Fungal Planet description sheets: 107-127.

Novel species of microfungi described in the present study include the following from Australia: Phytophthora amnicola from still water, Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi from Castanea sp., Pseudoplagiostoma corymbiae from Corymbia sp., Diaporthe eucalyptorum from Eucalyptus sp., Sporisorium andrewmitchellii from Enneapogon aff. lindleyanus, Myrmecridium banksiae from Banksia, and Pilidiella wangiensis from Eucalyptus sp. Several species are also described from South Africa, namely: Gondwanamyces wingfieldii from Protea caffra, Montagnula aloes from Aloe sp., Diaporthe canthii from Canthium inerne, Phyllosticta ericarum from Erica gracilis, Coleophoma proteae from Protea caffra, Toxicocladosporium strelitziae from Strelitzia reginae, and Devriesia agapanthi from Agapanthus africanus. Other species include Phytophthora asparagi from Asparagus officinalis (USA), and Diaporthe passiflorae from Passiflora edulis (South America). Furthermore, novel genera of coelomycetes include Chrysocrypta corymbiae from Corymbia sp. (Australia), Trinosporium guianense, isolated as a contaminant (French Guiana), and Xenosonderhenia syzygii, from Syzygium cordatum (South Africa). Pseudopenidiella piceae from Picea abies (Czech Republic), and Phaeocercospora colophospermi from Colophospermum mopane (South Africa) represent novel genera of hyphomycetes. Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa.

Managing Foliar Blights on Carrot Using Copper, Azoxystrobin, and Chlorothalonil Applied According to TOM-CAST.

Alternaria dauci and Cercospora carotae cause foliar blight on carrot, causing yield reductions in severely blighted fields. Currently, fungicides are used on either a 7-day schedule or according to the TOM-CAST disease forecasting system. Organic production prohibits applications of most fungicides for blight control but does allow select copper-based products. The objective of this study was to use the TOM-CAST weather forecasting system to (i) assess the efficacy of copper hydroxide treatments for organic operations and (ii) evaluate the efficacy of reduced-risk products in an alternating spray program. Chlorothalonil, azoxystrobin, and copper hydroxide were applied alone or in alternating programs in 2001 and 2002. Reapplications were made on a 7-day schedule or according to TOM-CAST using disease severity value (DSV) thresholds of 10, 15, and 20. Area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) data revealed that all application intervals significantly limited disease incidence on the foliage and petioles, resulting in healthier petioles at harvest compared with the untreated. The 7-day and TOM-CAST 10 DSV programs had comparable rating values for all parameters assessed and were more effective than the TOM-CAST 15 and 20 DSV programs in limiting petiole disease and maintaining overall petiole health. Copper hydroxide treatments resulted in higher AUDPC values and significantly different petiole health ratings compared with other treatments, yet P values indicated significant disease control compared with the untreated. The TOM-CAST 15 DSV program reduced sprays up to 40% compared with a 7-day interval and produced mean savings of $127/ha in 2001 and $137/ha in 2002.