Taxonomy of Fusarium genus: A continuous fight between lumpers and splitters

• Main Author: Moretti Antonio N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Matica srpska 2009-01-01
• Series: Zbornik Matice Srpske za Prirodne Nauke
• Subjects: Gibberella; morhology; biological identification; phylogeny
• Online Access: http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0352-4906/2009/0352-49060917007M.pdf

The genus Fusarium comprises a high number of fungal species that can be plant-pathogenic, causing diseases in several agriculturally important crops including cereals, and also can be harmful for humans and animals since many of them are toxigenic. The identification of mycotoxigenic Fusarium species still remains a most critical issue, given that the number of species recognized in the genus has been constantly changing in the last century in accordance with the different taxonomic systems. Together with the morphological identification, current criteria for Fusarium species identification are also based on biological and phylogenetic species recognition. However these criteria rarely agree to each other. Therefore, it is still a charming scientific challenge to ascertain the taxonomic status of Fusarium species, which in the years have been continuously 'splitted' and 'lumpered' by scientists. The major cases of the taxonomic debates amongst the Fusarium community will be here discussed.