This issue of Mycological Research News features: Confusion over Amanita pantherina in Japan; Foliicolous lichens are benign; A plethora of bryophilous niches; and A longevity gene in Saccharomyces.

Fast-tracked for publication in this issue is the description of another new species of pathogenic Phytophthora, attacking deciduous trees in Europe. Specific primers for the detection of Pythium oligandrum in mushroom beds have been developed and tested. Puccinia tanaceti is shown to be more host-restricted than supposed. Transformation systems for Venturia inaequalis are compared, and the separation of Fusarium species causing crown and head blight of cereals, and also of Vericillium dahliae and V. tricorpus is described.

The genetic basis of Aspergillus parasiticus strains that do not form aflatoxins has been explored, and large insert had been found in an aflatoxin-producing A. flavus strain. Two genes involved in the early stage of melanin production in Colletotrichum lagenarium are reported, and pairing tests in Helocobasidium mompa show it to have a single incompatability factor. Strategies adopted for growth in toxic metal environments have been studied and factors affecting growth determined. Conditions to optimise growth in entomophthoralean fungi have been explored, the coffee berry borer in Mexico has been found to support a wider range of fungi than hitherto expected, and a new Monacrosporium able to trap nematodes as well as to parasitize fungal sclerotia has been discovered.

The following new scientific names are introduced in this part: Monacrosporium janus, and Phytophthora pseudosyringiae spp. nov.