The fungal genus Fusarium is highly diverse, consisting of more than 300 phylogenetically distinct species that, collectively, occur as mutualists and/or plant pathogens on virtually all crops, including bioenergy crops such as corn, poplar, sorghum, soybean, sugarcane, and switchgrass. In addition, many species exist as saprotrophs in soil and other extreme environments. Because of their associations with plants, Fusarium species (fusaria) can profoundly impact “bioenergy” production and global “carbon cycling.”
Proposer: Li-Jun Ma, UMass Amherst
Proposal: Genome dynamics, chromosomal rearrangements and potential functional impacts in Fusarium, a genus of endophytic, plant pathogenic and saprophytic fungi