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Title: Proposal to conserve the name Bipolaris against Cochliobolus (Ascomycota: Pleosporales: Pleosporaceae)

Author
item Rossman, Amy
item MANAMGODA, DIMUTHU - Mae Fah Luan University
item HYDE, KEVIN - Mae Fah Luan University

Submitted to: Taxon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/25/2013
Publication Date: 12/20/2013
Citation: Rossman, A.Y., Manamgoda, D.S., Hyde, K. 2013. Proposal to conserve the name Bipolaris against Cochliobolus (Ascomycota: Pleosporales: Pleosporaceae). Taxon. 62(6):1331-1332.

Interpretive Summary: Everything needs a name in order to communicate about it including fungi that cause diseases. If two names of fungi are confused, there is a set of rules that dictate which name should be used. Usually the oldest name, that is, the first name applied to a species, is the correct name. Until recently fungi were allowed to have two names, however, changes in the rules for naming fungi require the use of only one name. Two names have been applied to a group of fungi with species that cause diseases of grass crops such as wheat and corn. If the oldest name for this group were used, all but one of the species names would need to be changed. If the other name were used, only one name would need to be changed. This research propose to conserve the name that would require that only one name be changed. In five years scientists at the International Botanical Congress will make the final decision about the use of this name. This research will be used by plant pathologists and geneticists who use the accurate scientific names of these fungi to communicate about their research and the diseases caused by these fungi.

Technical Abstract: The fungal genera Bipolaris Shoemaker and Cochliobolus Drechsler have been applied to economically important plant pathogens causing diseases of cereal crops worldwide, especially southern corn leaf blight. There are major accounts of these genera including those incorporating molecular phylogenetics that confirm the synonymy of these genera. These generic names are synonyms that have been used for the asexual and sexual states of the same species. At present 115 names have been included in Bipolaris, while 54 names have been described in Cochliobolus. Although the sexual genus Cochliobolus 1934 is an older name than the asexual genus Bipolaris 1959, the asexual states are more commonly encountered in nature, thus the name Bipolaris has been used more frequently than Cochliobolus. We propose that the generic name Bipolaris be conserved over Cochliobolus. In a separate proposal the type of Bipolaris, B. maydis (Y. Nisik. & C. Miyake) Shoemaker based on Helminthosporium maydis Y. Nisik. & C. Miyake, is proposed for conservation over the type of Cochliolobus, C. heterostrophus (Drechsler) Drechsler based on O. heterostrophus Drechsler. These names are synonyms for the same species. If both Bipolaris and B. maydis are conserved, none of the species names of Bipolaris will need to be changed. In all cases except that of Bipolaris maydis, the oldest epithet is already placed in Bipolaris. Use of the generic name Cochliobolus would require transfer of 53 names of Bipolaris to Cochliobolus. Given the frequency with which Bipolaris is used, especially by plant pathologists and the number of name changes required if Cochliobolus were retained, we consider it advisable to conserve the generic name Bipolaris Shoemaker 1959 over Cochliobolus Drechsler 1934.