A DNA fragment apparently unique to Verticillium dahliae was found by comparing RAPD profiles of V. dahliae to those of other closely related fungi. RAPD analyses were performed on eight V. dahliae, six V. albo-atrum and three V. tricorpus isolates to identify DNA sequences specific to V. dahliae. RAPD primer E20 (AACGGTGACC) yielded a 567 bp band shared only by V. dahliae isolates. This band from isolate V14 was cloned and sequenced. No significant sequence similarity was found between this amplicon and any other nucleic acid sequence in the databases. Based on the sequence information, a pair of PCR primers, VDS1 (5′-CACATTCAGTTCAGGAGACGGA-3′) and VDS2 (5′-CCTTCTACTGGAGTATTTCGG-3′) was designed. PCR tests showed that VDS1 and VDS2 amplified the expected fragment of DNA from 62 V. dahliae isolates from diverse hosts and geographical origins, but not from any other sources of DNA tested, including DNA from the most closely related species, V. albo-atrum. Southern blot analysis showed that the PCR product specifically hybridized to V. dahliae genomic DNA. An internal control was constructed for competitive PCR and used to develop a detection and quantification assay for V. dahliae, for which the detection limit was determined.

This study investigated the morphology and infectivity of fine endophyte in a mediterranean environment. Five morphological groups of fine endophyte differing in up to 11 characters were present within two pot cultures of fine endophyte from south- western Australia. Occurrence and abundance of a particular type of fine endophyte were not affected by the application of calcium carbonate. It appeared that there may be more than one fungus included among the two sources of fine endophyte, however it was not possible to separate the fungi. A second experiment demonstrated that infective propagules of fine endophyte can be very small (<38 μm) and fresh roots acted as a potential source of infective propagules. There was no infectivity of fine endophyte in the soil at the end of the growing season but it reoccurred in similar quantity in the next growing season.

Analysis of quality-related parameters at the green leaf-stage and in orthodox-made tea revealed marked quality deterioration with increasing blister blight severity. Total phenols, catechin(s), total nitrogen, amino acids, and chlorophylls, as well as polyphenol oxidase activity, declined in tea shoots with increasing disease severity. Depending on disease intensity, orthodox tea made from infected shoots showed loss in leaf-style. Likewise, theaflavins, thearubigins, caffeine, and high polymerized substances as well as total liquor colour, brightness and briskness also exhibited marked progressive decline in tea made from shoots with increasing disease severity. Aroma components, particularly hexene-1-ol, phenyl acetaldehyde, linalool, methyl salicylate, geraniol, indole, β-ionone, nerolidol, and several unassigned components were also lower in disease affected teas. The magnitude of decline in various aroma constituents corresponded to disease intensity.

The diversity of Eutypa lata was studied in 56 isolates collected from Languedoc-Roussillon, France. The pathogenicity of isolates varied within a very broad range and was not influenced by the cultivar from which they originated. Using 27 RAPD markers, each isolate was identified as an unique genotype. Gene diversity averaged 0·292 for the regional population. Lack of gametic disequilibrium between RAPD loci supported the hypothesis of random mating. The RAPD analysis did not allow subdivision of the population according to geographic location, vine cv. or pathogenicity of E. lata. The composition of the community of fungi was studied in 116 vines showing eutypa dieback symptoms collected at several localities in the region. E. lata was recovered from 80% of the samples, from the sectorial brown lesion characteristic of the disease. This lesion was associated in half of the vines with a central zone of discoloured hard wood and/or a light-coloured lesion of soft consistency. E. lata was isolated alone from 124% of the vines and was associated in 67% of the vines with one, two or three of the following fungi: Sphaeropsis malorum, Phomopsis viticola, Gliocladium roseum, Phaeoacremonium chlamydosporum, P. aleophilum and Phellinus igniarius. The variation in symptoms observed in the vineyard may be partly explained by the wide genetic diversity in E. lata and differences in the composition and functioning of the fungal community.

The teleomorphic state of the ericoid mycorrhizal Hymenoscyphus ericae is known only from the type deposition. The production of both the teleomorph and anamorph by an isolate recovered from Ledum groenlandicum collected in an acidic peatland in Alberta, Canada, provided an opportunity to describe and illustrate the holomorph for a North American collection as a new record and as a supplement to the original diagnosis. It also provided further evidence that Hymenoscyphus ericae and Scytalidium vaccinii represent states of a single species, a hypothesis that previously had been tested using nuclear ribosomal DNA analysis. Appropriate cultural conditions and the use of molecular markers are advocated in order to facilitate the identification of mycorrhizal isolates which often remain sterile in pure culture.

Cannonia gen. nov. is introduced to accommodate three collections of an unusual taxon, originally described as Ceratostoma australe. Cannonia is thought to be xylariaceous, due to its globose immersed ascomata with the stroma reduced to a clypeus, well-developed paraphyses, unitunicate asci lacking an apical apparatus, and dark brown, aseptate ascospores with a germ slit. Cannonia is compared with other possibly related genera and illustrated with interference contrast micrographs.

A new Claviceps species that causes ergot in sorghum and Sudan grass in Japan is described. The new species is distinct from C. sorghi and C. africana, from India and Africa, respectively, in the colour and texture of sclerotia, colour and morphology of stromata arising from the sclerotia, and size of ascospores and conidia. The pathogen infected only Sorghum in inoculation tests using 11 gramineous plants. Hyphal growth of C. sorghicola was 1 mm d−1 on PDA at 25 °C. Production of a different ergoline alkaloid in the sclerotia was suggested.

Eleven new intertidal fungi Aniptodera intermedia, Anthostomella nypae, Anthostomella nypensis, Anthostomella nypicola, Helicorhoidion nypicola, Herpotrichia nypicola, Leptosphaeria nypicola, Lignincola nypae, Phomatospora nypicola, Trichocladium nypae, and Vibrissea nypicola spp. nov., are described from Nypa fruticans. These new species are compared with existing species in the genera and illustrated with interference light micrographs.

Byssosphaeria, Chaetosphaeria and Niesslia are discussed and illustrated in relation to their occurrence on palms. New collections of B. schiedermayeriana are reported including Chaetosphaeria exima, which is a new synonym. Chaetosphaeria arecacensis, C. hongkongensis and C. palmicola spp. nov. are described and new collections of C. callimorpha are reported. Cryptophiale is reported as a new anamorph connection for Chaetosphaeria. Niesslia palmicola sp. nov. is described and new collections of N. exosporioides are recorded. Ornatispora gen. nov. is introduced to accommodate several Chaetosphaeria-like species from palms. In Ornatispora, ascomata are superficial, black, papillate, smooth-walled or covered in setae and paraphyses are filiform, non-septate and deliquesce in dried material. Asci are 8-spored, clavate, and lack an apical apparatus and deliquesce at maturity, while ascospores are ellipsoidal, 1-septate, hyaline, verrucose and surrounded by a mucilaginous sheath. One species is closely associated with Didymostilbe aurantiospora, which is considered to be the anamorph. Three new species of Ornatispora, and one new combination are described and illustrated. Ornatispora is compared with Bertia, Chaetosphaeria, Peethambara and Niesslia.

Crossing and selfing experiments were carried out with six field collections and five isolates belonging to three formae speciales, larici-epitea typica (LET), larici-daphnoides (LD), and larici-retusae (LR), of willow rust, Melampsora epitea. European larch (Larix decidua) was inoculated with basidiospores produced on overwintered telial leaves and the resulting spermagonial lesions on larch needles subsequently paired in vitro. In two crosses between LR and LD involving a total of 439 lesion pairs, only two cultures obtained were identified as hybrids. These two cultures were non-pathogenic to the maternal host Salix burjatica cv. Korso and weakly pathogenic to the paternal host S. daphnoides cv. Meikle. No identifiable hybrids were obtained from 56 lesion pairs between LET and LD. In a cross between LET as receptor and LD as donor, one-third of the lesions formed aecia. In the reciprocal combination, however, less than 1% developed aecia. All F1 cultures between LET and LR were weakly pathogenic to the parental hosts S. viminalis cv. Mullatin and S. burjatica cv. Korso. When three of the F1 cultures were used to produce telia, only one developed mature teliospores. Subsequent selfing experiments showed that this culture was predominantly self-sterile, with only 1% of lesions producing aecia. In selfing and crossing two pathotypes within the same f. spp., 20–40% of needles produced aecia and the rate of aecial formation was similar in both directions. The results obtained suggest that M. epitea is heterothallic and the sexual compatibility is controlled by a pair of alleles at a locus. It is concluded that the three f. spp. are genetically different populations and ecologically fit new pathotypes cannot arise easily as a result of hybridization between them. Within a f. sp., however, many pathotypes exist or will occur due to exchange of genes for virulence during the sexual life-cycle.

Sarcodon imbricatus has long been used to extract blue and greenish pigments for wool dyeing. We found that fruit bodies growing with Pinus sylvestris seemed to be superior for dyeing compared to fruit bodies growing with Picea abies, and macroscopical differences between the forms indicated that they are different taxa. By studying sequences of rDNA ITS and macroscopical characters, two species were recognized. Sarcodon imbricatus grows in association with Picea, and S. squamosus with Pinus. The latter species, described by Schaeffer in 1774, has been lumped with S. imbricatus during the past 50 years, creating great confusion among wool dyers.

The morphology of the extracellular mucilaginous material (ECM) produced by Coniophora puteana and Coriolus versicolor during colonization of Scots pine and beech was studied using SEM. Wood specimens were examined in the frozen hydrated (FH) condition using low-temperature SEM, and in the freeze-dried (FD) and critical point dried (CPD) state, using conventional SEM. All techniques produced artifacts but the ECM was best preserved when examined in the FH state. Very little difference was observed between FH and FD preparations, but critical point drying damaged the ECM extensively. Copious amounts of ECM were produced by both fungi. It was found to line much of the lumen surface, establishing contact between the mycelium and the wood substratum. Most aerial hyphae were coated with ECM, appearing glued together in a bundle-like fashion. The ECM thickness varied within the same wood cell and from one cell to another. A peculiar granular pattern, in which the ECM was definitely involved, was seen on occasion to encircle the infecting hyphae where they contacted the wood surface. Other morphological patterns of ECM distribution were also observed. Calcium oxalate crystals of varying shapes and sizes were often seen associated with the mycelia and mucilage of the two fungi in beech but not in Scots pine. The probable roles played by the ECM in wood decay mechanisms are discussed.

Thirty-three strains of Fusarium species from clinical sources including F. solani, F. oxysporum, F. moniliforme, F. proliferatum, F. subglutinans and F. chlamydosporum were examined for their physiological characteristics and mycotoxin production. Of this collection 29 exhibited growth at 37 °C and 21 were resistant to cycloheximide. Two strains of F. moniliforme and two strains of F. proliferatum produced fumonisins. No strains in this collection produced detectable amounts of trichothecenes. All 18 strains of F. solani tested produced the immunosuppressive agent cyclosporin A. The cyclosporin A-producing ability of clinical isolates of F. solani may influence their pathogenic potential.

The development of 12 litter and seven phylloplane fungal species was examined from spore germination to colony sporulation across a series of environmentally relevant UV-B doses. For the litter fungi all aspects of fungal development and morphology studied were affected. On the basis of the responses of mycelial extension rate and spore germination to increasing UV-B, the 12 litter fungi were divided into two groups. Group A (Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium hordei, P. janczewskii, P. spinulosum and P. purpurogenum) were sensitive to UV-B, with the predicted effects of a 15% ozone depletion resulting in 22–44% reductions in spore germination. Mycelial extension rate on the agar surface was similarly affected, with reductions ranging from 15 to 25%. In contrast group B (Mucor hiemalis, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Leptosphaeria coniothyrium, Trichoderma viride, Ulocladium consortiale, the Verticillium state of Nectria inventa and Marasmius androsaceus) were relatively insensitive to UV-B, with significant, but small, reductions in mycelial extension rate (<5%) and spore germination (0–22%). Spore production in response to UV-B in the litter species was very variable, reductions ranging from 5% to complete inhibition. Only P. hordei showed a significant increase in spore production in response to UV-B dose. In contrast, in all seven phylloplane species, spore germination was unaffected by increasing dose. Mycelial extension rate was slightly (2–12%), but significantly, inhibited by UV-B for the four phylloplane fungi tested. The contrasting responses of phylloplane and litter fungi to UV-B are discussed along with the implications for resource capture by competing fungal species and the possible effects of UV-B on decomposition processes.

Batcheloromyces spp. are dematiaceous hyphomycetes which cause leaf spots on members of the Proteaceae in South Africa. The leaf spots are non-necrotic and composed of numerous sporodochial conidiomata. Conidiogenesis is holoblastic with percurrent, enteroblastic proliferation producing conidiogenous cells with ragged and irregular annellations. Brown, verrucose, aseptate and multiseptate conidia are produced. Conidia produced percurrently, can remain adhered to each other in fragile chains, disarticulating to produce aseptate conidia or, in some cases, they remain as multiseptate conidia where further schizolytic cleavage, at the delimiting septa, may or may not occur. This paper compares Batcheloromyces with the morphologically similar Stigmina, discusses the current members of Batcheloromyces and introduces the new species B. leucospermi.

Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus are closely related species belonging to the Aspergillus section Flavi. Both species can produce aflatoxins, but not all isolates of either species do so. We examined the genetic relationship between toxigenic and non-toxigenic isolates using RAPD and Neighbour Joining analysis. Twenty-four RAPD amplifications using a combination of 17 primers discriminated between 20 isolates of A. flavus and 15 isolates of A. parasiticus. A. flavus isolates divided into two distinct groups with both toxigenic and non-toxigenic isolates occurring in each group. No association was seen between RAPD genotype and the ability to produce toxin. Five non-toxigenic isolates of A. parasiticus separated into two groups, in which the isolates were similar but not identical. These groups of non-toxigenic isolates occurred on branches in which toxigenic isolates also occurred. This study suggests that either multiple losses of toxigenicity in A. flavus and A. parasiticus have occurred, or that recombination has reassorted this phenotype into a variety of different genetic backgrounds.

Partial rDNA sequences were obtained from 26 isolates representing species of Cercospora, Passalora, Paracercospora, Pseudocercospora, Ramulispora, Pseudocercosporella and Mycocentrospora. The combined internal transcribed spacers (ITS) including the 5·8S rRNA gene and 5′ end of the 25S gene (primer pairs F63/R635) on rDNA were amplified using PCR and sequenced directly. The ITS regions including the 5·8S varied in length from 502 to 595 bp. The F63/R635 region varied from 508 to 519 bp among isolates sequenced. Reconstructed phylogenies inferred from both regions had highly similar topologies for the taxa examined. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences resulted in four well-supported clades corresponding to Cercospora, Paracercospora/Pseudocercospora, Passalora and Ramulispora, with bootstrap values greater than 92% for each clade. Based on the results of the analysis, a new combination for Pseudocercosporella aestiva is proposed in Ramulispora, and Paracercospora is reduced to synonymy with Pseudocercospora.

Halosarpheia kandeliae sp. nov. collected on intertidal bark of Kandelia candel is described and its unique ascus morphology illustrated. It is compared with other Halosarpheia spp. and Aniptodera salsuginosa.