R. D. Goos

The anamorph genus Helicodendron

A monograph is provided of the anamorph genus Helicodendron , with keys to and illustrations of all described species.

Botryodiplodia Theobromae and its Association with Musa Species

Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat. is a common and widespread fungus in tropical areas, where it is well-known as a wound parasite on a wide range of host plants. A partial list of the recorded hosts includes citrus (Nowell, 1923; Pole-Evans, 1910), rubber (Cook, 1913; Petch, 1921), tea (Cook, 1913; Johnston, 1960), cacao (Charles, 1906; Cook, 1913; Griffon and Maublanc, 1909; Petch, 1921; Urquhart, 1961), sugar cane (Howard, 1901; Nowell, 1923), cotton (Johnston, 1960; Patouillard, 1922), tung (Large, 1948), oil palm (Johnston, 1960; Zambettakis, 1950), mango (Charles, 1906; Zambettakis, 1950), coffee (Massee, 1909, Riley, 1960), papaya (Petch, 1921; Zambettakis, 1950), castor bean (Riley, 1960), cashew (Riley, 1960), tobacco (Averna-Sacca, 1922), peanut (Wilson, 1947), and banana (Wardlaw, 1935). B. theobromae is considered by most authors to be a weak pathogen, invading its hosts only through wounds or necrotic tissue. It occurs as a seedborne fungus in rubber, cotton, and cacao (Noble et al., 1958), and has also been isolated from soil in Central America (Farrow, 1954) and Africa (Meyer, 1959), and from decaying military materiel in a number of tropical areas (Reese et al., 1950). Botryodiplodia theobronmae has been known to occur on banana since 1913 when Ashby (1913) reported finding it associated with a rhizome disease in Jamaica. Wardlaw (1931) isolated the fungus from decaying banana fruit in Jamaica, and through inoculation trials demonstrated that it was capable of causing rapid decay of banana fruit in storage. Von Becze (1932) isolated B. theobromae from Jamaican and Brazilian fruit, but did not regard it as a serious rot pathogen, apparently because of its infrequency among the fungi isolated. Roy and Sharma (1952) reported that B. theobromae attacked most of the table varieties of banana in Punjab and Bihar, and Chona (1933) cited it as the cause of pseudostem rot, main stalk (inflorescence axis) rot, and a black or

The anamorph genus Helicoon

A monograph is provided of the anamorph genus Helicoon , with keys to and illustrations of all described species.

Further Observations on Soil Fungi in Honduras

SUMMARYFurther studies on soil fungi in Honduras are reported. A number of rare or unusual fungi were isolated, among them Chaetoceratostoma longirostre, Curvularia pallescens, Emericellopsis humicola, Nectria haematococca, Metarrhisium anisopliae, Neurospora tetrasperma, Pithomyces chartarum, Preussia dispersa and Saksenaea vasiformis. Occurrence of these fungi in Central American soils is discussed. Isolation of three plant pathogenic fungi, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Verticillium theobromae, and Sphaerostilbe repens from soil is also reported. An unidentified fungus, which may represent an imperfect state of Xylaria, is described and illustrated.

Effect of Warming Rates on the Viability of Frozen Fungous Spores

The successful application of ultra-low temperatures to the preservation of a broad range of living materials (1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 17, 19) has stimulated interest in the use of cryogenics as an alternative to freezedrying for the preservation of fungous cultures. Alternatives to freezedrying are needed, inasmuch as some fungi do not sporulate sufficiently to be handled by this method, and others simply fail to survive the freeze-dry process (5). Hwang (8) reported the successful use of cryogenic procedures for the preservation of a wide variety of fungous cultures, and, more recently, Wellman and Walden (21) and Hwang (unpublished) have found that the mycelium and hyphal tips of fungi will survive freezing and thawing. Successful preservation of the normally short-lived rust urediospores and pycniospores in liquid nitrogen has also been reported (1, 11), with the result that a collection of plant rusts has been initiated at the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) (10). Based on the studies of Hwang (8, and unpublished), low-temperature preservation is being used increasingly at the ATCC for the longterm maintenance of fungi that do not sporulate or that otherwise fail to survive the freeze-dry process. In developing an expanded program for preservation of fungi by cryogenic methods, investigations on various aspects of the freezing procedure are needed to determine factors affecting the survival and recovery of fungi from the frozen state. Studies by Mazur (14, 16, 17, 18), Smith (19) and others (12, 13, 20) have shown that injury to biological systems can occur during both the freezing and thawing processes. Best results in preserving living material by freezing have generally been achieved when slow cooling at approximately 1 C per minute has been followed by rapid warming.1

Fungi from Spartina Alterniflora in Rhode Island

A survey was made of the fungi associated with Spartina alterniflora in southern Rhode Island. Eighteen Ascomycetes, twelve Deuteromycetes, and two Basidiomycetes were collected, some of which are ...

Morphology development and taxonomy of loramyces

Loramyces is a genus of freshwater Ascomycetes with two known species, L. juncicola and L. macrospora. Developmental and morphological studies show that Loramyces is best placed in the Helotiales, although it is usually classified in the Sphaeriales. Loramyces shows many adaptations to its exclusively aquatic environment, which have led to the difficulties in classification. The ascoma, which is surrounded by excipular hyphae at maturity, is wide open when immature. In mature ascomata, both the structure of the excipulum and of the paraphyses suggest affinity with the Helotiales. Ascus and ascospore characters are not comparable with those of any other genera and these features, in combination with the excipular characters, are such that the genus cannot be accommodated in any existing family, requiring that the family Loramycetaceae be validated for placement in the Helotiales. The anamorph of Loramyces juncicola, here referred to the form-genus Anguillospora, is described.

Effect of Environmental Factors on Spore Germination, Spore Survival, and Growth of Gloeosporium Musarum

SUMMARYOptimum temperature for growth, sporulation and conidial germination in G. musarum was in the range of 27–30°. The rate of germination was somewhat slower in light than in the dark, but unde...

ON THE ANAMORPH GENERA HELICOSPORIUM AND DREPANOSPORA

This paper reviews the status of all known species currently assigned to the genus Helicosporium. The generic concept is modified to include species with hyaline conidia whose filaments do not exceed 3 fjLm diam. Sixteen species are recognized. Helicosporium murinum and H. talbotii are proposed as nomen novo to replace H. griseum Bonorden and H. ramosum Talbot, which are homonyms of previously named species. Helicosporium lumbricoides is considered a synonym of H. griseum. Revised descriptions and a key to the species are given. Species resembling Helicosporium but having fuscous to dark conidia with filaments exceeding 5 nm in width have been assigned to the genus Drepanospora, as D. pannosa and D. viride. These are described and illustrated. Thirty-six names of doubtful or excluded species are treated. The genus Helicosporium was established in 1817 by Nees (1817), based on H. vegetum Nees. Our current concept of the genus stems from Linder (1929), who redefined the generic concepts of the overlapping genera Helicomyces,

Frank Leslie Howard, 1903 to 1997

Frank L. Howard, emeritus professor of plant pathology at the University of Rhode Island, Kingston, died on 11 January 1997 at the age of 93. Dr. Howard was a pioneer in the in vitro culture of slime molds and in chemotherapy of diseases of trees. He was also an outstanding teacher of undergraduates in plant pathology. Dr. Howard was born in Los Angeles, CA, on 11 June 1903, the son of George W. and Henrietta (Hanzsche) Howard. He received a B.S. degree from Oregon State University, Corvallis, in 1925. It was during his undergraduate studies that he became interested in plant pathology and mycology under the influence of H. Barss. In 1930, he completed a Ph.D. degree in mycology at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, under the direction of G. W. Martin. The title of his dissertation was “The Life History of Physarum polycephalum.” During a 2-year postdoctoral National Research Council Fellowship at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, Dr. Howard continued his studies on his doctoral research topic under the direction of the distinguished mycologist W. H. Weston. Dr. Howard’s publications, based on these studies, are considered to be research classics on myxomycetes. Among other findings during this period, he devised the rolled oats agar method that greatly facilitated studies on the growth and development of the various stages in the life history of Physarum polycephalum. This medium is still in use in research on slime molds. Dr. Howard also demonstrated conclusively that mitotic divisions in plasmodia are essentially synchronous, occur only in actively growing portions of the plasmodia, and are of brief duration. This research was completed without the sophisticated microscopic equipment now considered essential in studies of this type. In 1932, Dr. Howard joined the faculty of the Department of Botany at Rhode Island State College, Kingston, and worked there actively until his retirement in 1971. Initial emphasis in his program of research was in the area of chemotherapy and evaluation of the effective use of organic fungicides for the control of diseases of vegetables and turf. J. G. Horsfall, in his text Fungicides and Their Action (1945), prepared a listing of landmarks in fungicide history. Included in the list was the following: “Howard’s work (1941) appears to date the modern interest in chemotherapy.” This statement referred to a paper by Dr. Howard entitled “Antidoting the Toxin of Phytophthora cactorum as a Means of Plant Disease Control” (Science 94:345). This paper indicated the potential for control of tree diseases by chemotherapy and stimulated the prospects for control of such devastating vascular tree diseases as the Dutch elm disease. Under Dr. Howard’s leadership, a strong program in turf management and disease control was developed at the University of Rhode Island, Kingston. Two of his major contributions with respect to turf disease control were the development of an eradicant fungicide for dollar spot control and a broad spectrum fungicide based on Malachite Green, which also served to “green-up” turf that was off-color. Both treatments were popular with golf course managers for a period of time. Dr. Howard had a deep commitment to teaching introductory plant pathology. As a result of his high level of enthusiasm for the field of plant pathology and ability to transmit this excitement to his students, it is likely that more undergraduates entered the field of plant pathology on a per capita basis from the state of Rhode Island than from any other state. This record is even more remarkable when considering the lack of agricultural focus that characterized Rhode Island during this period. One of his greatest pleasures was to follow the progress of “his boys” and to continue to provide advice and encouragement to them after they had become established in the field of plant pathology. Many students who became interested in plant pathology under his influence attained distinction in their own careers; several became chairs of Departments of Plant Pathology, two were elected to the National Academy of Sciences, and seven received the Fellow Award and one the Award of Distinction from The American Phytopathological Society (APS). Dr. Howard was also interested in international agriculture. Among several international assignments, he worked in Guatemala on a disease of chincona, in Italy on a problem on lemon trees, and in Costa Rica as a consultant on the Panama disease of bananas. Dr. Howard received the Fellow Award of APS (1967) and was selected as a charter member of the College of Resource Development Hall of Fame of the University of Rhode Island (1992). He was a motivating force for the establishment of the Northeastern Division of APS and served as its fifth president. He also served as the first chair of the Finance and Investment Committee of APS Foundation (1984 to 1990). Throughout his life, Dr. Howard also continued to be a strong supporter of the Mycological Society of America (MSA) and provided assistance in the development of the MSA Foundation Fund. After his retirement in 1971, he continued to attend national and international meetings and participated actively in the financial affairs of APS. Early in his career, Dr. Howard married Dorothy Lee, who strongly supported his research activities. Her contributions were acknowledged with appreciation in publications of research in which she assisted him. She and one daughter preceded him in death. After the death of his first wife, Dr. Howard married Katherine Winslow, who survives him along with his two daughters, Mrs. Dorothy Congdon and Mrs. Henrietta Howard-Moineau; three stepdaughters; two stepsons; 13 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. Dr. Howard made many significant contributions in research and service to his University and profession. In particular, he will be remembered for his positive impact as an enthusiastic teacher of plant pathology. The Frank C. Howard Undergraduate Fellowship Program has been established under APS Foundation to provide funds to support undergraduates to work as summer interns in the laboratories of scientists involved in plant pathology research. (Howard Fellowship, c/o APS Foundation, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121-2097.)