Mycological Research News features: Checks and balances in endophyte-host interactions; In this issue; TrichoBLAST: a multilocus database for Trichoderma and Hypocrea identifications; Did pathogenic fungi contribute to dinosaur extinction?; and Forthcoming international mycological meetings.

This part starts with a major review of the nature of endophytic associations involving fungi, and includes eight other research papers. These describe a new genus associated with ambrosia beetles, characterise Scutellospora reticulata, analyse a chaperone homologue gene in Paracoccidiodes brasiliensis, examine growth responses of soil chytrids, revise the hyphomycete genus Piricauda, assess the status and relationships of Agaricus mushrooms in sect. Duploannulati, report decreasing effectiveness of prochloraz-manganese to control Verticillium fungicola over time, and examine the mineral contents (including metal ions) in Amanita fruit bodies.

The following new scientific names are introduced: Dryadomyces gen. nov.; D. amasae, and Piricauda vulcanensis spp. nov.; and Acrodictys caribensis (syn. P. caribensis) comb. nov.