The Top 10 fungal pathogens in molecular plant pathology

• Published in: Molecular plant pathology Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 414 - 430
• Main Authors: DEAN, RALPH, VAN KAN, JAN A. L., PRETORIUS, ZACHARIAS A., HAMMOND-KOSACK, KIM E., DI PIETRO, ANTONIO, SPANU, PIETRO D., RUDD, JASON J., DICKMAN, MARTY, KAHMANN, REGINE, ELLIS, JEFF, FOSTER, GARY D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2012; Blackwell
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Blumeria graminis; Botrytis cinerea; Colletotrichum; Economic importance; f-sp lycopersici; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungal plant pathogens; Fungi; Fungi - physiology; Fungi - ultrastructure; Fusarium graminearum; Fusarium oxysporum; gene pi-ta; genetics; infection structure formation; Magnaporthe; magnaporthe-grisea; Melampsora lini; microbiology; Mycosphaerella graminicola; Pathogens; Perception; Phakopsora pachyrhizi; physiology; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plant communities; plant pathogenic fungi; Plant Pathology; Plants; Plants - genetics; Plants - microbiology; powdery mildew fungi; Puccinia; Reviews; Rhizoctonia solani; rice-blast fungus; rust avirulence proteins; scientists; surveys; Thanatephorus cucumeris; ultrastructure; Ustilago maydis; Ustilago zeae; Infection; Fungi; Plant pathology; Mycosis; Molecular domain
• ISSN: 1464-6722; 1364-3703
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1364-3703.2011.00783.x

SUMMARY The aim of this review was to survey all fungal pathologists with an association with the journal Molecular Plant Pathology and ask them to nominate which fungal pathogens they would place in a ‘Top 10’ based on scientific/economic importance. The survey generated 495 votes from the international community, and resulted in the generation of a Top 10 fungal plant pathogen list for Molecular Plant Pathology. The Top 10 list includes, in rank order, (1) Magnaporthe oryzae; (2) Botrytis cinerea; (3) Puccinia spp.; (4) Fusarium graminearum; (5) Fusarium oxysporum; (6) Blumeria graminis; (7) Mycosphaerella graminicola; (8) Colletotrichum spp.; (9) Ustilago maydis; (10) Melampsora lini, with honourable mentions for fungi just missing out on the Top 10, including Phakopsora pachyrhizi and Rhizoctonia solani. This article presents a short resumé of each fungus in the Top 10 list and its importance, with the intent of initiating discussion and debate amongst the plant mycology community, as well as laying down a bench‐mark. It will be interesting to see in future years how perceptions change and what fungi will comprise any future Top 10.