The First Report of Septobasidium sp. Occurrence on Phyllostachys reticulata (Rupr.) K. Koch in South Korea and Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis

In May 2024, a disease resembling felt disease was observed on the stems and branches of Phyllostachys reticulata, with brown coloration appearing on the infected areas, and samples were collected in Byeongbawi Rock and its surroundings, Gochang-gun, Jeonbuk-do. Phylogenetic analysis was performed based on internal transcribed spacer rDNA sequences obtained from the basidiomata. This fungus was classified as Septobasidium sp., showing 97.84% similarity to the Septobasidium sp. strain isolated from the Schisandra chinensis tree. The structural characteristics of the layers of mycelia mat were compared through detailed microscopic examination. Interestingly, while the mats layer structure for commonly known blight diseases are typically single-layered, the basidiomata observed on P. reticulata exhibited a 1 to 3 layered structure. This study represents the first record of felt disease on P. reticulata in Korea, providing a comprehensive report on its morphological and molecular characteristics.