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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #206728
Title: Tilletia vankyi, a new species of reticulate-spored bunt fungus with non-conjugating basidiospores infecting species of Festuca and Lolium

Author
item CARRIS, L - WASHINGTON STATE UNIV
item Castlebury, Lisa
item HUANG, G - TIANJIN BUREAU CHINA
item Alderman, Stephen
item LUO, J - TIANJIN BUREAU CHINA
item BAO, XIAODONG - WASHINGTON STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Mycological Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/27/2007
Publication Date: 10/7/2007
Citation: Carris, L.M., Castlebury, L.A., Huang, G., Alderman, S.C., Luo, J., Bao, X. 2007. Tilletia vankyi, a new species of reticulate-spored bunt fungus with non-conjugating basidiospores infecting species of Festuca and Lolium. Mycological Research. 111:1386-1398.

Interpretive Summary: A previously unrecognized species of Tilletia was recently was recently detected in chewings fescue seed from the U.S. and ryegrass seed from Australia. The fungal pathogen was characterized and described as a new species, Tilletia vankayi. Recognition of this new species will be vital to the seed trade, especially when inspecting grass seeds for import or export.

Technical Abstract: A bunt fungus infecting commercial perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) from Australia and chewings fescue (Festuca rubra) from the U.S.A. exhibits a spore germination pattern that is unique from other reticulately-spored species of Tilletia infecting hosts in the grass subfamily Pooideae. Teliospores germinate to form 20-40 uninucleate, non-conjugating basidiospores. Colonies derived from single basidiospores produce teliospores in culture, and inoculation with single basidiospore colonies resulted in infection in perennial ryegrass and annual ryegrass (L. multiflorum). A phylogenetic analysis based on ITS rDNA, translation elongation factor 1-' (TEF), and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2) demonstrated that the fescue and ryegrass bunts were conspecific, and distinct from known species of Tilletia.