Published in

American Phytopathological Society, Phytopathology, 5(103), p. 400-408, 2013

DOI: 10.1094/phyto-07-12-0150-le

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

One Fungus, One Name: Defining the Genus Fusarium in a Scientifically Robust Way That Preserves Longstanding Use

Journal article published in 2013 by David M. Geiser, Takayuki Aoki, Charles W. Bacon, Scott E. Baker, Madan K. Bhattacharyya, Mary E. Brandt, Daren W. Brown, Lester W. Burgess, Sofia Chulze, Jeffrey J. Coleman, James C. Correll, Sarah F. Covert, Pedro W. Crous, Christina A. Cuomo, G. Sybren De Hoog and other authors.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

In this letter, we advocate recognizing the genus Fusarium as the sole name for a group that includes virtually all Fusarium species of importance in plant pathology, mycotoxicology, medicine, and basic research. This phylogenetically guided circumscription will free scientists from any obligation to use other genus names, including teleomorphs, for species nested within this clade, and preserve the application of the name Fusarium in the way it has been used for almost a century. Due to recent changes in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, this is an urgent matter that requires community attention. The alternative is to break the longstanding concept of Fusarium into nine or more genera, and remove important taxa such as those in the F. solani species complex from the genus, a move we believe is unnecessary. Here we present taxonomic and nomenclatural proposals that will preserve established research connections and facilitate communication within and between research communities, and at the same time support strong scientific principles and good taxonomic practice.