Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 April 2001
This paper describes digital image recording and measurement procedures of Fusarium species macroconidia with reference strains of F. avenaceum, F. culmorum, F. graminearum, F. oxysporum, F. sambucinum and Microdochium nivale. Computerized taxonomic recognition of the most important Fusarium species occuring on cereals was achieved by statistical tests based on morphometric parameters from macroconidia (numerical taxonomy). A first grouping resulted from Brandt-Snedecor contingency tests (χ2) indicating different frequency distributions of macroconidia with various numbers of septa. For discrimination and ranking within these groups by clustering procedures, analysis of variance and multiple comparison of means, deviation from circular (circular form factor) was most suitable out of 12 morphometric parameters tested on macroconidia of the most frequent septation classes.