Global Plant Pathogen Index		A cooperative project of: Biologische Bundesanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft Botanische Staatssammlung München Universität Frankfurt Universität Halle Universität Tübingen
		Funded by the BIOLOG initiative of the German Ministry for Research and Education (BMBF)

Global Information System for the Biodiversity of Smut fungi (Ustilaginales s. l. & Microbotryales, Basidiomycota)

Responsible project leader: Prof. Dr. M. Piepenbring, Botanisches Institut, Universität Frankfurt, E-Mail: piepenbring@em.uni-frankfurt.de.

Collaborators: G. Hagedorn, Prof. Dr. G. Deml, Hou Cheng Lin, Prof. Dr. F. Oberwinkler.

Project summary

Ustilago maydis in Bolivia

The emphasis of the project is on nomenclature, analyses of literature and collection data, standardising and updating of morphological descriptions, analysis of host range and integration of molecular data. Because of the work that has been done previously the project comprises data mainly of high quality standards, thus a first release of the information system will be tested thereupon. The work done on smuts already comprises numerous molecular data that will be further supplemented. A forthcoming version of the information system will additionally use morphological data to determine pathogens interactively.

Progress report

Species Descriptions

Descriptions of 727 species of smut fungi have been "translated" into the structured DiversityDescriptions database. On average 67 states or measurements have been recorded per species (= a total of 49052). The taxa included represent: 252 species descriptions are based on the original data by M. Piepenbring (monograph on smut fungi from the neotropics) and 469 species of smut fungi whose descriptions were published by Vánky (1994), and the remaining species are from Durán 1987 or other published sources.

Currently available information on the web includes:

• Interactive key to smut fungi (based on the preliminary data, using DeltaAccess-Perl)
• Taxon descriptions as html forms
• Taxon descriptions as single DELTA file (a technical format)
• Taxon descriptions as ZIP-archive containing 3 strict, CSIRO-DELTA compatible files

Host-pathogen Check Lists

So far 5381 records providing the name of smut fungi, the host species and the locality (country and province) have been entered into the main GLOPP host-pathogen database. The data are based on Vánky (1985), Vánky (1994), Durán (1987) and the monograph on neotropical smut fungi by Piepenbring (in print).

At the moment this information can only be reached through the general host-pathogen search prototype. A special interface for smut fungi is under preparation.

Taxonomy and Synonymy

Currently, we are in the process of entering synonymy data about smut fungi, primarily from Vánky (1994) and the Flora Neotropica Monograph (Piepenbring). As of 14. Nov., 427 synonymizations have been entered.

Literature cited

Vánky, K. 1985. Carpathian Ustilaginales. Symb. Bot. Upsal. 24: 1-309.

Vánky, K. 1994. European smut fungi. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany.

Durán, R. 1987. Ustilaginales of Mexico. Taxonomy, symptomatology, spore germination, and basidial cytology. Washington State University Pullman, USA.

Piepenbring, M. Smut fungi (Ustilaginomycetes p. p. and Microbotryales). Flora Neotropica Monograph (accepted).

M. Piepenbring & G. Hagedorn, 6. March 2003