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Gary J Samuels

Publications and source records attributed to Gary J Samuels.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

In vitro antagonism of Thielaviopsis paradoxa by Trichoderma longibrachiatum.

Seventy-nine Trichoderma strains were isolated from soil taken from 28 commercial plantations of Agave tequilana cv. 'Azul' in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. Nine of these isolates produced nonvolatile metabolites that completely inhibited the growth of Thielaviopsis paradoxa on potato dextrose agar plates. These isolates were identified as Trichoderma longibrachiatum on the basis of their morphology and DNA sequence analysis of two genes (ITS rDNA and translation elongation factor EF-1alpha). Mycoparasitism of Th. paradoxa by T. longibrachiatum strains in dual cultures was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The Trichoderma hyphae grew alongside the Th. paradoxa hyphae, but penetration of Thielaviopsis hyphae by Trichoderma was no apparent. Aleurioconidia of Th. paradoxa were parasitized by Trichoderma. Both hyphae and aleurioconidia of Th. paradoxa lost turgor pressure, wrinkled, collapsed and finally disintegrated. In liquid cultures, all nine Trichoderma isolates produced proteases, beta-1,3-glucanases and chitinases that would be responsible for the degradation of Thielaviopsis hyphae. These results demonstrate that the modes of action of T. longibrachiatum involved against Th. paradoxa in vitro experiments are mycoparasitism and the production of nonvolatile toxic metabolites.

Agave↗

Trichoderma theobromicola and T. paucisporum: two new species isolated from cacao in South America.

Trichoderma theobromicola and T. paucisporum spp. nov. are described. Trichoderma theobromicola was isolated as an endophyte from the trunk of a healthy cacao tree (Theobroma cacao, Malvaceae) in Amazonian Peru; it sporulates profusely on common mycological media. Trichoderma paucisporum is represented by two cultures that were obtained in Ecuador from cacao pods partially infected with frosty pod rot, Moniliophthora roreri; it sporulates sporadically and most cultures remain sterile on common media and autoclaved rice. It sporulates more reliably on synthetic low-nutrient agar (SNA) but produces few conidia. Trichoderma theobromicola was reintroduced into cacao seedlings through shoot inoculation and was recovered from stems but not from leaves, indicating that it is an endophytic species. Both produced a volatile/diffusable antibiotic that inhibited development of M. roreri in vitro and on-pod trials. Neither species demonstrated significant direct in vitro mycoparasitic activity against M. roreri.

Base Sequence↗

Multilocus phylogenetic structure within the Trichoderma harzianum/Hypocrea lixii complex.

Trichoderma harzianum is a ubiquitous species in the environment and is effective in the biological control of plant-pathogenic fungi. T. harzianum has not been linked unequivocally to its sexual state nor has its phylogeny been studied in detail. It has been suggested that T. harzianum is a species complex based on the phenotypic and genotypic variability encountered. On the basis of morphological and cultural characters and DNA sequence data analysis of four genes (ITS rDNA, translation elongation factor 1-alpha, calmodulin, and alpha-actin), Hypocrea lixii was found to be the sexual state of T. harzianum. Both the asexual and sexual states of this species have wide geographic distributions. Phylogenetic analysis of four genes showed that T. harzianum/H. lixii is a cohesive group that is supported by bootstrap values higher than 95%. Principles of genealogical concordance indicated that T. harzianum/H. lixii is a complex of independent monophyletic lineages, but no diagnostic morphological distinctions were identified that justify formal taxonomic recognition for the different lineages.

Actins↗

The genus Podocrella and its nematode-killing anamorph Harposporium.

Several genera are described in the literature as having morphology similar to the clavicipitaceous genus Podocrella, viz. Atricordyceps, Ophiocordyceps, Wakefieldiomyces and "Cordyceps" peltata. These genera have capitate-stipitate stromata that gradually expand into a horizontally flattened fertile head that is dark, has strongly protruding perithecia and asci containing eight multiseptate filiform ascospores. These ascospores disarticulate at the middle septum to form two lanceolate multiseptate part-as-cospores. In this study several specimens of the above-mentioned genera, including the types, were examined to determine whether they are congeneric with Podocrella. This study also reveals the connection of Podocrella to its anamorph genus, Harposporium, and its relationship to several other clavicipitaceous genera, based on cultural data and large subunit nuclear ribosomal DNA (LSU) sequences. Nematode predation of the Harposporium anamorph of P. peltata is demonstrated. The results show Podocrella and selected Harposporium LSU sequences form a monophyletic group and that this clade is closely related to Aschersonia. A new species of Podocrella from Costa Rica, P fusca, is described, new combinations made for P. peltata and P. harposporifera, and a key to the known species is presented.

Animals↗