Abstract
Claviceps phalaridis is a native systemic grass endophyte known only from southeastern Australia. It renders its annual and perennial hosts sterile, producing deciduous sclerotia in all florets of infected plants and occurring at a low level on its four known native hosts (species of Austrodanthonia, Austrostipa, Elymus and Microlaena). Introduced pooid grasses in the genera Bromus, Dactylis, Holcus, Hordeum, Phalaris, Lolium and Vulpia are commonly infected. Occasional infection in crops of oats and barley (Avena sativa, A. strigosa, Hordeum vulgare) has occurred. Sclerotia are composed of fungal and host floret tissues (stamens, ovary, styles and stigmas) and can germinate immediately. In the field, production of ascostromata from sclerotia is synchronised with autumn seed germination of its grass hosts and seedling infection is suspected. Two conidial anamorphs are produced, one with dry unicellular conidia developing from enteroblastically proliferating conidiophores on the apex of maturing sclerotia, the other two-celled and with apical branched appendages, arising sympodially from germinating unicellular conidia and ascospores, and in culture. The morphological and biological characteristics of C. phalaridis are distinct from those of the genus Claviceps. Of species currently placed in Claviceps, it is most similar to C. diadema and related Central and South American taxa on panicoid hosts. These species have sclerotia including host tissue but they have a sphacelial anamorph characteristic of Claviceps. It differs from Neoclaviceps, recently described parasitising ovaries of a panicoid host in Costa Rica, in producing a discrete Sclerotium, a unicellular anamorph and in having mainly pooid hosts. Comparison with other genera of plant-parasitic Clavicipitaceae shows that it cannot be included in them. It is unique amongst these genera in invading male floret organs (stamens) before female organs (ovaries). The new genus Cepsiclava is established for it and the term pseudoergot proposed for the fungus and the disease it causes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alcorn JL (1976) ‘Host index of plant diseases in Queensland.’ Supplement No. 1. (Queensland Department of Primary Industries: Brisbane)
Aldous DE, Isaacs S, Mebalds MI (1999) Endophytes in the genus Neotyphodium are not found in Australian native grasses. Australasian Plant Pathology 28, 183–186. doi:10.1071/AP99031
Anon. (1957) New plant diseases. Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales 68, 41–43.
Anon. (1967) Phalaris. Controlling ergot. Journal of Agriculture Victoria 65, 394.
Anon. (1979) Ergot diseases of grasses. New South Wales Department of Agriculture Biology Branch Bulletin PD 104C.
Anon. (1983) ‘Plantpathologist’s pocketbook (2nd edn).’ (Commonwealth Mycological Institute: Kew)
Bacon CW, Hinton DM (1988) Ascosporic iterative germination in Epichloë typhina. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 90, 563–569.
Bacon CW, Hinton DM (1991) Microcyclic conidiation cycles in Epichloë typhina. Mycologia 83, 743–751.
Bhuiyan SA, Ryley MJ, Galea VJ, Tay D, Lisle AT (2002) Survival of conidia of sorghum ergot (caused by Claviceps africana) on panicles, seed and soil in Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology 31, 137–141.
Bird AF, McKay AC (1987) Adhesion of conidia of the fungus Dilophospora alopecuri to the cuticle of the nematode Anguina agrostis, the vector in annual ryegrass toxicity. International Journal for Parasitology 17, 1239–1247. doi: 10.1016/0020-7519(87)90088-9
Bischoff J, Struwe L, White J, Jr (2003) Evaluation of anamorphic states in Clavicipitaceae (Hypocreales) and their use in determining monophyly within the family. Inoculum (Newsletter of the Mycological Society of America) 54(3), 11.
Brady LR (1962) Phylogenetic distribution of parasitism by Claviceps species. Lloydia 25, 1–36.
Bretag TW, Merriman PR (1981) Effect of burial on survival of sclerotia and production of stromata by Claviceps purpurea. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 11, 658–660.
Brittlebank CC (1940) ‘A catalogue of Australian fungi.’ Published by the author; blueprint copy in the possession of J Walker.
Brummitt RK, Powell CE (1992) ‘Authors of Plant Names.’ (Royal Botanic Gardens: Kew)
Christensen MJ, Latch GCM (1991) Variation among isolates of Acremonium endophytes (A. coenophialum and possibly A. typhinum) from tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Mycological Research 95, 1123–1126.
Clarke R (1999) Ergot of pasture grasses. Department of Agriculture Victoria Agriculture Notes Series No. AG 0721.
Clay K (1989) Clavicipitaceous endophytes of grasses: their potential as biocontrol agents. Mycological Research 92, 1–12.
Cook LJ (1953) In ‘Symposium on Phalaris tuberosa and phalaris staggers in sheep and cattle’. Journal of Agriculture South Australia 56, 431–437, 493–498.
Cook RP, Dubé AJ (1989) ‘Host-pathogen index of plant diseases in South Australia.’ (South Australian Department of Agriculture)
Cooke MC (1892) ‘Handbook of Australian fungi.’ (Williams & Norgate: London)
Diehl WW (1950) Balansiaand the Balansiae in America. United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Monograph No. 4, 1–82.
Farr DF, Bills GF, Chamuris GP, Rossman AY (1989) ‘Fungi on plants andplant products in the United States.’ (The American Phytopathological Society: St Paul, Minnesota)
Fletcher BH (1976) ‘Land enterprise and penal society.’ (Sydney University Press: Sydney)
Flora of Australia (2002) ‘Volume 43, Poaceae 1: introduction and atlas.’ (Australian Biological Resources Study and CSIRO: Canberra and Melbourne)
Forbes SJ, Gullan PK, Kilgour RA, Powell MA (1984) ‘A census of the vascular plants of Victoria.’ (National Herbarium of Victoria: South Yarra)
Frederickson DE, Mantle PG, De Milliano WAJ (1989) Secondary conidiation of Sphacelia sorghi on sorghum, a novel factor in the epidemiology of the disease. Mycological Research 93, 497–502.
Frederickson DE, Mantle PG, De Milliano WAJ (1991) Claviceps africana sp. nov; the distinctive ergot pathogen of sorghum in Africa. Mycological Research 95, 1101–1107.
Gäumann E (1950) ‘Principles of plant infection.’ (Authorised English Edition by W.B. Brierley. Crosby Lockwood and Son Ltd: London)
Glenn AE, Bacon CW, Price R, Hanlin RT (1996) Molecular phylogeny of Acremonium and its taxonomic implications. Mycologia 88, 369–383.
Greuter W, McNeill J, Barrie FR, Burdet HM, Demoulin V, et al. (Eds) (2000) ‘International code of botanical nomenclature (Saint Louis Code).’ (Koeltz Scientific Books: Königstein)
Guy PL, Davis LT (2002) Variation in the incidence of Barley yellow dwarf virus and in the ability of Neotyphodium endophytes to deter feeding by aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi) on Australasian tall fescue. Australasian Plant Pathology 31, 307–308. doi: 10.1071/AP02032
Hanlin RT (1994) Microcyclic conidiation — a review. Mycoscience 35, 113–123.
Hnatiuk RJ (1990) ‘Census of Australian vascular plants’. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11. (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra)
Holmgren PK, Keuken W, Schofield EK (1981) ‘Index herbariorum. Part I. The herbaria of the world.’ Regnum Vegetabile 106, 1–452 [Bohn, Scheltema & Holkema: Utrecht].
Hyde KD, Alcorn JL (1993) Some disease-associated microorganisms on plants of Cape York Peninsula and Torres Strait islands. Australasian Plant Pathology 22, 73–83.
Hynes HJ, Magee CJ, Edwards ET, Wilson RD, Brown HP, Kiely TB, Milthorpe FL, Fraser LR (1941) Plant diseases recorded in New South Wales. Department of Agriculture New South Wales Science Bulletin 46. Supplement No. 2, 1–16.
Jacobs SWL, Everett J (1993) Stipa, in Flora of New South Wales 4, 639–650.
Jacobs SWL, Everett J (1996) Austrostipa, a new genus, and new names for Australasian species formerly included in Stipa (Gramineae). Telopea 6, 579–595.
Jones LC (1970) Diseases of pasture plants. In ‘Irrigated pastures’. (Department of Agriculture Victoria: Melbourne)
Kawatani T (1952) Hosts of Claviceps (1). Bulletin of the National Hygienic Laboratory Tokyo No. 70, 127–152.
Kellogg EA (2002a) Classification of the grass family. Flora of Australia A3, 19–36.
Kellogg EA (2002b) Synoptic classification of Australian grasses. Flora of Australia 43, 245–248.
Kirk PM, Cannon PF, David JC, Stalpers JA (2001) ‘Ainsworth and Bisby’s dictionary of the fungi (9th edn).’ (CAB International: Wallingford)
Korf RP (1958) Japanese Discomycete notes I–VIII. Science Report of Yokohama National University Section II 7, 7–35.
Kuldau GA, Liu J-S, White JF, Jr, Siegel MR, Schardl CL (1997) Molecular systematics of Clavicipitaceae supporting monophyly of genus Epichloë and form genus Ephelis. Mycologia 89, 431–441.
Lamp CA, Forbes SJ, Cade JW (2001) ‘Grasses of temperate Australia. A field guide (revised edn).’ (Bloomings Books: Melbourne)
Langdon RFN (1942) Ergot of native grassesin Queensland. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 54, 23–32.
Langdon RFN (1950) A new ergot from Queensland. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 61, 31–35.
Langdon RFN (1952) Studies on ergot. PhD Thesis, University of Queensland.
Langdon RFN (1954) The origin and differentiation of Claviceps species. University of Queensland Papers Department of Botany 3, 61–68.
Langdon RFN (1960) Records of Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul. in Australia. The Australian Journal of Science 22, 350.
Leuchtmann A, Clay K (1988a) Atkinsonella hypoxylon and Balansia cyperi, epiphytic membersof the Balansiae. Mycologia 80, 192–199.
Leuchtmann A, Clay K (1988b) Experimental infection of host grasses and sedges with Atkinsonella hypoxylon and Balansia cyperi (Balansiae, Clavicipitaceae). Mycologia 80, 291–297.
Leuchtmann A, Clay K (1989) Morphological, cultural and mating studies on Atkinsonella, including A. texensis. Mycologia 81, 692–701.
Li XS (1995) Incidence and significance of fungal endophytes (Acremonium spp) in selected grass species on the Northern Tablelands of NSW. Thesis for Post Graduate Diploma in Science in Agriculture, Department of Agronomy and Soil Science, University of New England.
Linder HP (1997) Nomenclatural corrections in the Rytidosperma complex (Danthonieae, Poaceae). Telopea 7, 269–274.
Luttreil ES (1977) The disease cycle and fungus-host relationships in dallisgrass ergot. Phytopathology 67, 1461–1468.
Luttreil ES (1980) Host-parasite relationships and development of the ergot Sclerotium in Claviceps purpurea. Canadian Journal of Botany 58, 942–958.
Luttreil ES, Bacon CW (1977) Classification of Myriogenospora in the Clavicipitaceae. Canadian Journal of Botany 55, 2090–2097.
Mantle PG, Tonolo A (1968) Relationship between the morphology of Claviceps purpurea and the production of alkaloids. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 51, 499–505.
McAlpine D (1894) ‘Report on rust in wheat experiments 1892–1893.’ Department of Agriculture: Victoria.
McAlpine D (1895) ‘Systematic arrangement of Australian fungi together with host index and list of works on the subject.’ (Department of Agriculture Victoria: Melbourne)
McMaster GS, Cook BE (1967) The distribution of Phalaris tuberosa in New South Wales. Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales 78, 589–591.
Minter DW, Kirk PM, Sutton BC (1982) Holoblastic phialides. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 79, 75–93.
Minter DW, Kirk PM, Sutton BC (1983a) Thallic phialides. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 80, 39–66.
Minter DW, Sutton BC, Brady BL (1983b) What are phialides anyway? Transactions of the British Mycological Society 81, 109–120.
Möller A (1901) Phycomyceten und Ascomyceten Untersuchungen aus Brasilien. In ‘Botanische Mittheilungen aus den Tropen’. (Ed Dr AFW Schimper) 9, xii +319 pp. (Gustav Fischer: Jena)
Morgan-Jones G, Gams W (1982) Notes on Hyphomycetes. XLI. An endophyte of Festuca arundinacea and the anamorph of Epichloë typhina, new taxa in one of two new sections of Acremonium. Mycotaxon 15, 311–318.
Morgan-Jones G, Phelps RA, White JF, Jr (1992) Systematic and biological studies in the Balansieae and related anamorphs. I. Prologue. Mycotaxon 43, 401–415.
Nag Raj TR (1993) ‘Coelomycetousanamorphs with appendage-bearing conidia.’ (Mycologue Publications: Waterloo, Canada)
Noble RJ, Hynes HJ, McCleery FC, Birmingham WA (1935) Plant diseases recorded in New South Wales. Department of Agriculture New South Wales Science Bulletin 46, 1–47.
Nozu M, Yamamoto M (1972) Ultra-structure of fasciculated tissue of Phyllostachys bambusoides infected with Aciculosporium take. Bulletin of the Faculty of Agriculture Shimane University 6, 49–52.
Nuzum CE (1976) Control of germination of Claviceps phalaridis Walker with urea. Australian Plant Pathology Society Newsletter 5, 23–24.
Parbery DG (1996) Trophism and the ecology of fungi associated with plants. Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society 71, 473–527.
Pažoutová S (2001) The phylogeny and evolution of the genus Claviceps. Mycological Research 105, 275–283.doi: 10.1017/S0953756201003562
Pažoutová S (2003) The evolutionary strategy of Claviceps. In ‘Clavicipitalean fungi. Evolutionary biology, chemistry, biocontrol and agricultural impacts’. (Eds JF White Jr, CW Bacon, NL Hywel-Jones, JW Spatafora) pp. 329–354. (Marcel Dekker Inc.: New York)
Pažoutová S, Fucikovsky L, Leyva-Mir SG, Flieger M (1998) Claviceps citrina sp. nov, a parasite of the halophytic grass Distichlis spicata from Mexico. Mycological Research 102, 850–854. doi:10.1017/S095375629700573X
Pažoutová S, Parbery DP (1999) The taxonomy and phylogeny of Claviceps. In ‘Ergot the genus Claviceps’. (Eds V Kren, L Cvak) pp. 57–77. (Harwood Academic Publishers: Amsterdam)
Pažoutová S, Rehácek Z, Pokorny V (1978) Microcyclic sporulation in the Claviceps purpurea 244. Folia Microbiologica 23, 376–378.
Pažoutová S, Tudzynski P (1999) Claviceps sp. PRL 1980 (ATCC 26245), 59 and Pepty 695/ch-I: their true story. Mycological Research 103, 1044–1048. doi:10.1017/S0953756298008132
Petch T (1933) Notes on entomogenous fungi. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 18, 48–75.
Phelps RA, Morgan-Jones G (1993) Systematic and biological studies in the Balansieae and related anamorphs. III. Ascospore and macroconidial germination as a taxonomic criterion. Mycotaxon 47, 41–57.
Pitkethley RN (1970) A preliminary list of plant diseases in the Northern Territory. Primary Industries Branch Northern Territory Administration Technical Bulletin No. 2.
Prakash HS, Shety HS, Subramanya S, Safeeulla KM (1981) Standardization of sclerotial germination technique and infectivity of the ascospores of Claviceps fusiformis Lov. Indian Journal of Agricultural Science 51, 900–904.
Rayner RW (1970) ‘A mycological colour chart.’ (Commonwealth Mycological Institute: Kew)
Ridgway R (1912) ‘Color standards and color nomenclature.’ (Ridgway: Washington)
Riley IT (1996) Dilophospora alopecuri on Lolium rigidum and Holcus lanatus in south-eastern Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology 25, 255–259.
Rogerson CT (1970) The hypocrealean fungi(Ascomycetes, Hypo ere ales). Mycologia 62, 865–910.
Rykard DM, Luttreil ES, Bacon CW (1982) Development of the conidial state of Myriogenospora atramentosa. Mycologia 74, 648–654.
Rykard DM, Luttreil ES, Bacon CW (1984) Conidiogenesis and conidiomata in the Clavicipitoideae. Mycologia 76, 1095–1103.
Ryley MJ (1981) Ergot of Panicum maximum in Queensland. Australasian Plant Pathology 10, 37–38.
Ryley MJ (1985) Systemic diseases of some subtropical grasses. PhD Thesis, University of Queensland.
Ryley MJ (2003) Nigrocornus scleroticus, a common Old World balansioid fungus. In ‘Clavicipitalean fungi. Evolutionary biology, chemistry, biocontrol and cultural impacts’. (Eds JF White Jr., CW Bacon, NL Hywel-Jones, JW Spatafora) pp. 247–271. (Marcel Dekker Inc.: New York)
Ryley MJ, Alcorn JL, Kochman JK, Kong GA, Thompson SM (1996) Ergot on Sorghum spp. in Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology 25, 214.
Ryley MJ, Persley DM, Jordan DR, Henzell RG (2002) Status of sorghum and pearl millet diseases in Australia. In ‘Sorghum and millet diseases’ (Ed. JF Leslie) pp. 441–448. (Iowa State Press: Ames)
Sampson K, Western JH (1938) Notes on the supposed connexion between Mastigosporium album Riess and Dilophospora alopecuri (Fr.) Fr. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 22, 168–173.
Sampson PJ, Walker J (1982) ‘An annotated list of plant diseases in Tasmania.’ (Department of Agriculture Tasmania)
Shivas RG (1989) Fungal and bacterial diseases of plants in Western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 12, 1–62.
Shivas RG (1995) New records of plant pathogens in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology 24, 188–201.
Shivas RG, Mitchell AA, Jubb TF (1997) Corailocytostroma ornicopreoides sp. nov., an unusual toxic fungus on Astrebla and Dichanthium in north-western Australia. Mycological Research 101, 849–852. doi: 10.1017/S095375629700350X
Shivas RG, White JF, Jr, Irwin JAG, Blatch AJ, Whittle PJL (1999) First record in Australia of Myriogenospora atramentosa on lemongrass and sugarcane. Australasian Plant Pathology 28, 336. doi: 10.1071/AP99053
Simmonds JH (1966) ‘Host index of plant diseases in Queensland.’ (Queensland Department of Primary Industries: Brisbane)
Simon BK (1993) ‘A key to Australian grasses.’ (Queensland Department of Primary Industries: Brisbane)
Sullivan R, Bergen MS, Patel R, Bills GF, Alderman SC, Spatafora JW, White JF, Jr (2001) Features and phylogenetic status of an enigmatic clavicipitalean fungus Neoclaviceps monostipa gen.et sp. nov. Mycologia 93, 90–99.
Tanaka E, Tanaka C, Gafur A, Tsuda M (2002) Heteroepichloë gen. nov. (Clavicipitaceae; Ascomycotina) on bamboo plants in East Asia. Mycoscience 43, 87–93. doi: 10.1007/S102670200014
Tenberge KB (1999) Biology and life strategy of the ergot fungi. In ‘Ergot the genus Claviceps’ (Eds V Kren, L Cvak) pp. 25–56. (Harwood Acacemic Publishers: Amsterdam)
Tsuda M, Shimizu K, Matsumura K, Tanaka E, Tanaka C, Doi Y (1997) Host range of Aciculosporium take, the causal agent of witches’ broom of bamboo plants. Bulletin of the National Science Museum Tokyo. Series B 23, 25–34.
Tulasne L-R (1853) Mémoire sur l’ergot des Glumacées. Annales des Sciences Naturelles Partie Botanique 20, 5–56 plus 4 plates.
Uecker FA (1980) Cytology of the ascus of Claviceps phalaridis. Mycologia 72, 270–278.
Ullasa BA (1969) Balansia claviceps in artificial culture. Mycologia 61, 572–579.
Van Heeswijck R, McDonald G (1992) Acremonium endophytes in perennial ryegrass and other pasture grasses in Australia and New Zealand. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 43, 1683–1709.
Vickery JW, Jacobs SWL, Everett J (1986) Taxonomic studies in Stipa (Poaceae) in Australia. Telopea 3, 1–132.
Walker J (1958) A new species of Claviceps on Phalaris tuberosa L. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 82 (1957), 322–327.
Walker J (1960) Ergot of Phalaris tuberosa. Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales 70, 642–643.
Walker J (1967) New records of plant diseases in New South Wales. Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales 78, 47–51.
Walker J (1970) Systemic fungal parasite of Phalaris tuberosa in Australia. Search 1, 81–82.
Walker J (1980) Gaeumannomyces, Linocarpon, Ophiobolus and severalothergeneraof scolecosporedAscomycetesand Phialophora conidial states, with a note on hyphopodia. Mycotaxon 11, 1–129.
Walker J, McLeod RW (1970) New records of plant diseases in New South Wales. Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales 81, 452–458.
Walker J, Sutton BC (1974) Dilophia Sacc. and Dilophospora Desm. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 62, 231–241.
White JF, Jr, Morgan-Jones G (1987) Endophyte-host associations in forage grasses. IX. Concerning Acremonium typhinum, the anamorph of Epichloë typhina. Mycotaxon 29, 489–500.
White JF, Jr, Reddy PV (1998) Examination of structure and molecular phylogenetic relationships of some graminicolous symbionts in genera Epichloë and Parepichloë. Mycologia 90, 226–234.
White JF, Jr, Sullivan R, Moy M, Patel R, Duncan R (2000) An overview of problems in the classification of plant-parasitic Clavicipitaceae. Studies in Mycology 45, 95–105.
Winter G (1887) Rabenhorstii Fungi europaei et extraeuropaei exsiccati cura Dr. G. Winter. Centuria XXXV et XXXVI. Hedwigia 26, 24–35.
Woodcock T, Clarke RG (1983) List of diseases recorded on field crops and pastures in Victoria before 30 June 1980. Department of Agriculture Victoria Technical Report Series No. 65, 1–31.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Walker, J. Clavicepsphalaridis in Australia: biology, pathology and taxonomy with a description of the new genus Cepsiclava (Hypocreales, Clavicipitaceae). Australasian Plant Pathology 33, 211–239 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1071/AP04001
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/AP04001