Taxonomy ofPuccinia species causing rust diseases on sugarcane

A taxonomic revision ofPuccinia species causing rust diseases on sugarcane was conducted to clarify their morphological characteristics. Specimens including previously reported species,Puccinia melanocephala, P. kuehnii andPuccinia sp.sensu Muta, 1987, were collected in Japan and the Philippines and borrowed from various herbaria worldwide. Morphological characteristics of these specimens were examined under light and scanning electron microscopes. Comparative morphological studies of the specimens showed that rust fungi infecting sugarcane could be classified into two species,Puccinia melanocephala andP. kuehnii. Puccinia sp.sensu Muta was morphologically identical withP. kuehnii. Results of this study corroborate previous phylogenetic analysis results of D1/D2 regions of LSU rDNA gene. Contribution No. 157, Laboratory of Plant Parasitic Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba     

Puccinia carici-adenocauli, a new rust fungus onCarex, and its anamorph,Aecidium adenocauli

Field observations and inoculation experiments showed thatAecidium adenocauli onAdenocaulon himalaicum was an anamorph of aPuccinia onCarex hakonensis andC. uda. From comparative morphology with caricicolous puccinias, the rust on theseCarex species was considered as a new species and was named asPuccinia carici-adenocauli. Contribution No. 142, Laboratory of Plant Pathology and Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba     

Addition and reexamination of Japanese species belonging to the genusCercospora and allied genera I. Collections from Nansei-Islands (1)

In the first report of the present series, six species collected from Nansei Islands were discussed. Of these, one found onElaeocarpus japonica was described as a new species,Pseudocercospora elaeocarpicola. Pseudocercospora plumeriae onPlumeria rubra was transferred from the genusCercospora and added to the Japanese fungous flora, together withCercosporidium bougainvilleae onBougainvillea spectabilis. One of the three remaining species,Pseudcercospora punicae onPunica granatum was newly recorded from Nansei Islands. On the other two species, namelyP. circumscissa andP. fukuokaensis, some additional notes concerning distribution and host range were described.     

Fibrinolytic activity of some fungi isolated from self-heated composted fertilizer

Mesophilic fungi isolated from organic fertilizer compost samples accounted for 70.94% of the total fungal count, while thermophilic and thermotolerant fungi constituted 29.05% of that count. Eight mesophilic fungal species, namelyAspergillus niger, Monilia sitophila, Paecilomyces divaricata, Penicillium chrysogenum, P. fellutanum, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, S. brumptii andZygorhynchus japonicus; two thermophilic fungiHumicola grisea andOidiodendron flavum and three thermotolerant speciesAspergillus fumigatus, Thermomyces lanuginosus andZygorhynchus vuilleminii were isolated during the study. Most of the tested fungi showed a proteolytic activity and liquified gelatin in the test tube method and in cup plates. The thermophilic fungusO. flavum was the most potent proteolytic fungus. The comparative fibrinolytic assay revealed the following sequence in the ability of the tested fungi to hydrolyse fibrin:O. fiavum>S. brevicaulis>H. grisea>A. fumigatus>T. lanuginosus.     

Aecidium dispori is the aecial anamorph ofPuccinia albispora, sp. nov. (Uredinales)

Aecidium dispori forms spermogonium and aecium onDisporum sessile andD. smilacinum, which are distributed in East Asia. TheAecidium species is found to be an aecial anamorph of aPuccinia fungus, with its uredinial-telial stage being formed onCarex conica, C. dolichostachya subsp.multifolia, C. pisiformis subsp.alterniflora andC. rugata. Urediniospores of this fungus are large, colorless, thick-walled with 4–5 equatorial germ pores. The morphological characteristics of urediniospores and the spermogonial-aecial host do not fit to any set of circumscribing characters of previously described species. We consider the fungus to be a new species and propose a new name,Puccinia albispora, for the fungus.     

Two new species of erysiphaceae from Japan

Two new powdery mildew fungi were found onCelosia argentea var.argentea (Amaranthaceae) andLonicera ramosissima (Caprifoliaceae), respectively. They were newly named and described asErysiphe celosia andMicrosphaera loniceraeramosissimae.     

Notes on new and noteworthy plant-inhabiting fungi from Japan (1)

Six fungi isolated from plant materials in Japan are described. The first isPseudohalonectria aomoriensis sp. nov. (Lasiosphaeriaceae). It differs from other known species of the genusPseudohalonectria in the dimensions of its asci and ascospores. The second,Monodictys abuensis, is newly added to the mycoflora of Japan. Its host,Zelkova serrata, is also newly recorded. Three others found on new host plants areDictyochaeta simplex onQuercus myrsinaefolia andBladhia crispa, Colletotrichum dematium onAucuba japonica var.borealis, andNectria mammoidea var.rubi onCercidiphyllum japonicum. The sixth,Trochophora fasciculata, aDaphniphyllum sooty leaf spot fungus renamed by Goos fromT. simplex, is reported with a full list of synonyms.     

Ascospore formation and morphology in two species of the genusErysiphe remaining immature on the living host plant

Erysiphe cumminsiana andE. galeopsidis, which have immature asci in the current season, have been recorded from Japan, but the ascospores of both fungi have not been described. In the present experiments, some observations before and after overwintering were made on the cleistothecia ofE. cumminsiana on three species ofCacalia and two species ofLigularia, andE. galeopsidis onGeranium thunbergii. After overwintering, the former fungus developed six to eight, rarely four spores in an ascus and the latter fungus always four spores in an ascus. Their teleomorphic characteristics including those of ascospores are also described.     

Comparative morphology of uredinia and urediniospores of six Puccinia species parasitic on Poaceae in Saudi Arabia

Uredinia and urediniospores of six Puccinia species growing on Poaceae in southwestern Saudi Arabia were morphologically compared by light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Puccinia cenchri, P. fragosoana and P. isiacae were recorded for the first time in Saudi Arabia. Many differences between uredinia and urediniospores of studied Puccinia species were recorded. These differences are not related to host plant but may be due to the species of Puccinia itself. Observations by SEM led to more information in distinguishing between these Puccinia species particularly the presence of paraphyses and density and length of spines.     

Aplopsora corni sp. nov. onCornus controversa from Hokkaido,Japan

Aplopsora corni sp. nov. is proposed for a rust fungus whose uredinial and basidial stage occurs onCornus controversa (Cornaceae) in Hokkaido. This new species is separated by its larger urediniospores and probasidia from the morphologically closely relatedA. nyssae onNyssa aquatica andN. sylvatica (Cornaceae) distributed in southern North America.     

Morphological and genetic characteristics of sea bass,Lateolabrax japonicus, from the Ariake Sea, Japan

Sea bass,Lateolabrax japonicus, from the Ariake Sea, characterized by black dots on the lateral body region as in the Chinese sea bass,L. sp., were examined and compared morphologically and genetically withL. japonicus andL. sp. Some meristic characters of the Ariake form tended to fall midway between values for the two former species. Genetic features, evaluated by isozyme analyses, indicated that the Ariake form as represented a simple Mendelian population, there being no significant differences from a Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium according to chi-square tests. Although some extreme differences in allelic frequencies were found at some loci betweenL. japonicus andL. sp., the Ariake form possessed many heterozygotes at thePROT-1 ^* locus, in addition to allelic frequencies at some loci conforming to those ofL. sp. Average allele numbers per locus, rate of polymorphic loci and average heterozygosity of the Ariake form were higher than for eitherL. japonicus orL. sp., indicating high genetic variation in the former. The results suggested that the Ariake population is genetically independent of other populations ofL. japonicus, but might be genetically influenced byL. sp.     

Three species of rust fungi (Uredinales) from Okinawa,Japan

Three species of rust fungi were reported based on the specimens collected in the islands of the Yaeyama group and Okinawa, Japan.Puccinia tarennicola onTarenna gracilipes andUredo daphniphylli onDaphniphyllum teijsmannii were described as new species.Villebrunea frutescens was added to the host plants ofUredo pipturi. Contribution No. 115, Laboratories of Plant Pathology and Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba.     

New geographical distribution and host records of rust fungi from northern Thailand

Ten species of rust fungi (Crossopsora 2, Maravalia 1, Pileolaria 1, Puccinia 1, Ravenelia 1, Sphaerophragmium 1, Uredo 2, and Uromyces 1) are newly recorded together with six new host plants in Thailand.Contribution no. 194, Laboratory of Plant Parasitic Mycology, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan     

A new species ofExobasidium causing witches' broom onRhododendron wadanum

Witches' broom onRhododendron wadanum has been observed since 1994 in Nagano Pref. and recently, in 2000, it was found at Mt. Tsukuba, Ibaraki Pref., Japan. In comparison with the morphology, the mode of germination of basidiospores and the cultural characteristics of the 99 validly described taxa, this fungus was considered as a new species and namedExobasidium nobeyamense.     

Enumeration of the genusPeziza in Japan:Peziza limnaea andPeziza rifaii

Two species in the genusPeziza are described and illustrated as new to Japan:Peziza limnaea andPeziza rifaii. These species were collected in the broad-leaved forest mainly withCastanopsis cuspidata in Chiba Pref.     

Observations on the ultrastructure of the uredinial stage ofPuccinia polypogonis onPolypogon monspeliensis

The ultrastructure of the uredinial stage of the rust fungus,Puccinia polypogonis onPolypogon monspeliensis is described, using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. This study examined the urediniospores, intercellular hyphae, and haustoria of the fungus. The formation and structure of urediniospores is similar to those of otherPuccinia species. The ultrastructure of intercellular hyphae and haustoria is similar to those of other rust fungi, but with some differences. No modifications are observed in the wall of the haustorial mother cells during penetration. A collar is found only around old haustoria. In most cases, one nucleus is detected inside the haustorial body and no nucleoli are seen in the nuclei of intercellular hyphae and haustoria. The host-parasite interface, including extrahaustorial matrix and extrahaustorial membrane, is also discussed and compared with those of other rust fungi.     

A new rust species ofRoestelia onSorbus collected in China

A rust species ofRoestelia onSorbus collected in China is newly described asR. echinulata. This species is morphologically different from the otherRoestelia spp. and aecial stages ofGymnosporangium species in surface structures of aeciospores and peridial cells. Contribution No. 141, Laboratory of Plant Pathology and Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba.     

Fossil bagrid catfishes from Japan and their zoogeography, with description of a new species,Pseudobagrus ikiensis

Morphological characteristics of fossil bagrid catfishes from six Miocene to Pleistocene localities in Japan are described. A new species of the Middle Miocene bagrid,Pseudobagrus ikiensis, is described, based on five nearly complete specimens (ca. 19 cm SL) and one half-body specimen from the Chojabaru Formation (15 Ma) of the Iki Group in Nagasaki Prefecture. The species is diagnosed by a unique combination of characters: 14–16 anal fin rays, 44–47 vertebrae, deeply forked caudal fin, pectoral spines with serrations on the anterior edge and supraoccipital process extending to the first pterygiophore of the dorsal fin.Pseudobagrus ikiensis is morphologically close to the extantP. fulvidraco, which is widely distributed in China, Siberia and the Korean Peninsula, suggesting that both lineages had appeared by the Middle Miocene. All other fossil specimens are from the Pliocene (3–4 Ma) Ueno Formation (lowest Kobiwako Group, Ohyamada, Mie Pref.) and Tokai Group (Tsu, Mie Pref.), and Pleistocene cave deposits (Inasa, Shizuoka Pref., Mine, Yamaguchi Pref. and Kanogawa, Ehime Pref.). These are incomplete, comprising mainly dorsal and pectoral spines. Being indistinguishable from the extantP. nudiceps, they are thus considered to be included in that lineage. Although the geological distribution of these Plio-Pleistocene fossils nearly overlaps that of the extantP. nudiceps (west of the Suzuka Mountains), fossil specimens have also been found in the Ise Bay area (Tsu), whereP. ichikawai is the only extant bagrid, and further east (Inasa). Based on evidence that the latter is not a sister species ofP. nudiceps, the distribution of the fossils indicates that the range ofP. nudiceps was restricted to west of the Suzuka Mts. during the Pleistocene or Holocene.     

TwoAscochyta species onAlthaea officinalis andAralia elata

Two brown zonate leaf spot fungi new to Japan are described.Ascochyta malvicola onAlthaea officinalis andA. marginata onAralia elata were recorded in Kyoto Prefecture in 1988.     

Colonization ofRetama raetam seeds by fungi and their significance in seed germination

Examination by scanning electron microscopy and incubation on potato-dextrose agar medium showed that dry seeds ofRetama raetam were externally free of fungi. When planted in sandy loam soil, the seeds become colonized with eleven soil-borne fungal species. The fungi were isolated on cellulose agar, pectin agar and lignin agar media.Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. fumigatus, Penicillium capsolatum andFusarium oxysporum had broad occurrence and were recovered on all the three media. The production of hydrolytic enzymes by the isolated fungi depends on the substrate and species.Penicillium capsolatum, P. spinulosum andA. niger had wide enzymatic amplitude and they were able to produce cellulolytic, pectolytic and lignolytic activities on corresponding substrates as well as on seed-coat-containing media. The lignolytic activities of the isolated species exceptChaetomium bostrychodes andTrichoderma viride were enhanced by applying the seed-coat materials as C- source rather than lignin. SoakingR. raetam seeds in culture filtrates of most of the fungi grown on seed-coat-supplemented media induced a pronounced and distinct stimulating effect on seed germination. The most effective filtrates were those ofP. capsolatum, P. spinulosum andSporotrichum pulverulentum.