Biological control of doublegee : fungi may be another weapon

A fungus has been assessed both in Australia and South Africa since 1989 for its potential to control doublegee. Under optimal environmental conditions it causes a severe stem blight which ultimately kills the plant. It also infects seeds, and caused up to 30 per cent mortality at a field site near Badgingarra. Hopes to develop the fungus as a mycoherbicide (fungal killer of plants) have had to be dropped because it produces a potent toxin but it is still contributing to control in the field

New species of foliicolous Loculoascomycetes on Dysoxylum, Melaleuca and Syzygium from Queensland, Australia

Four new species of foliicolous Loculoascomycetes, Didymella melaleucae sp. nov., Rosenscheldiella dysoxyli sp. nov., Seynesiella melaleucae sp. nov. and S. syzygii sp. nov. are described and illustrated from Queensland, Australia. The hosts are indicated by the specific epithet. Four Discostromopsis species are redisposed to Discostroma as Discostroma callistemonis (H.J. Swart) Sivan. comb. nov., D. elegans (H.J. Swart) Sivan. comb. nov., D. leptospermi (H.J. Swart) Sivan. comb. nov. and D. stoneae (H.J. Swart) Sivan. comb. nov

A new smut fungus, Sporisorium centrale sp. nov., on Themeda from Australia

Sporisorium centrale sp. nov. (Ustilaginaceae, Ustilaginomycetes) is described and illustrated from Themeda triandra collected in the Northern Territory, Australia. It is compared with Sporisorium punctatum

New species from each of the pyrenomycete genera Hyponectria, Physalospora and Trichosphaeria from Queensland, Australia

Three new species of ascomycetes each occurring on leaves of Acacia, Eucalyptus and Lomandra respectively in Queensland, Australia are described and illustrated as Hyponectria acaciae sp. nov., Physalospora lomandrae sp. nov. and Trichosphaeria eucalypticola sp. nov

The smut fungi on Cynodon, including Sporisorium normanensis sp. nov. from Australia

Sporisorium normanensis sp. nov. (Ustilaginaceae, Ustilaginomycetes) is described and illustrated from Cynodon dactylon collected in northern Queensland, Australia. Brief descriptions and a key are provided for the six Ustilaginomycetes described from Cynodon, including Sporisorium cynodontis comb. nov

New smut fungi (Ustilaginomycetes) from Australia

Fourteen new species of smut fungi from Australia are described and illustrated: Cintractia bulbostylidis R.G. Shivas and K. Vánky (type on Bulbostylis barbota); C. lipocarphae K. and C. Vánky and R.G. Shivas (type on Lipocarpha microcephala); Moreaua arthrostylidis K. Vánky and R.G. Shivas (type on Arthrostylis aphylla); M. fimbristylidis K. Vánky and R.G. Shivas (type on Fimbristylis dichotoma); Sporisorium gibbosum K. and C. Vánky and R.G. Shivas (type on Digitaria gibbosa); S. nervosum K. and C. Vánky and R.G. Shivas (type on Sehitna nervosum); S. operculatum K. and C. Vánky and R.G. Shivas (type on Mnesithea formosa); S. queenslandicum K. and C. Vánky and R.G. Shivas (type on Sehima newosum); S. whiteochloae K. Vánky and McKenzie (type on Whiteochloa cymbiformis); Tilletia chionachnes K. and C. Vánky and R.G. Shivas (type on Chionachne cyathopodd); T. kimberleyensis K. Vánky and R.G. Shivas (type on Chionachne cyalhopoda); T. lineata R.G. Shivas and K. Vánky (type on Arundinella nepalensis); T. whiteochloae R.G. Shivas and K. Vánky (type on Whiteochloa cymbiformis and W. capillipes); and Ustilago chloridis K. and C. Vánky and R.G. Shivas (type on Chloris lobata)

Phylogenetic considerations for predicting the host range of Ustilago sporoboli-indici, a potential biological control agent for Sporobolus species in Australia

The ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region was amplified and sequenced from a selection of specimens of the Sporobolus smut Ustilago sporoboli-indici. Phylogenetic comparison with other Ustilago and Sporisorium species revealed strong support for an evolutionary radiation of Ustilago species infecting the Chloridoideae and Pooideae, of which U. sporoboli-indici forms a major lineage. Comparisons are made with other groups of plant pathogenic fungi, and it is concluded that phylogenetic analyses of potential biocontrol agents are useful for identifying pathogens that are derived from evolutionary lineages that parasitize a wide range of unrelated plants. Such pathogens are less desirable as biocontrol agents as they may have a greater likelihood of infecting plants outside their normal host ranges

New species of Lembosia and Lembosina from Australia

Lembosia araucariae sp. nov., Lembosia syzygii sp. nov., Lembosina alyxiae sp. nov., Lembosina diospyrosi sp. nov. and Lembosina eucalypti sp. nov. on leaves of Araucaria, Syzygium, Alyxia, Diospyros and Eucalyptus respectively are described and illustrated from Australia. Lembosia hosagoudari nom. nov. is proposed to accommodate Lembosia syzygiicola Hosag. which is a later homonym of Lembosia syzygiicola (Hansf.) Deighton

Planistromella opuntiae sp. nov. from Queensland, Australia, and a key to the known species

A new species of a dothideaceous ascomycete, Planistromella opuntiae is described and illustrated from Queensland, Australia. Species of Planistromella are known to occur on members of Agavaceae. This new species is found on Opuntia, a member of the family Cactaceae. It is easily separated from the other known species with 1-septate ascospores by its comparatively narrower ascospores