DIFFERENTIATION OF OPHIOSTOMA-PICEAE AND OPHIOSTOMA-QUERCUS BY MORPHOLOGY AND RAPD ANALYSIS

Ophiostoma piceae (Munch) H. and G. Sydow was found to comprise two di stinct: species by means of morphological investigation on synnematal size as well as by RAPD technique for genomic analysis. The two specie s are separated undoubtedly by the means of morphological investigatio ns on synnematal size, the onset of a respective yeast stage, and geno mic analysis by the PCR based RAPD technique. Different mean values of synnematal size were corroborated statistically by the Kolmogorov - S mirnov Test. RAPD analysis is ensured by phylogenetic computation of t he discrete state matrix arising from the arbitrary PCR fragment patte rns. The two Ophiostoma species separated harbour isolates predominant ly grown on spruce on the one hand (O. piceae) and gathered isolates f rom oak and probably other hardwoods on the other hand (O. quercus). F or the latter species the name O. quercus (Georgev.) Nannf. must be re instated.