Mycosphaerella graminicola: latent infection, crop devastation and genomics

Mycosphaerella graminicola, is an important pathogen of wheat, causing septoria leaf blotch disease. This review summarizes the current knowledge on disease development and control of the fungus, and discusses how molecular tools and genomics are being employed to uncover the genetic basis of pathogenicity. Taxonomy: Mycosphaerella graminicola (Fuckel) J. Schrot. in Cohn (anamorph: Septoria tritici Roberge in Desmaz.). Kingdom Fungi, Phylum Ascomycota, Class Loculoascomycetes (filamentous ascomycetes), Order Dothideales, Genus Mycosphaerella, Species graminicola. Host range: Bread and durum wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and T. turgidum ssp. durum L.) Disease symptoms: Initiating with the appearance of chlorotic flecks on leaves that develop into irregular sunken necrotic lesions peppered with tiny black spots (pycnidia). In addition to the necrotic tissue, the disease results in early leaf tissue senescence and therefore reduced photosynthetic capacity. Useful websites: , , .