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Title: HYPOCREA LIXII, THE TELEOMORPH OF TRICHODERMA HARZIANUM

Author
item CHAVERRRI, P - PA STATE U., GRAD STUDENT
item Samuels, Gary

Submitted to: Mycological Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2002
Publication Date: 11/1/2002
Citation: Chaverrri, P., Samuels, G.J. Hypocrea lixii, the teleomorph of trichoderma harzianum. Mycological Progress.Vol.2(4)pp.283-286,2002.

Interpretive Summary: Fungi in the genus Hypocrea, often as their Trichoderma asexual states, are useful in the biological control of plant diseases. One species, Trichoderma harzianum, is particularly useful in its effectiveness as well as having potential for enhancement of plant growth and resistance to plant pathogens. Species of Trichoderma reproduce without undergoing genetic recombination and therefore are not very different in their ability to control diseases. Development of improved strains of biocontrol fungi is hindered by the lack of a sexual state of T. harzianum. A species of Hypocrea was collected recently that is the sexual state of Trichoderma harzianum, the commonly used biocontrol fungus. In this paper the sexual species, Hypocrea lixii, is described and illustrated. The connection to the asexual T. harzianum is proven using both morphological and molecular characteristics. This work will be used by plant pathologists who are working to developing more effective that can be used in the biological control of plant diseases.

Technical Abstract: Cultures derived from ascospores of Hypocrea lixii (= H. nigricans, H. lentiformis) produced the morphological species Trichoderma harzianum in pure culture. Trichoderma harzianum, the most commonly found species of the genus, is also one of the most important species frequently used in biocontrol of plant pathogens. It has not been connected previously to a teleomorph. The connection was confirmed by DNA sequence analysis. Similar to the anamorph, the teleomorph collections have a wide geographic distribution. Described in the 19th century, Hypocrea lixii is epitypified by a collection from Thailand.