HYPOCREA/TRICHODERMA SPECIES WITH PACHYBASIUM-LIKE CONIDIOPHORES: TELEOMORPHS FOR T. MINUTISPORUM AND T. POLYSPORUM AND THEIR NEWLY DISCOVERED RELATIVES

Authors: LU, BINGSHENG - SHANXI, CHINA; DRUZHININA, IRINA - VIENNA, AUSTRIA; FALLAH, PAYAM - PA STATE U, UNIV PK, PA; CHAVERRI, PRISCILA - PA STATE U, UNIV PK, PA; GRADINGER, CONRELIA - VIENNA, AUSTRIA; KUBICEK, CHRISTIAN - VIENNA, AUSTRIA; Samuels, Gary

Submitted to: Mycologia
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/11/2003
Publication Date: 4/30/2004
Citation: Lu, B., Druzhinina, I., Fallah, P., Chaverri, P., Gradinger, C., Kubicek, C., Samuels, G.J. Hypocrea/trichoderma species with pachybasium-like conidiophores: teleomorphs for t. minutisporum and t. polysporum and their newly discovered relatives. Mycologia. Vol. 96(2)pp.310-342, 2004

Interpretive Summary: Fungi in the genus Hypocrea, often as their Trichoderma asexual states, are useful in the biological control of plant diseases. Development of more effective biological methods to control diseases by this group of fungi is hindered by lack of accurate systematic knowledge. In this research the accurate circumscription of six species of Hypocrea-Trichoderma was determined using morphological, molecular and cultural characteristics. Each species is described in detail for both the sexual and asexual state with illustrations of all morphological structures. Based on this research it is possible to accurately identify these species of Hypocrea and Trichoderma as well as to locate additional germplasm of these fungi. This work will be used by plant pathologists who are working to develop more effective biological ways to control of plant diseases.

Technical Abstract: Species of Hypocrea/Trichoderma (Ascomycetes, Hypocreales) having hyaline ascospores and pachybasium-like conidiophores are described. Teleomorphs are reported for Trichoderma minutisporum (Hypocrea minutispora sp. nov.) and T. polysporum (H. pachybasioides). Hypocrea pilulifera/T. piluliferum is redescribed. Trichoderma croceum is synonymized with T. polysporum. The new species H. parapilulifera, H. stellata, and H. lacuwombatensis are described. All of these species fall within the morphological concept of Trichoderma sect. Pachybasium and within the phylogenetic group `pachybasium B5'. Parsimony analysis of nucleotide sequences from three unlinked loci - ITS1 and 2, endochitinase (ech42) and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) - suggests two distinct phylogenetic lineages within the group "pachybasium B5". The "polysporum" lineage is characterized by having conidia that are white in mass and is the only lineage within Hypocrea characterized by such conidia. The second group includes the green conidial T. minutisporum and H. lacuwombatensis. The partition homogeneity test reveals significant recombination within the "polysporum" lineage, but not within the "minutisporum" lineage.