Fungal Planet description sheets: 1436-1477.

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Argentina, Colletotrichum araujiae on leaves, stems and fruits of Araujia hortorum. Australia, Agaricus pateritonsus on soil, Curvularia fraserae on dying leaf of Bothriochloa insculpta, Curvularia millisiae from yellowing leaf tips of Cyperus aromaticus, Marasmius brunneolorobustus on well-rotted wood, Nigrospora cooperae from necrotic leaf of Heteropogon contortus, Penicillium tealii from the body of a dead spider, Pseudocercospora robertsiorum from leaf spots of Senna tora, Talaromyces atkinsoniae from gills of Marasmius crinis-equi and Zasmidium pearceae from leaf spots of Smilaxglyciphylla. Brazil, Preussia bezerrensis from air. Chile, Paraconiothyrium kelleni from the rhizosphere of Fragaria chiloensis subsp. chiloensis f. chiloensis. Finland, Inocybe udicola on soil in mixed forest with Betula pendula, Populus tremula, Picea abies and Alnus incana. France, Myrmecridium normannianum on dead culm of unidentified Poaceae. Germany, Vexillomyces fraxinicola from symptomless stem wood of Fraxinus excelsior. India, Diaporthe limoniae on infected fruit of Limonia acidissima, Didymella naikii on leaves of Cajanus cajan, and Fulvifomes mangroviensis on basal trunk of Aegiceras corniculatum. Indonesia, Penicillium ezekielii from Zea mays kernels. Namibia, Neocamarosporium calicoremae and Neocladosporium calicoremae on stems of Calicorema capitata, and Pleiochaeta adenolobi on symptomatic leaves of Adenolobus pechuelii. Netherlands, Chalara pteridii on stems of Pteridium aquilinum, Neomackenziella juncicola (incl. Neomackenziella gen. nov.) and Sporidesmiella junci from dead culms of Juncus effusus. Pakistan, Inocybe longistipitata on soil in a Quercus forest. Poland, Phytophthora viadrina from rhizosphere soil of Quercus robur, and Septoria krystynae on leaf spots of Viscum album. Portugal (Azores), Acrogenospora stellata on dead wood or bark. South Africa, Phyllactinia greyiae on leaves of Greyia sutherlandii and Punctelia anae on bark of Vachellia karroo. Spain, Anteaglonium lusitanicum on decaying wood of Prunus lusitanica subsp. lusitanica, Hawksworthiomyces riparius from fluvial sediments, Lophiostoma carabassense endophytic in roots of Limbarda crithmoides, and Tuber mohedanoi from calcareus soils. Spain (Canary Islands), Mycena laurisilvae on stumps and woody debris. Sweden, Elaphomyces geminus from soil under Quercus robur. Thailand, Lactifluus chiangraiensis on soil under Pinus merkusii, Lactifluus nakhonphanomensis and Xerocomus sisongkhramensis on soil under Dipterocarpus trees. Ukraine, Valsonectria robiniae on dead twigs of Robinia hispida. USA, Spiralomyces americanus (incl. Spiralomyces gen. nov.) from office air. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes. Citation: Tan YP, Bishop-Hurley SL, Shivas RG, et al. 2022. Fungal Planet description sheets: 1436-1477. Persoonia 49: 261-350. https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2022.49.08.

Introduction, establishment, and potential geographic range of Carmenta sp. nr ithacae (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), a biological control agent for Parthenium hysterophorus (Asteraceae) in Australia.

Parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.), a major weed causing economic, environmental, and human and animal health problems in Australia and several countries in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, has been a target for biological control in Australia since the mid-1970s. Nine species of insects and two rust fungi have been introduced as biological control agents into Australia. These include Carmenta sp. nr ithacae, a root feeding agent from Mexico. The larvae of C. sp. nr ithacae bore through the stem-base into the root where they feed on the cortical tissue of the taproot. During 1998-2002, 2,816 larval-infested plants and 387 adults were released at 31 sites across Queensland, Australia. Evidence of field establishment was first observed in two of the release sites in central Queensland in 2004. Annual surveys at these sites and nonrelease sites during 2006-2011 showed wide variations in the incidence and abundance of C. sp. nr ithacae between years and sites. Surveys at three of the nine release sites in northern Queensland and 16 of the 22 release sites in central Queensland confirmed the field establishment of C. sp. nr ithacae in four release sites and four nonrelease sites, all in central Queensland. No field establishment was evident in the inland region or in northern Queensland. A CLIMEX model based on the native range distribution of C. sp. nr ithacae predicts that areas east of the dividing range along the coast are more suitable for field establishment than inland areas. Future efforts to redistribute this agent should be restricted to areas identified as climatically favorable by the CLIMEX model.

Thermal tolerance and potential distribution of Carvalhotingis visenda (Hemiptera: Tingidae), a biological control agent for cat's claw creeper, Macfadyena unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae).

The specialist tingid, Carvalhotingis visenda, is a biological control agent for cat's claw creeper, Macfadyena unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae). Cat's claw creeper is an invasive liana with a wide climatic tolerance, and for biological control to be effective the tingid must survive and develop over a range of temperatures. We evaluated the effect of constant temperatures (0-45 degrees C) on the survival and development of C. visenda. Adults showed tolerance for wider temperature ranges (0-45 degrees C), but oviposition, egg hatching and nymphal development were all affected by both high (>30 degrees C) and low (<20 degrees C) temperatures. Temperatures between 20 degrees C and 30 degrees C are the most favourable for adult survival, oviposition, egg hatching and nymphal development. The ability of adults and nymphs to survive for a few days at high (40 degrees C and 45 degrees C) and low (0 degrees C and 5 degrees C) temperatures suggest that extreme temperature events, which usually occur for short durations (hours) in cat's claw creeper infested regions in Queensland and New South Wales states are not likely to affect the tingid population. The potential number of generations (egg to adult) the tingid can complete in a year in Australia ranged from three to eight, with more generations in Queensland than in New South Wales.

Variation in acquisition of Fiji disease virus by Perkinsiella saccharicida (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).

Fiji leaf gall, caused the Fiji disease virus (genus Fijivirus, family Reoviridae, FDV), is a serious disease of sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum L., in Australia and several other Asia-Pacific countries. In Australia FDV is transmitted only by the planthopper Perkinsiella saccharicida Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), in a propagative manner. Successful transmission of FDV by single planthoppers confined to individual virus free plants is highly variable, even under controlled conditions. The research reported here addresses two possible sources of this variation: (1) gender, wing form, and life stage of the planthopper; and (2) genotype of the source plant. The acquisition of FDV by macropterous males, macropterous females, brachypterous females, and nymphs of P. saccharicida from infected plants was investigated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to diagnose FDV infection in the vector. The proportion of individuals infected with FDV was not statistically related to life stage, gender, or adult wing form of the vector. The acquisition of FDV by P. saccharicida from four cultivars of sugarcane was compared to assess the influence of plant genotype on acquisition. Those planthopper populations reared on diseased 'NCo310' plants had twice as many infected planthoppers as those reared on 'Q110', 'WD1', and 'WD2'. Therefore, variation in FDV acquisition in this system is not the result of variation in the gender, wing form and life stage of the P. saccharicida vectors. The cultivar used as the source plant to rear vector populations does affect the proportion of infected planthoppers in a population.

Seasonal variation in the effectiveness of the leaf-feeding beetle Zygogramma bicolorata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and stem-galling moth Epiblema strenuana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) as biocontrol agents on the weed Parthenium hysterophorus (Asteraceae).

Variation in the effectiveness of biocontrol agents on the weed Parthenium hysterophorus L. was evaluated at two properties (Mount Panorama and Plain Creek) in Queensland, Australia for four years (1996-2000) using a pesticide exclusion experiment. At Mount Panorama, higher levels of defoliation by the leaf-feeding beetle Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister and galling by the moth Epiblema strenuana Walker in 1996-97 coincided with an above average summer rainfall, but in the following three years with below average summer rainfall the defoliation and galling levels were significantly lower. Biocontrol had significant negative impact on the weed only in 1996-97 with no major impact in the following three years. At Plain Creek, galling by E. strenuana was evident in all the four years, but varied significantly between years due to non-synchrony between P. hysterophorus germination and E. strenuana emergence. At Plain Creek biocontrol had limited impact on the weed in 1996-97 and 1997-98, with no significant impact in the following two years. Over the 4-year period, defoliation and galling resulted in 70% reduction in the soil seed bank at Mount Panorama, but the reduction in the soil seed bank at Plain Creek due to galling was not significant. Effectiveness of Z. bicolorata and E. strenuana was dependent on weather conditions and as a result had only limited impact on the weed in three out of four years.

Resistance to Fiji disease in sugar cane: role of cultivar preference by planthopper vector Perkinsiella saccharicida (Homoptera: Delphacidae).

Fiji disease (FD) of sugar cane caused by Fiji disease virus (FDV) is transmitted by the planthopper Perkinsiella saccharicida Kirkaldy (Hemiptera Delphacidae). FD is effectively managed by using resistant cultivars, but whether the resistance is for the vector or for the virus is unknown. This knowledge would help develop a rapid and reliable glasshouse-based screening method for disease resistance. Sugar cane cultivars resistant, intermediate, and susceptible to FD were screened in a glasshouse, and the relationship between vector preferences and FD incidence was studied. Cultivar preference by nymphs increased with an increase in cultivar susceptibility to FD, but the relationship between adult preference and FD resistance was not significant. There was a positive correlation between the vector population and FD incidence, and the latent period for symptom expression declined with the increase in the vector populations. FD incidence in the glasshouse trial reflected the field-resistance status of sugar cane cultivars with known FD-resistance scores. The results suggest that resistance to FD in sugar cane is mediated by cultivar preference of the planthopper vector.

Effectiveness of introduced biocontrol insects on the weed Parthenium hysterophorus (Asteraceae) in Australia.

Six species of insects and a rust fungus have been successfully established for biocontrol of the weed Parthenium hysterophorus L. in Queensland, Australia. Effectiveness of biocontrol insects was evaluated at two properties in Queensland during 1996-97 based on an exclusion experiment using insecticides. Parthenium-infested plots with and without biocontrol insects were sampled at monthly intervals and the impact of biocontrol insects on parthenium at individual plant and whole population levels monitored. Biocontrol insects were more effective at Mt Panorama (central Queensland) than at Plain Creek (north Queensland). At Mt Panorama, the leaf-feeding beetle Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister caused 96% defoliation and the stem-galling moth Epiblema strenuana Walker affected 100% of the plants, resulting in reductions of 90% in weed density, 40% in plant height, and 82% in flower production. Exclusion of biocontrol insects resulted in a 52% increase in seedling emergence and a seven-fold increase in the soil seed bank in the following season. At Plain Creek, E. strenuana was the only prominent agent. It affected 92% of the plants and prevented 32% of plants from producing any flowers, reduced plant height by 40% and flower production by 49%, but did not reduce the plant biomass, weed density or soil seed bank. However, exclusion of biocontrol insects resulted in an eight-fold increase in the soil seed bank in the following season.

Mosquito seasonality and arboviral disease incidence in Murray Valley, southeast Australia.

Adult female mosquito populations were monitored at weekly intervals during spring-autumn (November-March) for 4 years (1991-95) using dry-ice-baited light traps at forty sites in the Murray Valley of Victoria, Australia. Among twenty species of mosquitoes collected, Culex annulirostris was the most abundant (66.6 +/- 9.3%) followed by Cx australicus (15.3 +/- 7.7%). From a total of 476,682 mosquitoes collected, nearly all were females and only 1295 (0.27%) were males. Mosquito population densities were generally higher in 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons than in 1991-92 and 1994-95 seasons. Greatest densities of Cx annulirostris and Cx australicus occurred in 1992-93, coinciding with outbreaks of Ross River (RR) and Barmah Forest (BF) arboviruses causing human polyarthritis. In the majority of shires, Cx australicus was the predominant species from spring to early summer (November and December), then was replaced by Cx annulirostris from mid-summer to autumn (January-April). In three shires, Aedes bancroftianus and Ae.sagax predominated during the early part of the season. Densities of both Cx annulirostris and Cx australicus were related to temperature. Cx australicus adults were found to be trapped when the mean ambient temperature exceeded 6 degrees C, with peak population recorded at 20 degrees C. Cx annulirostris adult density increased when the mean temperature rose above 12 degrees C, reaching a peak during February and March when temperature exceeded 25 degrees C. Cx annulirostris declined rapidly from April onwards, with no adult activity evident from May to November. Population densities of Aedes spp. were generally less than reported from earlier studies, possibly due to lower rainfall in spring and summer as well as reduced flood irrigation practices. In each year, a significant correlation was detected between Cx annulirostris density and RR virus incidence in humans. As Cx annulirostris is the predominant local mosquito species and feeds on a wide spectrum of host including man, it seems likely that Cx annulirostris is the major vector of RR in the inland Murray Valley region.

Evidence of vertical transmission of Ross River and Sindbis viruses (Togaviridae: Alphavirus) by mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in southeastern Australia.

Ross River and Sindbis viruses were isolated from Aedes camptorhynchus adults reared from immatures collected from a salt marsh in coastal Victoria, indicating the existence of field vertical transmission. These first isolations of an arbovirus from adult mosquitoes reared from field-collected immatures in Australia indicates one mechanism for arbovirus maintenance in temperate regions.