources for insect-vectored plant pathogenic fungal species in the Ceratocystidaceae and Ophiostomataceae: Bretziella, Ceratocystis, and Ophiostoma. Mycological Progress. 4. Article e70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-025-02090-3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-025-02090-3

Interpretive Summary: Fungi can be devasting pathogens of forest and cultivated fruit trees. Some of these known pathogens affect the flow of nutritional resources (vascular system) of trees. However, the processes by which they cause disease remain poorly understood. This study generated twenty-two genomes from several different species that disrupt the vascular system of trees. The resources generated in this study are critical for the management of vascular diseases caused by these pathogens and possibly others. The information from this study will be useful to plant pathologists, regulatory officials and others involved in the management of plant health in the timber and fruit industries, as well as for development of rapid and accurate identification methods for these fungi.

Technical Abstract: Ascomyceteous fungi in the genera Bretziella, Ceratocystis and Ophiostoma are well known plant pathogens causing vascular wilt and cankers on a variety of forest, fruit trees, and other agricultural crops. In recent years, increases in the incidence and severity of these diseases have been reported across the United States and other regions in the world; however, the lack of genome resources for these pathogens hinders scientific advances regarding their biology and management. In this study, we generated 22 genome sequence resources from thirteen species of these pathogens. These datasets will provide valuable perspectives on the biology and nature of these pathogens, encouraging future comparative genomic studies, host-pathogen interactions, and the development of detection assays for timely diagnosis, targeted control measures, to track disease outbreaks and patterns, and to control transboundary plant diseases.