Reappraisal and neotypification of Phyllachora feijoae

Acca sellowiana (Myrtaceae), feijoa (in Brazil, goiaba da serra), is a native southern South America tree that produces edible fruits which, although only occasionally cultivated in South America, became a significant fruit crop in New Zealand. Recently, during surveys for fungal pathogens of feijoa in southern Brazil, several plants were found bearing tar-spot symptoms caused by a species of Phyllachora. A literature search enabled us to identify the fungus as Phyllachora feijoae, a little-known species originally described in the 19th century by H. Rehm and later transferred to the genus Catacauma. The name Catacauma feijoae, although now regarded as a later synonym of P. feijoae is still mistakenly in use (as, for instance, in the Brazilian list of fungi on plants). The type specimen was most probably deposited in the Botanisches Garten und Museum Berlin-Dahlem (B) and lost or destroyed during World War II, and could not be located. The recent recollection of abundant material of this fungus in the vicinity of Pelotas (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) allowed its re-examination and neotypification. Phyllachora feijoae is also illustrated here for the first time

Cohort profile: South Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort (SAABC)—a prospective longitudinal birth cohort

Purpose The South Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort (SAABC) is a prospective, longitudinal birth cohort established to: (1) estimate Aboriginal child dental disease compared with population estimates; (2) determine the efficacy of an early childhood caries intervention in early versus late infancy; (3) examine if efficacy was sustained over time and; (4) document factors influencing social, behavioural, cognitive, anthropometric, dietary and educational attainment over time.Participants The original SAABC comprised 449 women pregnant with an Aboriginal child recruited February 2011 to May 2012. At child age 2 years, 324 (74%) participants were retained, at age 3 years, 324 (74%) participants were retained and at age 5 years, 299 (69%) participants were retained. Fieldwork for follow-up at age 7 years is underway, with funding available for follow-up at age 9 years.Findings to date At baseline, 53% of mothers were aged 14–24 years and 72% had high school or less educational attainment. At age 3 years, dental disease experience was higher among children exposed to the intervention later rather than earlier in infancy. The effect was sustained at age 5 years, but rates were still higher than general child population estimates. Experiences of racism were high among mothers, with impacts on both tooth brushing and toothache. Compared with population estimates, levels of self-efficacy and self-rated oral health of mothers at baseline were low.Future plans Our data have contributed to a better understanding of the environmental, behavioural, dietary, biological and psychosocial factors contributing to Aboriginal child oral and general health, and social and emotional well-being. This is beneficial in charting the trajectory of cohort participants’ health and well-being overtime, particularly in identifying antecedents of chronic diseases which are highly prevalent among Aboriginal Australians. Funding for continued follow-up of the cohort will be sought.Trial registration number ACTRN12611000111976; Post-results

Pseudocercospora lonicerigena a leaf spot fungus on the invasive weed Lonicera japonica in Brazil

Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle), a plant of Asian origin introduced as an ornamental into many countries, has become an invasive weed in some exotic situations, such as in southern Brazil. Classical biological control (CBC) with natural enemies collected in the centre of origin is considered to be the best alternative for sustainable management of L. japonica. In the context of this strategy, previous knowledge of the natural enemies already present in the target area is of great importance in order to avoid un-necessary introductions of CBC agents from the weed’s native range. Recently, examination of populations of L. japonica in localities in the Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro and Paraná revealed the presence of leaf spots consistently associated with a cercosporoid hyphomycete. A molecular and morphological study of this fungus led to its recognition as Pseudocercospora lonicerigena. There were few differences when the Brazilian isolate was compared with a strain found in North America. This is the first report of this fungus in Brazil. The fungus was isolated in pure culture and inoculation of healthy leaves of L. japonica eventually led to leaf yellowing and necrosis, indicating that P. lonicerigena is not highly pathogenic, as evidenced by the continuing advance of this weed in southern Brazil. Therefore, the introduction of additional co-evolved natural enemies collected in Asia, perhaps piggy-backing on an ongoing project already underway in New Zealand, will be necessary to control this invasive alien weed in Brazil

Tradescantia fluminensis, an exotic weed affecting native forest regeneration in New Zealand: Ecological surveys, safety tests and releases of four biocontrol agents from Brazil

In the native range of Tradescantia fluminensis in SE Brazil surveys revealed a natural enemy biota attacking the plant that was rich in potential biocontrol agents for New Zealand (NZ), including nine fungi and 10 herbivorous insect species. Similar surveys in NZ, where T. fluminensis is an invasive exotic weed, revealed no specialist insect herbivores or pathogens. The Brazilian insect herbivores included leafmining, stemboring and gall-forming feeding guilds that were absent in NZ. Mean foliar damage levels per site on T. fluminensis were 7.8× higher for folivores in Brazil cf. NZ, and 21.2× higher for pathogens. The presence of rust pustules, or ‘brown lesions’, on leaves in Brazil was negatively associated with damage by folivores, perhaps indicating an antagonistic interaction. In contrast, damage by the white smut fungus, Kordyana sp., was not negatively associated with folivore damage. Mean dry biomass of T. fluminensis was significantly lower in Brazil (164 g m−2) cf. NZ (455 g m−2). In NZ, 85% of sites had biomass measures >200 g m−2 (the previously determined threshold above which native forest regeneration fails). In Brazil, only 27% of sites had biomass measures >200 g m−2. Among the insect herbivores, three chrysomelid beetles, Neolema ogloblini, Neolema abbreviata and Lema basicostata were prioritised as potential biocontrol agents. Their larvae cause potentially complementary damage to leaves, shoot-tips and mature stems, respectively. Several pathogens, including a rust, were rejected before we selected the Kordyana species. Host range testing of all four agents showed sufficient host-specificity for consideration for release in NZ. Neolema ogloblini and L. basicostata were field-released in NZ in 2011 and 2012, with the field-release of N. abbreviata due late 2012. An application to release Kordyana sp. in NZ has been made