Blumeria bulbigera

Blumeria bulbigera
Blumeria bulbigera on Bromus hordeaceus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Leotiomycetes
Order: Helotiales
Family: Erysiphaceae
Genus: Blumeria
Species:
B. bulbigera
Binomial name
Blumeria bulbigera
(Bonord.) M. Liu & U. Braun, 2021
Synonyms
  • Torula bulbigera Bonord., 1860
  • Oidium bulbigerum (Bonord.) Sacc. & Voglino, 1886
  • Oidium monilioides var. ochraceum Thüm., 1874
  • Oidium ochraceum (Thüm.) Mussat, 1901
  • Erysiphe graminis f. sp. bromi E. Marchal, 1902

Blumeria bulbigera is a species of powdery mildew in the family Erysiphaceae. It is found across the world on every continent bar Antarctica, where it infects plants in the genus Bromus (bromes).[1]

Description

The fungus forms thick white mycelial growth on the leaves of its hosts, which becomes pigmented ochraceous with age. The mycelium is formed from spring until late summer or autumn. When present, the chasmothecia are often densely packed. As with most Erysiphaceae, Blumeria bulbigera is highly host-specific, only occurring on Bromus species. One other species of powdery mildew infects Bromus, namely Blumeria bromi-cathartici on Bromus catharticus (rescue brome), and other genera of grasses host other Blumeria species, many of which are likely undescribed. Blumeria bulbigera can be found worldwide, wherever its host species are found.[1]

Taxonomy

Blumeria bulbigera was first described by Bonorden in 1860 as Torula bulbigera. The species was later placed in the anamorphic genus Oidium. M. Liu and Uwe Braun described the new combination Blumeria bulbigera in 2021 during a taxonomic review of Blumeria. Prior to this, all powdery mildews on grass hosts were considered to belong to Blumeria graminis.[2] The variation in this species had been long observed, and many formae and formae speciales were created throughout the twentieth century,[3] including Erysiphe graminis f.sp. bromi which represented this taxon. B. bulbigera was just one of seven new species described when Blumeria graminis was split up. The type specimen was collected in Germany on Bromus hordeaceus. The specific epithet refers to the swellings in the middle or end of the primary hyphae.

Micromorphology

Description

The primary mycelium is effuse or typically in patches, at first whitish, later pigmented. The secondary mycelium occurs on the leaf in patches, often around chasmothecia. Conidia are broad and ellipsoid-ovoid and occasionally lemon-shaped. Conidiophores are usually near or next to one septum, and are erect, single or in pairs, with a swollen foot-cell characteristic of the genus. The chasmothecia (fruiting bodies) are loosely surrounded by secondary hyphae or may be exposed. The asci are typically ovoid and short-stalked.

Measurements

Primary hyphal cells measure 3–7 μm wide. Secondary hyphal cells measure 4–7 μm wide. Conidiophores are 80–130 × 5–6 μm with foot cells measuring 25–45 × 5–6 μm. Conidia are 27–35 × 13–18.5 μm. The chasmothecia are 150–200 μm in diameter when mature.

References

  1. 1 2 Liu, Miao; Braun, Uwe; Takamatsu, Susumu; Hambleton, Sarah; Shoukouhi, Parivash; Bisson, Kassandra R.; Hubbard, Keith (2021-05-20). "Taxonomic revision of Blumeria based on multi-gene DNA sequences, host preferences and morphology". Mycoscience. 62 (3): 143–165. doi:10.47371/mycosci.2020.12.003. ISSN 1340-3540. PMC 9157761. PMID 37091321.
  2. ↑ Braun, Uwe; Cook, Roger T. A. (2012). Taxonomic manual of the Erysiphales (powdery mildews). CBS biodiversity series. Utrecht: CBS-KNAW fungal biodiversity centre. ISBN 978-90-70351-89-2.
  3. ↑ Wyand, Rebecca A.; Brown, James K. M. (2003). "Genetic and forma specialis diversity in Blumeria graminis of cereals and its implications for host-pathogen co-evolution". Molecular Plant Pathology. 4 (3): 187–198. doi:10.1046/j.1364-3703.2003.00167.x. ISSN 1364-3703.