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Title: Cyanonectria, a new genus for “Nectria” cyanostoma and its Fusarium anamorph

Author
item Samuels, Gary
item LU, BING-SHENG - GUANGZHOU, CHINA
item CHAVERRI, PRISCILA - UNIV. OF MD, COLLEGE PARK
item CANDOUSSAU, FRANCOISE - PAU, FRANCE
item FOURNIER, JACQUES - LAS MUROS, FRANCE
item Rossman, Amy

Submitted to: Mycological Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/31/2008
Publication Date: 12/3/2008
Citation: Samuels, G.J., Lu, B., Chaverri, P., Candoussau, F., Fournier, J., Rossman, A.Y. 2008. Cyanonectria, a new genus for “Nectria” cyanostoma and its Fusarium anamorph. Mycological Progress. 8:49-58

Interpretive Summary: Plant-associated fungi often appear in two very different-looking forms: one resulting from sexual reproduction and the other from asexual reproduction. Determining that the two forms are the same fungus can be difficult but necessary for controlling the diseases caused by these fungi. In this paper, one fungal species that occurs in Europe on boxwood, a common landscape plant, was determined to have a Fusarium asexual state and an unusual looking sexual state. DNA was sequenced to demonstrate that this species is unlike all other fungi having Fusarium asexual states. A new genus is described for this unusual species and the fungus is described and illustrated in both states. This research provides the tools for plant pathologists and plant quarantine inspectors to identify this fungus in order to prevent its entry into the U.S.

Technical Abstract: The new genus Cyanonectria is proposed for Nectria cyanostoma (= Cyanonectria cyanostoma comb. nov.). This genus is characterized by Nectria-like, red perithecia that have a bluish-purple papilla and a Fusarium anamorph. DNA sequences (large subunit and internal transcribed spacers of the nuclear rDNA) indicate that the closest relatives for Cyanonectria are Albonectria and Gibberella.