(2689–2690) Proposals to conserve the names Phakopsora pachyrhizi against Uredo erythrinae and U. sojae (Malupa sojae) and Physopella meibomiae (Phakopsora meibomiae) against Aecidium crotalariicola, U. teramni, and U. Vignae

Authors: AIME, MARY - Purdue University; ROSSMAN, AMY - Retired ARS Employee; ONO, YOSHITAKA - Ibaraki University; Castlebury, Lisa

Submitted to: Taxon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/25/2019
Publication Date: 11/28/2019
Citation: Aime, M.C., Rossman, A.Y., Ono, Y., Castlebury, L.A. 2019. (2689–2690) Proposals to conserve the names Phakopsora pachyrhizi against Uredo erythrinae and U. sojae (Malupa sojae) and Physopella meibomiae (Phakopsora meibomiae) against Aecidium crotalariicola, U. teramni, and U. Vignae. Taxon. 68(3):593-594. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12077.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12077

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, after evaluating all available information for two species of rust fungi that infect soybeans, we propose to maintain their currently accepted names instead of using lesser known, yet older names. This will minimize confusion that may result if the names are changed. This work is significant because it will allow continued accurate communication about these two important soybean-infecting fungal species. These results will be used by plant pathologists and plant quarantine officials who need accurate scientific names to communicate about plant pathogenic fungi, as well as soybean breeders and plant disease diagnosticians.

Technical Abstract: Phakopsora pachyrhizi has long been recognized as the cause of Asian soybean rust but only within the last few decades has this fungus come to prominence with its spread into South America and North America. With the change to one scientific name for fungi, names for the asexual and sexual morphs compete for use. The known asexual (uredinial) morph of this rust fungus has been recognized primarily as Malupa sojae based on Uredo sojae. In addition the names Uredo sojae and U. erythrinae provide earlier epithets for P. pachyrhizi, which compete for use. None of these names have been used to any extent while P. pachyrhizi is widely used. In addition, P. pachyrhizi is proposed as a new type for the generic name Phakopsora. Thus, we propose to conserve the name P. pachyrhizi over these earlier epithets. The lectotype specimen of Phakopsora pachyrhizi is here designated as S F29674 because that is where this original author worked. A lectotype was located as PUR 66727. The holotype specimens of Uredo erythrinae and U. sojae were reported to be at B by Hein (1988) and this was confirmed by R. Lücking (pers. comm.). When Phakopsora meibomiae was recognized as a species distinct from P. pachyrhizi, a number of synonyms for P. meibomiae were listed that had previously been considered synonyms of P. pachyrhizi. In addition, a separate scientific name, Malupa vignae, was listed for the asexual morph including its synonyms. Three of these names provide earlier epithets for Physopella meibomiae, the basionym of Phakopsora meibomiae. None of these earlier names have been used to any extent while Phakopsora meibomiae is widely used for the scientific name of fungus causing Latin American soybean rust, a serious disease of soybean. Given the widespread use of the name P. meibomiae, it seems prudent to conserve this name over the earlier epithets.