Fusarium casha sp. nov. and F. curculicola sp. nov. in the Fusarium fujikuroi Species Complex Isolated from Amaranthuscruentus and Three Weevil Species in South Africa

Trials are currently being conducted in South Africa to establish Amaranthus cruentus as a new pseudocereal crop. During recent surveys, Fusarium species were associated with weevil damage A. fields. Preliminary studies showed that some of these grouped into two distinct clades within the F. fujikuroi complex. The aim this study was characterize isolates based on morphology and phylogeny translation elongation factor 1α (TEF1α) gene region, ß-tubulin 2 (ßT) region RNA polymerase II subunit (RPB2), determine if pathogenic cruentus. Phylogenetic morphological represent novel described here casha curculicola. Both shown have potential be during routine greenhouse inoculation tests. While isolations indicate possible association between weevils, further research is needed understand role weevils disease development involving curculicola