Author
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Desjardins, Anne |
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Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 8/4/2004 Publication Date: 8/4/2004 Citation: Desjardins, A.E. 2004. Perspectives on the history and taxonomy of fusarium verticillioides (teleomorph, gibberella moniliformis). American Phytopathological Society Abstracts. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: In Nebraska in 1904, Sheldon first described Fusarium moniliforme from moldy maize in feed associated with animal diseases. This anamorph name was used widely by plant pathologists throughout the twentieth century and, in 1924, Wineland described the teleomorph as Gibberella moniliformis. Sheldon based the species epithet on the Latin monilis, meaning necklace, in reference to the distinctive long chains of microconidia. In Italy in 1881, Saccardo described Oospora verticillioides, a microcondial-chain producing fungus, from maize associated with the human disease pellagra. Scientists were soon aware that these two maize pathogens were identical, and in 1976 Nirenberg combined F. verticillioides/G. moniliformis, the presently accepted nomenclature. A combination of morphological, biological, and phylogenetic species approaches is resolving F. verticillioides and other agriculturally important species of the G. fujikuroi species complex. F. verticillioides remains the most important mycotoxigenic species of this complex due to its production of carcinogenic fumonisins and its widespread occurrence on maize, an American crop plant that now feeds human populations throughout the world. |