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Title: CERCOSPORELLA ACROPTILI AND CERCOSPORELLA CENTAUREICOLA SP. NOV. - POTENTIAL BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS OF RUSSIAN KNAPWEED AND YELLOW STARTHISTLE, RESPECTIVELY

Author
item Berner, Dana
item Eskandari, Farivar
item BRAUN, U - MARTIN LUTHER UNIVERSITY
item McMahon, Michael - Mike
item Luster, Douglas - Doug

Submitted to: Mycologia
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2005
Publication Date: 9/1/2005
Citation: Berner, D.K., Eskandari, F., Braun, U., Mcmahon, M.B., Luster, D.G. 2005. Cercosporella acroptili and cercosporella centaureicola sp. nov. - potential biological control agents of russian knapweed and yellow starthistle, respectively. Mycologia 97:1122-1128

Interpretive Summary: Russian knapweed and yellow starthistle are problematic invasive weeds in the western United States and California, and both weeds are targeted for biological control. A fungus from Turkey (cercosporella acroptili) was identified as a possible biological control agent for Russian knapweed, and recently a similar fungus was found damaging to yellow starthistle in the field in Greece. Because both of these fungi are potentially important for biological control of the respective weeds, studies were undertaken to ascertain whether the fungi were identical based on morphology, pathogenicity, growth an spore production, and genetics. Differences in these variables between the two fungi were sufficient to indicate that the isolate from yellow starthistle was distinct and justified a description as a new species: Cercosporella centaureicola sp. nov.

Technical Abstract: Russian knapweed (Acroptilon repens (L.)(DC.) and yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis L.) are problematic invasive weeds in the western United States and California, and both weeds are targeted for biological control. Cercosporella acroptili (Bremer) U. Braun was identified as a possible control agent for A. repens, and recently a morphologically similar Cercosporella sp. was found damaging to C. solstitialis in the field. Because both isolates of this fungus are potentially important for biological control of the respective weeds, studies were undertaken to ascertain whether the isolates were identical based on morphology, pathogenicity, growth and spore production, and genetics. Differences in these variables between the two isolates were sufficient to indicate that the isolate from C. solstitialis was distinct and justified a new description at the species level: Cercosporella centaureicola sp. nov.