Verticillium

A Microbial Biorealm page on the phylum Verticillium

Verticillium sp. well differentiated and erect conidiophores, verticillately branched over most of their length, bearing whorls of slender awl-shaped divergent phialides. Conidia are hyaline or brightly coloured, mostly one-celled, and are usually borne in slimy heads (glioconidia). [1]

Classification

Higher order taxa

Division Eucaryota, Kingdom Fungi, Phylum Ascomycota, Class Incertae sedis

Species

Verticillium dahliae
Verticillium lecanii
Verticillium albo-atrum

Description and Significance

One-sided wilt and death of potato leaves caused by Verticillium spp. by: [2]

Typical V-shaped lesions on tomato leaves associated with Verticillium wilt. by: [3]

Verticillium is a widely distributed filamentous fungus that inhabits decaying vegetation and soil. Some Verticillium species may be pathogenic to arthropods, plants, and other fungi. It is commonly considered as a contaminant. Verticillium may very rarely cause human disease.(1)

Verticillium is a genus of fungi of Ascomycota. This genus has three ecologically based group: mycopathogens, entomopathogens, and plant pathogens and related saprophytes. The commonly known species of Verticillium fall within the plant pathogens group.

Verticillim dehliae and Verticillim albo-atrum cause wilt diseases, which refers to loss of rigidity of non-woody parts of plants, in plants such as cotton, potatos, peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes. Because these fungi are soil-borne and can infect so many different plant species, Verticillium wilt is difficult to control. (4)

Symptoms of Verticillium wilt on maple: the left half of the tree appears diseased, while the right half appears healthy. (Photo by R. J. Stipes). by: [4]

Pathogenicity and Clinical Significance

Verticillium has been reported as a possible cause of keratitis in humans. (2)(3)

References

(1)http://www.doctorfungus.org/thefungi/verticillium.htm

(2)Larone, D. H. 1995. Medically Important Fungi - A Guide to Identification, 3rd ed. ASM Press, Washington, D.C.

(3)Sutton, D. A., A. W. Fothergill, and M. G. Rinaldi (ed.). 1998. Guide to Clinically Significant Fungi, 1st ed. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore.

(4)http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/plantdiseasefs/450-619/450-619.html