Molecular techniques based on ITS analysis: useful tools for the identification of wood-decay Basidiomycetes in urban trees?

the presence and identity of wood-decay basidiomycetes affecting platanus acerifolia were evaluated in buenos aires city during 2007. from 247 samples of basidiomes and wood with signs of decay, 19 strains were isolated, from which 10 rdna sequences were obtained. the aim of this work was to analyze the scope of information obtained from its sequences as taxonomic tools to study local populations of wood-rotting fungi in urban trees. phylogenetic analyses were performed under static and dynamic homologies. the techniques employed enable to: identificate coprinellus micaceus and corroborate the identification of bjerkandera adusta, while these same results were not achieved for inonotus rickii, ganoderma resinaceum, peniophora laxitexta and phlebiopsis gigantea due to the complexity of the genera and the lack of sequences. lack of sequences at a regional level would be a major obstacle for the detection of wood decay agents in urban trees using its sequences.