Book of Abstracts (PDF) - International Mycological Association

IMC7 Main Congress Theme IV: POPULATION DYNAMICS AND ECOLOGY Posters
Since the production of long-lived sexual oospores has an
epidemiological and evolutionary significance that impacts
disease management, it is important that we understand P.
infestans population biology. At SCRI we have developed
a range of co-dominant SSR and SNP markers for this
purpose. They are being used to examine the fine-scale
diversity of Scottish populations, form the basis of a
'molecular toolkit' for examining populations worldwide
and have utility in tracking isolates in epidemiological
studies.
949 - ITS-sequence study of root endophytes isolated
from Alpine Epacridaceae
P.W. Davies * , S.C. Burns & C.B. McLean
University of Melbourne, Institute of Land and Food
Resources, School of Resource Management, Burnley
College 500 Yarra Boulevard, Ricmond, Victoria, 3121,
Australia. - E-mail: cmclean@unimelb.edu.au
Three hundred and forty sterile fungi were isolated from
the roots of five species of Epacridaceae (Epacris
paludosa, E. microphylla, E. petrophila, Leucopogon
montanus and Richea continentis) collected in Jan 2002
from Mt Kosciuszko National Park, NSW, Australia (-
36°27', 148°15', Elevation 2228 m). Fifty isolates were
selected for sequencing studies and each was grown in
liquid culture, harvested and DNA extracted. The universal
primers ITS1 and 4 were used to amplify the ITS 1, 5.8s
and ITS2 regions of the rDNA. Sequences were edited and
used to search the database for similar matches. All fifty
sequences plus the closest GenBank matches were aligned
using programs made available on the Australian National
Genomic Information Service and the resulting alignment
analysed using PAUP. The phylogenetic tree created was
similar to those produced in previous studies of epacrid
endophytes isolated from plants growing at sea level. None
of the fifty fungi isolated had similar ITS sequences to the
known ericoid endophyte Oidiodendron maius.
950 - Life forms of Rhizoplaca baranowii (Poelt)
Golubkova
E.A. Davydov
Altai State University, Lenina Str. 61, Barnaul, 656099,
Russia. - E-mail: davydov@bio.asu.ru
The Project presented aims in comparing the 2
morphotypes or life forms of the lichen R. baranowii.
Studies are based on published data as well as herbarium
materials and field observations in Altai Mts (Russia,
Mongolia). R. baranowii is endemic to Altai Mts and is
known from the few localities in high mountain steppe
habitats. All specimens can be divided into 2 groups based
on their morphology 'subplacoid' (P) and 'spheroid' (S).
Most specimens in majority of sites belong to the 'S', and
this is the morph that falls into original description of the
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Book of Abstracts
species by Poelt. 'P' is characterized by the unattached
plates up to 12 mm in diam with down-turned margins. The
main peculiarity of 'P' is its dorsiventral structure. Further
with time the open part of the black hypothallus is
becoming smaller and finally disappearing. Transitional
forms between 'P' and 'S' are found, but both forms can't be
treated as subsequent stages in the life span as they are
reproducing by fragmentation independently giving rise to
the same form respectively. Reproduction by apothecia is
known only for 'S'. The series of transitional forms between
'P' and 'S' illustrates in our opinion the evolutionary process
of evolving of spheroid thallus from unattached plates.
Ecologically both morphotypes discussed are the life forms
induced by the differing environmental conditions.
Population analysis and comparison between the habitats of
'S' and 'P' proves that sheep grazing largely induces the
latter form.
951 - Morpho-productive and genetic diversity of a
collection of Pleurotus eryngii isolates
T. de Gioia 1* , D. Sisto 1 , G. Figliuolo 2 , G.L. Rana 2 & R.
Marino 2
1 Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Vegetale, Università
degli Studi di Bari, via G. Amendola 165/A, 70126 - Bari,
Italy. - 2 Dipartimento di Biologia, Difesa e Biotecnologia
Agro-Forestale, Università degli Studi della Basilicata,
C.da Macchia Romana, 85100 - Potenza, Italy. - E-mail:
teresa.degioia@agr.uniba.it
The evaluation of phenotypic and genetic variation of P.
eryngii var. eryngii, P. eryngii var. ferulae and P. eryngii
var. nebrodensis germplasm is a prerequisite to correctly
distinguish groups for traits of interest and to identify
strains with high yield potential. In this study, a population
of 142 strains, belonging to the above varieties and having
different Italian geographic origins, was studied for
quantitative, qualitative and molecular traits. An
experimental design with three blocks and three replicates
for each strain within block, was used to estimate trait
parameters. High significant differences were observed
among strains for number and weight of sporocarps, while
no significant differentiation was observed among
geographic origins and taxonomic groups. By using
qualitative traits, a degree of differentiation was only
observed with the Sardinian and nebrodensis strains
respectively. Some non-commercial strains performed
better than the commercial ones in terms of yield. On
average, yield per strain (basidiocarp weight) was more
correlated with number of fruit bodies than with their size.
The most stable traits across replicates were basidiocarp
'number' and 'weight' per strain. It follows that such traits
can be used for an efficient genetic selection of the best
yielding strains. Both minisatellites and RAPD markers
performed very well in identifying each strain and in
discriminating the different taxonomic groups.