On the so-called host range of sooty mould fungi

Abstract

The difference in so-called host range between the parasitic species and the saprophytic ones of sooty mould fungi was examined with Formosan specimens of about 170 species belonging to the Meliolaceae, the Microthyriaceae and the Capnodiaceae. The host range of the parasitic species belonging to Meliola, Meliolina, Irene, Irenopsis, Irenina, Amazonia and Balladyna of the Meliolaceae, and to Asterina, Parasterina, Lembosia and Morenoella of the Microthyriaceae was limited to several species in the same genus or in the same family. Among the species of the host plants there was such specific relationship as is found in the host plants of the parasites of other pathogenic fungi.
As shown in the tables 2∼5, the so-called host range of the saprophytic species belonging to Capnodium, Neocapnodium, Capnophaeum, Scorias, Chaetoscorias, Hypocapnodium, Aithaloderma, Limacinia, Chaetothyrium, Phaeosaccardinula, and Triposporiopsis of the Capnodiaceae was markedly varied; i. e. these host plants of Phaeosaccardinula javanica (Zimm.) Yam., Neocapnodium Tanakae (Shir. et Hara) Yam., Triposporiopsis spinigera (v Höhn.) Yam., Aithaloderma clavatisporum Syd. Hypocapnodium setosum (Zimm.) Speg., Scorias cylindrica Yam. and Capnodium Walteri Sacc. were respectively 48 species in 29 families, 48 species in 18 families, 38 species in 17 families, 13 species in 11 families, 9 species in 6 families, 3 species in 3 families and 2 species in 2 families. No specific relationship existed among the species of the host plants.
Since the saprophytic sooty mould fungi can well grow in the honeydew on any kind of plants when the pycnospores, conidia or mycelial fragments of the moulds are disseminated on the honeydew of various insects such as ants, flies, wasps and bees, the host range of the saprophytic species was considered to be determined by mean of the deposit of the honeydew and the extent of dissemination of the moulds.