Molecular Diversity and PCR-detection of Toxigenic Fusarium Species and Ochratoxigenic Fungi : Under the aegis of COST Action 835 'Agriculturally Important Toxigenic Fungi 1998-2003', EU project (QLK1-CT-1998-01380) and the ISPP 'Fusarium Committee'

Toxigenic Fusarium species and ochratoxigenic fungi are responsible for various plant diseases which have important consequential effects on both human and animal health worldwide. The development of rapid, robust and sensitive detection methods based on new molecular technologies is urgently needed in order to identify fungal contamination in the field and quantify toxin accumulation in food and animal feed. Most of the contributions in this special issue are from results obtained through the EU 5th Framework project (QLKI-CT-1998-01380) "DETOX-FUNGI: early detection of toxigenic Fusarium species and ochratoxi­ genic fungi in plant products", which has strongly stimulated interaction and co-operation between many European scientists. Valuable contributions from other scientists have guaranteed a complete overview of this stimulating and interesting topic. This is the third special issue published in the European Journal of Plant Pathology concerning my­ cotoxigenic fungi under the aegis of COST Action 835 'Agriculturally Important Toxigenic Fungi'. The first two dealt with 'Mycotoxins in Plant Disease' (Vol. 108(7) 2002) and 'Epidemiology of Mycotoxin Pro­ ducing Fungi' (Vol. 109(7) 2003). The present issue contains contributions which cover aspects of molecular diversity, phylogeny and PCR-detection of toxigenic Fusarium species and various ochratoxigenic fungi. We hope these will prove helpful to researchers involved in similar work and will stimulate the future studies required for the early detection of these fungi, which is so essential for overcoming the health risks associated with mycotoxin-contaminated food products. Front Matter....Pages i-vii Phylogeny and molecular diagnosis of mycotoxigenic fungi....Pages 449-471 FUSARIUM-ID v. 1.0: A DNA sequence database for identifying Fusarium ....Pages 473-479 Quantitative detection of Fusarium species in wheat using TaqMan....Pages 481-494 A species-specific PCR assay based on the calmodulin partial gene for identification of Fusarium verticillioides, F. proliferatum and F. subglutinans ....Pages 495-502 Detection and differentiation of trichothecene and enniatin-producing Fusarium species on small-grain cereals....Pages 503-514 Differentiation of Fusarium verticillioides from banana fruits by IGS and EF-1α sequence analyses....Pages 515-523 Genetic markers for the analysis of variability and for production of specific diagnostic sequences in fumonisin-producing strains of Fusarium verticillioides ....Pages 525-532 Synteny in toxigenic Fusarium species: The fumonisin gene cluster and the mating type region as examples....Pages 533-544 Mitochondrial DNA diversity and lineage determination of European isolates of Fusarium graminearum ( Gibberella zeae )....Pages 545-550 Genetic diversity of Fusarium graminearum in Europe and Asia....Pages 551-562 Mitochondrial DNA variability in Fusarium proliferatum ( Gibberella intermedia )....Pages 563-571 Molecular and morphological diversity of Fusarium species in Finland and northwestern Russia....Pages 573-585 Mycotoxin production and molecular variability of European and American isolates of Fusarium culmorum ....Pages 587-599 Toxin profile, fertility and AFLP analysis of Fusarium verticillioides from banana fruits....Pages 601-609 Interfertility of two mating populations in the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex....Pages 611-618 Identification of growth stage specific transcript profiles in Fusarium proliferatum ( Gibberella fujikuroi , mating population D) by cDNA-AFLP analysis....Pages 619-625 Molecular diversity of agriculturally important Aspergillus species....Pages 627-640 PCR assay for identification of Aspergillus carbonarius and Aspergillus japonicus ....Pages 641-649 Production of ochratoxin A by Aspergillus ochraceus ....Pages 651-659 Analysis of differentially-expressed ochratoxin A biosynthesis genes of Penicillium nordicum ....Pages 661-669

The present issue contains contributions which cover many aspects of the molecular diversity, phylogeny, variability and PCR-detection of toxigenic fungi and their toxins. Notable amongst these are a review of the phylogeny and diagnosis of Fusarium species and a new system for identifying Fusarium species based on a DNA sequence database. Other papers describe the diversity and analysis of ochratoxigenic Aspergilli and Penicillia. This information will greatly aid those concerned with the early detection of these fungi and their mycotoxins, information which is so essential for overcoming the health risks associated with mycotoxin-contaminated food products.

Under the aegis of COST Action 835 'Agriculturally Important Toxigenic Fungi 1998-2003', EU project (QLK1-CT-1998-01380) and the ISPP 'Fusarium Committee'