Three new species of Nigrograna (Dothideomycetes, Pleosporales) associated with Arabica coffee from Yunnan Province, China

Coffee is one of the most important cash crops in Yunnan Province, China. Yunnan is ranked as the biggest producer of high-quality coffee in China. During surveys of microfungi from coffee plantations in Yunnan, six fungal strains that resemble Nigrogranaceae were collected. Multi-gene analyses of a combined SSU-LSU-ITS-rpb2-tef1-alpha sequence data matrix were used to infer the phylogenetic position of the new species in Nigrograna while morphological characteristics were used to deduce the taxonomic position of the new species. Six fungal strains isolated from decaying branches of Coffea arabica represent three new saprobic species in Nigrograna. The three new species, N. asexualis, N. coffeae, and N. puerensis, are described with full (macro and micro characteristics) descriptions, illustrations, and a phylogenetic tree that shows the phylogenetic position of new taxa.

Automated summary

This study describes three new saprobic fungal species in the Nigrograna genus discovered in coffee plantations in Yunnan Province, China. Their phylogenetic position and taxonomic classification were determined through multi-gene analysis and morphological characteristics.