Thecaphora dahuangis, a new species causing leaf smut disease of the traditional medicinal plant dahuang (Rheum palmatum) in China

Chinese rhubarb (Rheum palmatum) is an important crop that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. The main cultivation areas are the Chinese provinces of Gansu, Qinhai, Tibet, and Sichuan. Various fungal diseases threaten Chinese rhubarb, the most common of which is leaf smut. In literature, the causal agent of this disease is described as Thecaphora schwarzmaniana. We present morphological data and molecular phylogenetic data of two rDNA loci (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and 28S D1-D2) that justify the classification of the causal agent as a distinct species. Here we describe the new species Thecaphora dahuangis for the leaf smut pathogen of Chinese rhubarb.

Automated summary

Chinese rhubarb is an important crop in traditional Chinese medicine, but it faces threats from various fungal diseases, including leaf smut. Research has classified the leaf smut pathogen as a new species, Thecaphora dahuangis, based on morphological and molecular data.