Acidified peel of litchi fruits selects for postharvestPenicillium decay

Litchi fruits are fumigated after harvest with sulfur dioxide (SO₂) to prevent their rapid browning. SO₂ blocks enzymatic activity but bleaches the fruits and, if this process is followed by dipping the fruit in dilute hydrochloric acid, the appealing red color is regained. Hot water brushing (HWB) is among the alternative methods that were developed to replace the use of SO₂. HWB reduced fungal population size on the surface of the fruit peel after treatment but did not eliminate fruit infection after storage. Whereas untreated fruits were infected with a variety of fungal species,Penicillium sp. was the only fungus that developed on the pericarp after storage in fruits that had been dipped in 1.5M HCl. Fruit treated by HWB followed by handling and storage under sterile conditions suffered greater decay than fruit stored under non-sterile conditions but with more ventilation. APenicillium sp. isolated from litchi grew well in liquid medium acidified to the pH range reported for SO₂ and HCl-treated litchi fruits. Morphological analysis identified fungal isolates asP. aurantiogriseum. Internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis of five isolates suggested a sequence similarity toP. commune. Our data support the hypothesis that dipping litchi fruit in hydrochloric acid eliminates infection by common opportunistic fungi and selects forPenicillium species that tolerate low pH. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting April 30, 2004.     

Responses of cucumber cultivars to induction of systemic resistance against anthracnose by plant growth promoting fungi

Initial experiment on the reactions of five Japanese cultivars of cucumber toColletotrichum orbiculare infection in the greenhouse revealed that cv Suyo and Gibai were susceptible and moderately susceptible, respectively, while cv Shogoin fushinari and Sagami hanjiro were resistant to infection byC. orbiculare; cv Ochiai fushinari was moderately resistant. The ability of 16 plant growth promoting fungi (some isolates belonged to species ofPhoma and some non-sporulating isolates) isolated from zoysiagrass rhizospheres to induce systemic resistance in the above five cucumber cultivars was tested by growing plants in potting medium infested with barley grain inocula of PGPF in the greenhouse. The second true leaves of 21-day-old plants were challenge inoculated withC. orbiculare and disease assessed. Nine, out of 16 isolates, caused significant reduction of disease caused byC. orbiculare in at least two cultivars.Phoma isolates (GS8-1 and GS8-2) and non-sporulating isolates (GU21-2, GU23-3, and GU24-3) significantly reduced the disease in all the five cultivars. The disease suppression in cucumber was due to the induction of systemic resistance, since the inducer(s) and the pathogen were separated spatially and that the inducer did not colonize aerial portions. The resistance induced by certain isolates in a susceptible cultivar was less than that in a resistant cultivar. Disease suppression caused by isolate GU21-2 was similar to theC. orbiculare induced control in certain cultivars. The average rate of expansion of lesion diameter on leaves due toC. orbiculare was slower due to induction with the selected plant growth promoting fungi compared to the uninduced control plants. Roots of four cultivars were colonized by only three isolates, however, roots of one cultivar (Suyo) was colonized by five isolates suggesting the cultivar-specific root colonization ability.Abbreviations cv cultivar(s) - PGPF plant growth promoting fungal isolates - PGPR plant growth promoting rhizobacteria     

Endo-polygalacturonase from Cladosporium cucumerinum elicits lignification in cucumber hypocotyls

The cucumber pathogen Cladosporium cucumerinum produces one endo-polygalacturonase and at least two exo-polygalacturonases during growth in a liquid medium containing citrus pectin as the carbon source. The endo-polygalacturonase was purified nine-fold by ion-exchange chrumatography and gel filtration. The enzyme elicits lignification in cucumber hypocotyls down to a concentration of about 0·08 units ml⁻¹ which corresponds to about 70 ng protein ml⁻¹. It also releases elicitors of lignification from polygalacturonic acid and cucumber cell walls. The enzyme has a pH-optimum between 5·0 and 5·5, a molecular weight of about 38 000 and contains neutral hexose and protein in a ratio of 15:85 (w/w). The endo-polygalacturonase elicits lignification equally effectively in susceptible as in resistant cucumber hypocotyl segments, and releases about the same amount of elicitor from the cell walls of resistant and susceptible cucumber hypocotyls. This does not exclude the involvement of endo-polygalacturonase in the lignification reaction of resistant cucumber plants towards C. cucumerinum, but the specificity of the reaction must apparently be determined by other molecules.     

木霉分生孢子和厚垣孢子对黄瓜叶片抗氧化系统及枯萎病防效的影响

采用前期筛选出的对黄瓜枯萎病菌有较好拮抗作用的3株木霉菌,即哈茨木霉菌(Trichoderma harzianum)809、拟康氏木霉菌(Trichoderma pseudokoningii)886和棘孢木霉菌(Trichoderma asperellum)525,利用盆栽试验,测定了木霉菌分生孢子和厚垣孢子对黄瓜幼苗抗氧化能力及对枯萎病防效的影响。结果显示:3株木霉菌分生孢子和厚垣孢子对黄瓜枯萎病的盆栽防效均在66.81%以上,且以拟康氏木霉菌886厚垣孢子防效最高,达到81.46%;当黄瓜幼苗长至三叶一心时,与CK(即只接种病原菌)相比,经哈茨木霉菌809、拟康氏木霉菌886、棘孢木霉菌525分生孢子以及厚垣孢子处理后,黄瓜幼苗叶片相对电导率和丙二醛(MDA)含量均呈下降趋势,而保护性酶包括过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性则呈上升趋势,其中以拟康氏木霉菌886厚垣孢子的变化幅度最显著;拟康氏木霉菌886厚垣孢子处理的黄瓜幼苗叶片相对电导率、MDA含量分别比CK下降了47.74%、41.40%;而叶片中的POD、CAT、APX、SOD活性则分别比CK增加了318.11%、155.36%、157.09%和300.34%。研究表明3株木霉菌分生孢子和厚垣孢子均能通过改善黄瓜幼苗叶片抗氧化能力,增加保护酶活性,提高了对黄瓜枯萎病的防治效果。     

Detection of fungi producing infection-inhibiting metabolites against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alternaria alternata</Emphasis> Japanese pear pathotype from fungi inhabiting internal tissues of Japanese pear shoots

Fungi inhabiting Japanese pear were isolated from internal tissues of cv. Nijisseiki, and culture filtrates (CFs) of 100 isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against infection by Alternaria alternata Japanese pear pathotype. CFs of 11 isolates inhibited lesion formation on the pear by the pathogen. Among these isolates, CFs of five isolates inhibited spore germination. CFs of the six other isolates inhibited appressorial formation, infection hypha formation, AK-toxin production, or a combination of these actions. Analysis of sequence homology in the rDNA ITS1 regions of these isolates showed that most isolates had high homology with some fungal endophytes.     

Characterisation of a protein from Venturia inaequalis that induces necrosis in Malus carrying the Vm resistance gene

Apple scab (black spot) is caused by the fungus, Venturia inaequalis. Race 1 isolates of this fungus are avirulent on Malus hosts carrying the resistance gene V_m. Detached leaves from a V_m host (resistant, differential host 5) and ‘Royal Gala’ (susceptible, host 1) were inoculated with a conidial suspension of V. inaequalis. In the resistant reaction, a hypersensitive response (HR), characterised by necrosis and the accumulation of autofluorescent materials in epidermal and mesophyll cells, was observed at the site of fungal penetration. No HR was observed in the susceptible host. V. inaequalis grown in vitro produced an elicitor that induced necrosis, similar to the HR, when infiltrated into leaves of the resistant V_m host. No response, however, was observed in the susceptible host. The elicitor was proteinaceous and a fraction with elicitor activity was isolated using ultra-filtration, acetone precipitation and ion-exchange chromatography. The elicitor activity was resistant to boiling but it was abolished by digestion with proteinase K. The protein fraction contained three major proteins all with low isoelectric points (pI 3·0–4·5). The fraction also elicited necrosis in the differential host 4, but not in any of the other resistant hosts tested, including differential hosts 2, 3, and 6. Therefore, the fraction may contain elicitors with more than one host specificity.     

Identification of Trichoderma SKT-1, a biological control agent against seedborne pathogens of rice

Trichoderma SKT-1 was previously reported as a powerful biological control agent against seedborne pathogens of rice, but the taxonomic disposition of the fungal isolate was not clear. Trichoderma SKT-1 produced irregular pyramidal warts on conidia and had an optimum growth temperature of 30°C. Morphological characteristics and colony growth were identical to those of known species of Trichoderma, including the newly recognized species T. asperellum. The 5.8S rDNA with the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (ca. 514 bp) of the fungus was compared with those of known species to determine the phylogenetic placement of the fungus. The length and sequence of the regions from Trichoderma SKT-1 were completely identical to those of an isolate of T. asperellum NRRL 5242 (AJ230669). On the basis of these results, we concluded that Trichoderma SKT-1 was T. asperellum.     

Substrate Colonization, Strain Competition, Enzyme Production In Vitro, and Biocontrol of Pythium ultimum by Trichoderma spp. Isolates P1 and T3

The antagonistic Trichoderma spp. isolates P1 and T3 differed in their ability to colonize and to compete in sphagnum peat moss and on wood chips. In peat supplemented with straw, isolate T3 produced twice as many colony forming units (cfu) as isolate P1. On wood chips, the two isolates formed a similar number of cfu. When the two Trichoderma isolates were cultivated together approximately 85–90% of the cfu were from T3 on both substrates. The presence of Pythium ultimum in peat amended with straw did not influence the number of Trichoderma cfu formed. The two Trichoderma isolates produced different amounts of hydrolytic enzymes both in liquid cultures and in peat. Seven different enzyme activities were tested. Enzyme production by T. harzianum isolate T3 was less influenced by the type of carbon source amendment than that of isolate T. atroviride P1. Culture filtrates of isolate P1 grown on complex carbon sources were high in endochitinase activity, whereas cellulase and endo-1,3--glucanase activities were more pronounced in filtrates of isolate T3. There was no significant difference between the two isolates in their ability to protect cucumber seedlings against P. ultimum while the combination of the two fungi resulted in significantly less biocontrol than each isolate alone.     

Induction of systemic resistance against Cucumber mosaic virus by Penicillium simplicissimum GP17‐2 in Arabidopsis and tobacco

The plant growth‐promoting fungus, Penicillium simplicissimum GP17‐2, was evaluated for its ability to induce resistance against Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) in Arabidopsis thaliana and tobacco plants. Treatment with barley grain inoculum (BGI) of GP17‐2 significantly enhanced fresh weight, dry weight and leaf number of A. thaliana and tobacco plants 6 weeks after planting. Two weeks after CMV inoculation, all plants treated with BGI of GP17‐2 or its culture filtrate (CF) showed a significant reduction in disease severity compared with non‐treated control plants, which exhibited severe mosaic symptoms by the end of the experiment. The enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) demonstrated that CMV accumulation was significantly reduced in plants treated with GP17‐2 or its CF relative to control plants. Based on RT‐PCR, plants treated with GP17‐2 (BGI or CF) also exhibited increased expression of regulatory and defence genes involved in the SA and JA/ET signalling pathways. These results suggested that multiple defence pathways in A. thaliana and tobacco were involved in GP17‐2‐mediated resistance to CMV, although neither the transgenic NahG line, nor the npr1, jar1 or ein3 mutants disrupted the response in A. thaliana. This is the first report to demonstrate the induction of systemic resistance against CMV by GP17‐2 or its CF.     

Systemic resistance to bacterial leaf speck pathogen in Arabidopsis thaliana induced by the culture filtrate of a plant growth-promoting fungus (PGPF) Phoma sp. GS8-1

The culture filtrate (CF) from the plant growth-promoting fungus Phoma sp. GS8-1 was found to induce systemic resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana against the bacterial leaf speck pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst), and the underlying mechanism was studied. Roots of A. thaliana were treated with CF from GS8-1, and plants expressed a clear resistance to subsequent Pst infection; disease severity was reduced, and proliferation of pathogen was suppressed. Various mutants of A. thaliana were used to test whether the CF induced resistance through one of the known signaling pathways: salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET). The CF was fully protective against Pst in Arabidopsis mutants jar1 and ein2 similar to wild-type plants. However, its efficacy was reduced in plants containing transgene NahG. Examination of systemic gene expression revealed that CF modulates the expression of SA-inducible PR-1, PR-2 and PR-5 genes, the JA/ET-inducible ChitB gene, and the ET-inducible Hel gene. Moreover, the expression of these genes was further enhanced upon subsequent stimulation after attack by Pst. Our data suggest that in addition to a partial requirement for SA, the signals JA and ET may also play a role in defense signaling in Arabidopsis.     

Variation in growth rates and aggressiveness of naturally occurring self‐fertile and self‐sterile isolates of the wilt pathogen Ceratocystis albifundus

Ceratocystis albifundus is the most important fungal pathogen of black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) grown in plantations in southern and eastern Africa. It is a homothallic fungus but also undergoes unidirectional mating type switching. As a result, the ascospore progeny can be either self‐fertile or self‐sterile. The only apparent difference between these mating types is the deletion of the MAT1‐2‐1 gene in self‐sterile isolates. There is some evidence suggesting that self‐sterile isolates grow more slowly than self‐fertile isolates, but this has not been tested rigorously. The aim of this study was to determine whether self‐sterile isolates are less fit by examining growth rate, relative germination rate and pathogenicity. Five self‐sterile isolates were generated from each of five self‐fertile isolates of C. albifundus and these 30 isolates were compared. The results showed that the self‐sterile isolates grew consistently slower and were less pathogenic than the self‐fertile isolates. The germination ratio of self‐fertile to self‐sterile isolates from single ascospores collected from the ascomata of five self‐fertile isolates was on average 7:3. This could be a consequence of the self‐sterile isolates having a lower germination rate. This observation, and the lower growth and pathogenicity levels, suggests that self‐sterile isolates are not likely to compete effectively in nature, raising intriguing questions regarding their role and value to C. albifundus and other fungi having a similar mating system.     

木霉分生孢子和厚垣孢子对黄瓜幼苗生理特性及枯萎病防效的影响

采用前期筛选出的对黄瓜枯萎病菌有较好拮抗作用的3株木霉菌,即哈茨木霉Trichoderma harzianum 809、拟康氏木霉Trichoderma pseudokoningii 886和棘孢木霉Trichoderma asperellum 525,利用盆栽试验,测定了木霉菌孢子不同类型施用对黄瓜幼苗生长、生理特性及枯萎病防效的影响。结果表明:哈茨木霉809、拟康氏木霉886、棘孢木霉525分生孢子和厚垣孢子对黄瓜枯萎病的盆栽防效均在66.81%以上,且以拟康氏木霉886厚垣孢子防效最高,达到81.46%。当黄瓜幼苗长至三叶一心时,3株木霉菌分生孢子和厚垣孢子处理的黄瓜幼苗株高、茎粗、根体积、叶面积、全株鲜质量均比CK显著上升,以厚垣孢子886的促进效果最显著,其株高、茎粗、根体积、叶面积、全株鲜质量分别较CK增加了85.33%、108.43%、235.29%、144.38%、272.32%。同时,3株木霉菌分生孢子和厚垣孢子处理的黄瓜幼苗叶绿素含量、根系活力、叶片可溶性糖含量、叶片可溶性蛋白含量也均比CK显著上升,厚垣孢子886的促进效果仍最显著,其叶绿素含量、根系活力、叶片可溶性糖含量、叶片可溶性蛋白含量分别较CK增加了97.47%、86.05%、172.49%、201.91%。     

Suppression of Verticillium Wilt in Eggplant by Some Fungal Root Endophytes

One hundred and twenty-three fungal isolates were obtained from 225 root segments of eggplants, melon, tomato, strawberry and Chinese cabbage, grown as bait plants in a mixed soil made up of samples from different fields in Shizuoka, Japan. Isolates belonging to Mycelium radicis atrovirens (MRA), including Phialocephala fortinii, were the most prevalent in all the five bait plants. Eleven of the 123 isolates, after being inoculated onto axenically reared eggplant seedlings, almost completely suppressed the pathogenic effects of a post-inoculated, virulent strain of Verticillium dahliae. Seven of these 11 isolates had come from the roots of eggplant and included Heteroconium chaetospira, P. fortinii, and unidentified species of Fusarium, Penicillium, Trichoderma and MRA. P. fortinii, H. chaetospira, a non-sporulating isolate with white mycelium (SWM) and MRA were easily reisolated from root segments. Hyphae of H. chaetospira, P. fortinii and SWM colonized the root tissues of eggplant without causing apparent pathogenic symptoms. The mechanisms by which these endophytes confer resistance to infection by V. dahliae are unknown but the effectiveness of these fungi in a laboratory setting indicates that they have potential as biocontrol agents and merit further investigation.     

Biotic changes in relation to local decrease in soil conduciveness to disease caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizoctonia solani</Emphasis>

The relationships between biotic changes and local decrease in soil conduciveness in disease patches towards the disease incited by Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-2 in a sugar beet field in France were investigated. Soil samples from healthy and diseased areas were analysed for bacterial and fungal densities, molecular and physiological microbial community structures, and antagonistic abilities of Trichoderma isolates collected from diseased and healthy areas. Although the inoculum density was higher inside the disease patches, the respective soil was less conducive towards disease incited by R. solani AG 2-2. It was concluded that the pathogen was present in healthy areas but did not incite disease in field conditions. Conversely, the response of the microflora to previous development of R. solani in diseased areas prevented further pathogenic activity. Indeed, genetic and physiological structures of the fungal communities and physiological structures of the bacterial communities were modified in disease patches compared to healthy areas. The terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis revealed that the peaks corresponding to R. solani and Trichoderma spp. were higher inside the patches than in the healthy areas. Trichoderma isolates from the disease patches were more antagonistic than those from the healthy areas. These results suggest that disease caused by R. solani AG 2-2 induced changes in genetic and physiological structure of microbial populations and development of antagonists. The decreased conduciveness inside the patches may help explain patch mobility in the following season.     

Parasitism of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma</Emphasis> on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Meloidogyne javanica</Emphasis> and role of the gelatinous matrix

Trichoderma (T. asperellum-203, 44 and GH11; T. atroviride-IMI 206040 and T. harzianum-248) parasitism on Meloidogyne javanica life stages was examined in vitro. Conidium attachment and parasitism differed beween the fungi. Egg masses, their derived eggs and second-stage juveniles (J2) were parasitized by Trichoderma asperellum-203, 44, and T. atroviride following conidium attachment. Trichoderma asperellum-GH11 attached to the nematodes but exhibited reduced penetration, whereas growth of T. harzianum-248 attached to egg masses was inhibited. Only a few conidia of the different fungi were attached to eggs and J2s without gelatinous matrix; the eggs were penetrated and parasitized by few hyphae, while J2s were rarely parasitized by the fungi. The gelatinous matrix specifically induced J2 immobilization by T. asperellum-203, 44 and T. atroviride metabolites that immobilized the J2s. A constitutive-GFP-expressing T. asperellum-203 construct was used to visualize fungal penetration of the nematodes. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the formation of coiling and appressorium-like structures upon attachment and parasitism by T. asperellum-203 and T. atroviride. Gelatinous matrix agglutinated T. asperellum-203 and T. atroviride conidia, a process that was Ca²⁺-dependent. Conidium agglutination was inhibited by carbohydrates, including fucose, as was conidium attachment to the nematodes. All but T. harzianum could grow on the gelatinous matrix, which enhanced conidium germination. A biomimetic system based on gelatinous-matrix-coated nylon fibers demonstrated the role of the matrix in parasitism: T. asperellum-203 and T. atroviride conidia attached specifically to the gelatinous-matrix-coated fibers and parasitic growth patterns, such as coiling, branching and appressoria-like structures, were induced in both fungi, similarly to those observed during nematode parasitism. All Trichoderma isolates exhibited nematode biocontrol activity in pot experiments with tomato plants. Parasitic interactions were demonstrated in planta: females and egg masses dissected from tomato roots grown in T. asperellum-203-treated soil were examined and found to be parasitized by the fungus. This study demonstrates biocontrol activities of Trichoderma isolates and their parasitic capabilities on M. javanica, elucidating the importance of the gelatinous matrix in the fungal parasitism.     

Identification of potential native chitinase-producing Trichoderma spp. and its efficacy against damping-off in onion

Chitinase-producing Trichoderma species have been recognized long ago against the phytopathogenic fungi. In this study, we evaluated the production of chitinase enzyme for seventeen isolates of Trichoderma isolated from onion growing districts of Punjab and assessed their bio-efficacy against damping-off in onion. In vitro, these Trichoderma isolates were screened for their antagonistic activity against the damping-off pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cepae by dual culture assay. These isolates were also screened for their chitinase enzyme activity; it was found that isolates T5 and T8 are showing higher antagonistic activity on Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cepae and also produced large amounts of chitinase enzymes in the presence of commercial colloidal chitin. The selected chitinolytic isolates were used in field studies to confirm the feasibility of their biological control efficacy against onion damping-off. In the field experiment, the seed+soil treatment of chitinolytic isolate (T8) showed a critical decrease of damping-off in onion by 88.75% over control.

     

苯并-1,2,3-噻二唑羧酸酯的合成及生物活性

为了寻找更多具有高诱导抗病活性的新化合物,基于对植物抗病激活剂S-甲基苯并 噻二唑-7-羧酸酯(BTH)的结构修饰,设计合成了5个新的含有柔性链及卤原子的苯并噻二唑-7-羧酸酯衍生物,其结构均经过核磁共振氢谱、质谱或元素分析及红外光谱确证。生物活性筛选结果显示,在500 mg/L质量浓度下,化合物 5e及5c对供试的细菌性病害和真菌性病害具有较好的防治效果,其中5e 对瓜类白粉病、瓜类炭疽病和水稻白叶枯病的防治效果均高于90%。     

Black leaf spot and circular leaf spot of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Farfugium japonicum</Emphasis> (L.) Kitamura caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phoma</Emphasis> spp.

In May 1998 and 1999, two types of leaf spot (black type and brown type) caused by Phoma spp. were found on Farfugium japonicum in Tokyo and in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. The fungus isolated from black-type lesions caused only black-type lesions, and the fungus from brown-type lesions caused only brown-type lesions. We propose to name these diseases black leaf spot of F. japonicum (kokuhan-byo in Japanese) for the disease with black lesions and circular leaf spot of F. japonicum (rinmon-byo in Japanese) for the disease with brown lesions. This is the first report on leaf diseases of F. japonicum caused by Phoma spp.     

Role of new bacterial surfactins in the antifungal interaction between Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Fusarium oxysporum

The aim of this work was to investigate the major mechanisms involved in antagonism of BO7, a novel strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens isolated from orchard soil, against the vascular wilt fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol). BO7 markedly reduced the incidence of Fol vascular wilt on tomato plants and displayed strong in vitro inhibitory activity against Fol. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated the ability of BO7 cells to adhere to fungal hyphae and to efficiently colonize tomato roots. The low molecular weight fraction of BO7 culture filtrate displayed high antifungal activity against Fol, resulting in growth inhibition and dramatic alterations of hyphal morphology. Three structurally related surfactin lipopeptides, identified as the major components of the bioactive fraction, were assayed for their inhibitory activity against Fol. One of these compounds exerted a strong and uncommon antifungal activity for lipopeptides of the surfactin family, accounting for most of the inhibitory activity of the BO7 culture filtrate. Among a collection of Fol knockout isolates tested, mutants altered in cell wall structure showed increased sensitivity to the bacterial compounds. These results suggest that the fungal cell wall might have a key role in the sensitivity of Fol towards bacterial surfactins from B. amyloliquefaciens.     

Tracing the origins of White Tip disease of Cirsium arvense and its causal agent,Phoma macrostoma

Cirsium arvense (Asteraceae) is known as creeping thistle in its native range in the UK and Canada thistle in its invasive North American range. Recently, the fungus Phoma macrostoma was registered in Canada as a bioherbicide in turfgrass, where it causes severe chlorosis (White Tip disease) and death of C. arvense and other broadleaved weeds. It was hypothesised that the disease originated in the UK on its thistle host and, therefore, that fungal isolates from both countries should be biologically and genetically similar. Twenty‐six strains in the genus Phoma– isolated during surveys in the UK – were compared morphologically with the type culture of P. macrostoma, tested for bioherbicidal activity using the inoculum mat bioassay and genetically screened with bioherbicide‐specific primers. White tip disease was found to be restricted to the eastern and southern counties of England. Phoma macrostoma was isolated consistently from diseased bleached tissues. Bioherbicidal isolates of P. macrostoma occupy a unique clade, which is phylogenetically distinct but morphologically indistinguishable from the type culture. Most isolates from the UK had the same bioherbicidal activity and similar genetic make‐up as strain SRC 94‐44B, the active ingredient in the registered Canadian product. The origin of all bioherbicidal strains found to date has a clear presence in both Canada and the UK, with strong genetic similarities, supporting the view of a common ancestry. Thus, on the evidence presented, the ‘white tip’ clade of P. macrostoma evolved in southern England. Therefore, the bioherbicide based on strain SRC 94‐44B should also be eligible for registration in the UK, based on the pest risk assessment data already available.