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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #380118
Research Project: Management of Specimens and Associated Information in the U.S. National Fungus Collections, with Emphasis on Critically Important Plant Pathogenic Fungi

Location: Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory

Title: Names of phytopathogenic fungi: a practical guide

Author
item CROUS, PEDRO - Fungal Biodiversity
item ROSSMAN, AMY - Retired ARS Employee
item AIME, CATHERINE - Purdue University
item ALLEN, CAVAN - North Carolina State University
item BURGESS, TREENA - Murdoch University
item GROENEWALD, JOHANNES - Fungal Biodiversity
item Castlebury, Lisa

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/19/2021
Publication Date: 12/17/2021
Citation: Crous, P., Rossman, A., Aime, C.M., Allen, C.W., Burgess, T., Groenewald, J.Z., Castlebury, L.A. 2021. Names of phytopathogenic fungi: a practical guide. Phytopathology. 111(9):1500-1508. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-11-20-0512-PER.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-11-20-0512-PER

Interpretive Summary: Recent changes in the rules by which fungi are named have caused problems in knowing what to call some plant pathogenic fungi and sometimes these rules force changes that are very disruptive and confusing to plant pathologists and other scientists. In this work, a method for determining correct names of plant pathogens is proposed for use and a list of helpful databases is included. This will minimize confusion that may result when different names continue to be used for the same fungal species. This work is significant because it will allow continued accurate communication about this group of important plant pathogenic fungi. These results will be used by plant pathologists and plant quarantine officials who need accurate scientific names to communicate about plant pathogenic fungi.

Technical Abstract: Names of phytopathogenic fungi are essential to communicate knowledge about species and their biology, control, and quarantine as well as for trade and research purposes. Many plant pathogenic fungi are pleomorphic, meaning that they produce different asexual and sexual morphs. Because of this, more than one name has frequently been applied to different morphs of the same species in the past, which has confused users of names. The onset of DNA technologies has made it possible to connect different morphs to the same species, resulting in a move to a more natural classification system for fungi, where a single name for a genus, as well as species can now be used. This change will inevitably have a positive impact on plant pathology. Nonetheless, finding the correct name for species remains challenging, but there is a series of steps or considerations that could greatly simplify this process, as outlined here. In addition to various online databases and resources, a list of accurate names is herewith provided of the accepted names of the most common species and genera of phytopathogenic fungi.