This award will support the continuation of collaborative research between Professor Richard T. Hanlin of the University of Georgia and Prof. Omar Tortolero of the Universidad Centro Occidental in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. The investigators intend to continue to collect, identify, and characterize taxonomically plant pathogenic ascomycetes occurring on crops plants in Venezuela, and to study the life histories of selected species. An illustrated key to genera of plant pathogenic ascomycetes in Venezuela will be prepared in Spanish. The results of these studies will be jointly prepared for publication and specimens of the collected fungi will be deposited in herbaria in Venezuela with duplicates deposited in herbaria in the United States. Ascomycetes and their conidial states constitute a major portion of the fungi that cause serious diseases of economic crops in Venezuela and other tropical countries. Although the causal agents of the most common crop diseases induced by ascomycetes have been well characterized taxonomically, there are numerous lesser-known diseases for which the pathogen has not been accurately identified. Information is also needed on the life histories of these fungi, such as the time of the host infection, the development of the pathogen in the host, and the nature of spore states produced. This collaboration will bring together experienced researchers in a project of mutual benefit that should improve our understanding of tropical diseases and their causal fungi.
