Showing papers by "Robert A. Blanchette published in 2017"

Fungal Planet description sheets: 558-624

Abstract: Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Australia: Banksiophoma australiensis (incl. Banksiophoma gen. nov.) on Banksia coccinea, Davidiellomyces australiensis (incl. Davidiellomyces gen. nov.) on Cyperaceae, Didymocyrtis banksiae on Banksia sessilis var. cygnorum, Disculoides calophyllae on Corymbia calophylla, Harknessia banksiae on Banksia sessilis, Harknessia banksiae-repens on Banksia repens, Harknessia banksiigena on Banksia sessilis var. cygnorum, Harknessia communis on Podocarpus sp., Harknessia platyphyllae on Eucalyptus platyphylla, Myrtacremonium eucalypti (incl. Myrtacremonium gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus globulus, Myrtapenidiella balenae on Eucalyptus sp., Myrtapenidiella eucalyptigena on Eucalyptus sp., Myrtapenidiella pleurocarpae on Eucalyptus pleurocarpa, Paraconiothyrium hakeae on Hakea sp., Paraphaeosphaeria xanthorrhoeae on Xanthorrhoea sp., Parateratosphaeria stirlingiae on Stirlingia sp., Perthomyces podocarpi (incl. Perthomyces gen. nov.) on Podocarpus sp., Readeriella ellipsoidea on Eucalyptus sp., Rosellinia australiensis on Banksia grandis, Tiarosporella corymbiae on Corymbia calophylla, Verrucoconiothyrium eucalyptigenum on Eucalyptus sp., Zasmidium commune on Xanthorrhoea sp., and Zasmidium podocarpi on Podocarpus sp. Brazil: Cyathus aurantogriseocarpus on decaying wood, Perenniporia brasiliensis on decayed wood, Perenniporia paraguyanensis on decayed wood, and Pseudocercospora leandrae-fragilis on Leandra fragilis. Chile: Phialocephala cladophialophoroides on human toe nail. Costa Rica: Psathyrella striatoannulata from soil. Czech Republic: Myotisia cremea (incl. Myotisia gen. nov.) on bat droppings. Ecuador: Humidicutis dictiocephala from soil, Hygrocybe macrosiparia from soil, Hygrocybe sangayensis from soil, and Polycephalomyces onorei on stem of Etlingera sp. France: Westerdykella centenaria from soil. Hungary: Tuber magentipunctatum from soil. India: Ganoderma mizoramense on decaying wood, Hodophilus indicus from soil, Keratinophyton turgidum in soil, and Russula arunii on Pterigota alata. Italy: Rhodocybe matesina from soil. Malaysia: Apoharknessia eucalyptorum, Harknessia malayensis, Harknessia pellitae, and Peyronellaea eucalypti on Eucalyptus pellita, Lectera capsici on Capsicum annuum, and Wallrothiella gmelinae on Gmelina arborea. Morocco: Neocordana musigena on Musa sp. New Zealand: Candida rongomai-pounamu on agaric mushroom surface, Candida vespimorsuum on cup fungus surface, Cylindrocladiella vitis on Vitis vinifera, Foliocryphia eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus sp., Ramularia vacciniicola on Vaccinium sp., and Rhodotorula ngohengohe on bird feather surface. Poland: Tolypocladium fumosum on a caterpillar case of unidentified Lepidoptera. Russia: Pholiotina longistipitata among moss. Spain: Coprinopsis pseudomarcescibilis from soil, Eremiomyces innocentii from soil, Gyroporus pseudocyanescens in humus, Inocybe parvicystis in humus, and Penicillium parvofructum from soil. Unknown origin: Paraphoma rhaphiolepidis on Rhaphiolepsis indica. USA: Acidiella americana from wall of a cooling tower, Neodactylaria obpyriformis (incl. Neodactylaria gen. nov.) from human bronchoalveolar lavage, and Saksenaea loutrophoriformis from human eye. Vietnam: Phytophthora mekongensis from Citrus grandis, and Phytophthora prodigiosa from Citrus grandis. Morphological and culture characteristics along with DNA barcodes are provided.

Resource capture and competitive ability of non-pathogenic Pseudogymnoascus spp. and P. destructans, the cause of white-nose syndrome in bats

Abstract: White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a devastating fungal disease that has been causing the mass mortality of hibernating bats in North America since 2006 and is caused by the psychrophilic dermatophyte Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Infected bats shed conidia into hibernaculum sediments and surfaces, but it is unknown if P. destructans can form stable, reproductive populations outside its bat hosts. Previous studies have found non-pathogenic Pseudogymnoascus in bat hibernacula, and these fungi may provide insight into the natural history of P. destructans. We compared the relatedness, resource capture, and competitive ability of non-pathogenic Pseudogymnoascus isolates with P. destructans to determine if they have similar adaptations for survival in hibernacula sediment. All non-pathogenic Pseudogymnoascus isolates grew faster, utilized a broader range of substrates with higher efficiency, and were generally more resistant to antifungals compared to P. destructans. All isolates also showed the ability to displace P. destructans in co-culture assays, but only some produced extractible antifungal metabolites. These results suggest that P. destructans would perform poorly in the same environmental niche as non-pathogenic Pseudogymnoascus, and must have an alternative saprophytic survival strategy if it establishes active populations in hibernaculum sediment and non-host surfaces.

American elm cultivars: Variation in compartmentalization of infection by Ophiostoma novo‐ulmi and its effects on hydraulic conductivity

Abstract: Summary Five cultivars and two populations of wild-type seedlings of American elm (Ulmus americana), 3 and 4 years old, were examined for differences in their abilities to compartmentalize and resist infection by artificially inoculating with Ophiostoma novo-ulmi. Morphological characteristics of tree defence, often referred to as the compartmentalization of decay in trees model, were used as a conceptual framework, with particular emphasis on the limiting of tangential spread of infection within the xylem and barriers that limit spread outwards to cells formed after infection. To investigate the change in functional xylem over time, 3-year-old trees were assessed at multiple time points following inoculation for hydraulic conductivity. Three and four-year-old cut trees were placed in 0.1% w/v safranin O for 18 to 24 hr to indicate functional xylem. Transverse sections of the stained stems were used to calculate per cent of sap-conducting xylem area and the per cent of circumference conducting of first formed cells and later formed cells. At each collection time, trees were assessed for disease severity on a 1–12 scale, based on the percentage of permanent wilt in the crown. There was considerable variation between cultivars in disease severity and their capacity to localize and resist infection. “Prairie Expedition,” which had the lowest disease severity rating in 2015 and the second lowest in 2016, consistently limited the spread of infection into newly formed xylem and had functional xylem around the entire circumference of the stem at 90 days post-inoculation. “Valley Forge” in 2016 had the lowest overall disease severity rating and was the only cultivar to consistently limit the tangential spread of infection within extant xylem. This research identifies key characteristics that some cultivars have to resist and limit infection and provides new information that can be used in disease screening programmes to evaluate other cultivars and older plant material.

Draft genome sequence of a monokaryotic model brown-rot fungus Postia (Rhodonia) placenta SB12.

Abstract: Author(s): Gaskell, Jill; Kersten, Phil; Larrondo, Luis F; Canessa, Paulo; Martinez, Diego; Hibbett, David; Schmoll, Monika; Kubicek, Christian P; Martinez, Angel T; Yadav, Jagjit; Master, Emma; Magnuson, Jon Karl; Yaver, Debbie; Berka, Randy; Lail, Kathleen; Chen, Cindy; LaButti, Kurt; Nolan, Matt; Lipzen, Anna; Aerts, Andrea; Riley, Robert; Barry, Kerrie; Henrissat, Bernard; Blanchette, Robert; Grigoriev, Igor V; Cullen, Dan

The Laccate Ganoderma of the Southeastern United States: A Cosmopolitan and Important Genus of Wood Decay Fungi

Abstract: 2. Andrew L. Loyd, graduate student, School of Forest Resources and Conservation; Jason A. Smith, associate professor, School of Forest Resources and Conservation; Brantlee S. Richter, lecturer, Plant Pathology Department; Robert A. Blanchette, professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota; and Matthew E. Smith, assistant professor, Plant Pathology Department; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Effects of inoculation timing on symptom development in Ulmus americana L.

Abstract: Field inoculation trials are an important component of screening American elms (Ulmus americana) for levels of resistance to Dutch elm disease. A major concern in screening is variability in disease ratings from year to year. Previous studies have demonstrated that timing of inoculation can have a significant impact on disease susceptibility. In this study, trees were inoculated in the main stem using a drill method of inoculation. A recently collected isolate of Ophiostoma novo-ulmi with known pathogenicity was used for inoculations. Three different inoculation times were examined: early (May 26), mid (June 23), and late (August 4) season. Trees were assessed for wilt symptoms at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks post inoculation using a disease severity scale of 1-6. The trees in the early season inoculation group had the highest mean disease severity ratings at 4, 6, and 8 weeks post inoculation (WPI), while the late season inoculation group had the lowest disease rating at every time point as well as the smallest area under the disease progress curve. Scientists evaluating American elms for resistance to Dutch elm disease should avoid late season inoculations due to reduced disease susceptibility.