Methods in microbial systematics have developed and changed significantly in the last 40 years. This has resulted in considerable change in both the defining microbial species and the methods required to make reliable identifications. Developments in information technology have enabled ready access to vast amounts of new and historic data online. Establishing both the relevance, and the most appropriate use, of this data is now a major consideration when undertaking identifications and systematic research. This book provides some insights into how current methods and resources are being used in microbial systematics, together with some thoughts and suggestions as to how both methodologies and concepts may develop in the future. It includes coverage of: The philosophy and changes in microbial systematics, including the relevance of names, new concepts of species, and the issues encountered with species that cannot be grown in culture. The application of new identification technologies, specifically those based on nucleic acids and complex chemo-taxonomic methods. The challenges of using published databases and other data resources in arriving at an identification appropriate to current species concepts. The practical requirements of an identification: obtaining and verifying reference cultures and data, and the type and level of identification required by different users. This book is suitable for academic researchers, scientists involved with identification or survey, microbiologists, students and extension workers.

Diseases caused by Ganoderma species cause major losses of palms and other perennial crops throughout the world, and these are particularly significant in Asia. Successive replanting of crop monocultures can be rapidly exploited by soil-borne fungi such as Ganoderma, and the problem will become more serious in the 21st century, as more areas become due for second or even third replanting. Environmental considerations will reduce exploitation of new forest areas, making further replanting of these crops inevitable. Thus, appropriate, integrated management systems for these diseases are vital. However, the development of such control measures has been hampered in the past by a limited knowledge of the nature and inter-relationships of populations of different hosts and the mechanisms of disease establishment and spread.This book aims to address these limitations through enhanced knowledge of the biology and taxonomy of Ganoderma species. The use of molecular and biochemical methods can be used to provide a greater understanding of the spread of the pathogen, and consequently, the improved management of disease.

The fungal kingdom consists of a wide variety of organisms with a diverse range of forms and functions. Fungi have been utilized for thousands of years and their importance in agriculture, medicine, food production and the environmental sciences is well known. New advances in genomic and metabolomic technologies have allowed further developments in the use of fungi in industry and medicine, increasing the need for a compilation of new applications, developments and technologies across the mycological field."Applied Mycology" brings together a range of contributions, highlighting the diverse nature of current research. Chapters include discussions of fungal associations in the environment, agriculture and forestry, long established and novel applications of fungi in fermentation, the use of fungi in the pharmaceutical industry, the growing recognition of fungal infections, current interests in the use fungal enzymes in biotechnology and the new and emerging field of myconanotechnology. Demonstrating the broad coverage and importance of mycological research, this book will be of interest to researchers and students in all biological sciences.

This volume contains a series of contributions from established European researchers which consider aspects of molecular variability in fungal pathogens. Chapters are derived from a workshop held in Evian, France, in September 1997, supported by the EU Concerted Action Air 3-CT94-2448. The volume is divided into three sections. The first includes contributions which consider and review the major mechanisms involved, the second details specific studies on variability in populations of different fungal pathogens, and the third includes contributions on methods for interpreting such variability. The workshop was intended to bring together methods and understanding from a wide range of fungal pathogens, and this is reflected in the volume where individual contributions include case studies and reviews of populations of fungi pathogenic on insects and nematodes as well as plant and human pathogens. The combination of mechanisms, characterization and interpretation across a wide range of applied mycology makes this a significant general text for those working on molecular characterization. The broad spectrum of topics provides a multidisciplinary reference source within mycology and the book will be suitable for postgraduate students and research scientists in applied mycology, including plant pathology, medical mycology and biological control.