| The traditionally recognized species in the economically, phytopathogenically and medically important Hypocrealean fungi have in many cases been found to be species aggregates. Some traditional species such as Fusarium solani may encompass 30 or more actual species. Each of these species may have a different significance in causation of disease (e.g. in plants, humans, reptiles), and each may need to be differently treated. One of many examples is a fungus resembling Fusarium oxysporum that was studied recently at CBS and discovered to be an undescribed, specific pathogen of Begonia species grown in the flower industry. The aim of this program is to uncover the startling diversity of unelucidated fungi in this group and make the true genetically similar species available to scientists everywhere. The diversity of salient population genetics characters such as mating systems is targeted for study so that speciation and species disjunctions in this group can be better understood. |
