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Title: GIANT STEPS FORWARD IN THE HYPOCREALES: WHAT IS THE VISION?

Author
item Rossman, Amy
item Samuels, Gary

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/27/2005
Publication Date: 6/13/2005
Citation: Rossman, A.Y., Samuels, G.J. 2005. GIANT STEPS FORWARD IN THE HYPOCREALES: WHAT IS THE VISION?. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The Hypocreales includes ascomycetes that generally have light- to bright-colored perithecial ascomata with unitunicate asci and their related mitotic fungi. They are of considerable economic and ecological importance with species that are virulent plant pathogens, effective biological control strains, and sources of mycotoxins and pharmaceuticals. Mycologists have studied the Hypocreales for the past 100 years and during the last three decades extensive collecting has produced an understanding of the relationships between sexual and asexual states of genera and species. By exploring new regions and ecological niches many new species have been discovered. This work culminated in a monographic account of the genera of the Hypocreales. Since then, data combining molecular with morphological characteristics have resulted in an increased understanding of the overall phylogeny of the Hypocreales that provides a robust taxonomic framework for the order as a whole. The Hypocreales consists of five core families, Bionectriaceae, Clavicipitaceae, Hypocreaceae, Nectriaceae, and Niessliaceae, although additional segregate families may yet be recognized. In addition, a number of anamorphic fungi have been shown to be phylogenetically indistinguishable from sexual genera such as Calonectria/Cylindrocladium, Gibberella/Fusarium, Hypocrea/Trichoderma, and Melanopsamma/Stachybotrys. This next step toward a vision for the Hypocreales is to provide Web-based resources for users. These are becoming available as synoptic keys plus descriptions and illustrations of genera and species linked to host range and geographic distributions. Such systems allow those without expertise in these fungi to make identifications. Also, barcoding or the use of unique, short sequence segments can be used to identify species allowing non-specialist to make identifications of cryptic species in difficult genera such as Fusarium and Trichoderma.