Plant pathogenic Magnaporthales in Australia, with particular reference to Pyricularia oryzae on wild and cultivated rice

Abstract

The Magnaporthales is an order of fungi that contains plant pathogens and saprobes. This order consists of three families, Pyriculariaceae, Magnaporthaceae and Ophioceraceae, which are phylogenetically, morphologically and ecologically distinct. To date, about 200 species have been described in Magnaporthales, of which approximately 50% are plant pathogens. Some species are important pathogens of grasses and cereals such as the rice blast
fungus Pyricularia oryzae (syn. Magnaporthe oryzae) and the take-all pathogen of cereals Gaeumannomyces graminis. The study of classification and identification of Magnaporthales
in Australia and pathogenicity of Pyricularia oryzae are reported in this thesis.