This number of Mycological Research News features confusion over the identity of Trichoderma strains used in biocontrol, and recent changes made to the classification of Coprinus. Attention is also drawn to the new address of the Executive Editor.

Thirteen papers are included in this issue, three with widespread implications for our understanding of particular groups of fungi resulting from a combination of molecular and anatomical studies: the European poroid Hymenochaetales, the lichenized ascomycete family Bacidiaceae, and the Exobasidiales/Microstromatales.

Other molecular studies examine Ephelis isolates on grasses, compare the β-tubulin gene of Melampsora lini with that of other fungi, establish anamorph connections and synonymy in Cordyceps sinensis, variation in Botrytis elliptica, and the identification of ectomycorrhizal fungi in Eucalyptus ecosystems.

Phosphorous uptake in Phanerochaete velutina in relation to soil water potential has been studied. In Metarhizium anisopliae, proteins formed by cold-active isolates are documented, and the effect of different UV-B wavelengths explored. Effects of heavy metals on two fungi from polluted and clean streams are compared, and fungal mycelium preserved in amber 15–45 Myr old from the Dominican Republic is described.

The following new scientific names are introduced: Volvocisporiaceae fam. nov.; Pseudoinonotus, and Volvocisporium gens. nov.; Fuscoporia torulosa (syn. Polyporus torulosus), F. wahlbergii (syn. Trametes wahlbergii), Mensularia hastifera (syn. Inonotus hastifera), M. nodulosa (syn. Polyporus nodulosus), Pseudoinonotus chrondromyelus (syn. Inonotus chondromyelus), P. dryadeus (syn. Boletus dryadeus), P. victoriensis (syn. Polyporus victoriensis), and V. triumfetticola (syn. Muribasidiopsora triumfetticola) combs. nov.

This contribution of Mycological Research News features Pseudotulostoma: the find of the century?

This issue contains 15 original research papers. Fast-tracked is the description of a new and serious plant pathogen of Rhododendron and Viburnum, Phytophthora ramorum. Pistachio gummosis is found to be caused by two species of Phytophthora, one new to science. New molecular data confirm that the loculoascomycetes are not monophyletic, and show Chaetothyriomycetes to be a sister group of Eurotiomycetes, and that the Laboulbeniales warrant recognition as a separate ascomycete class (the Laboulbeniomycetes). Molecular studies on the hypogeous Arcangeliella borziana reveal a relationship to Lactarius sect. Russularia. A major study of Daldinia using a wide variety of biochemical and molecular methods is presented, and biometric studies on Pythium oospores demonstrate the efficacy of the approach in species separations.

The development of Sphaerotheca fusca on different melon cultivars is compared, Neotyphodium endophytes in grasses have been demonstrated inside vascular bundles for the first time, and the adhesion of conidia and germlings of Bipolaris sorokiana on solid surfaces investigated. In Agaricus bisporus the transcript levels of genes when stored is compared to that at harvest, and the behaviour of carbon-starved Penicillium chrysogenum cultures has been examined. The ability of citric and oxalic acids, and also culture filtrates of Aspergillus niger, to bind cobalt and zinc ions has been examined.

A remarkable new ascomycete discovered in Guyana, Pseudotulostoma volvata, resembles a gasteromycete, and a second species of Merimbla has been found in Mexico.

The following new scientific names are introduced: Pseudotulostoma gen. nov.; Merimbla humicoloides, Phytophthora pistaciae, P. ramorum, and Pseudotulostoma volvata spp. nov.

Evidence that the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are not closely related to the zygomycetes, with which they have traditionally been placed, has been growing. Fast tracked in this issue is a paper comparing the SSU rRNA gene sequences in a wide range of these and other fungi and formally establishing a new phylum, Glomeromycota, and further three new orders for these fungi (pp. 1413–1421).

This Mycological Research News features: Non-lichenized ascomycete lineages are derived from lichenized ancestors; and Changes in Coprinus questioned.

The issue contains the Presidential Address given by Stefan Buczacki in December 2000 on Berkeley's legacy, and 15 original research papers.

A protocol for protoplast preparation in Rhizoctonia solani is presented and transformation reported. Four papers describe molecular variability in different fungi; mycorrhizal Pisolithus strains in Australia; Mycosphaerella species on Eucalyptus; Phytophthora infestans; and Sphaeropsis sapinea.

The fungus causing anthracnose of tobacco is shown to be Colletotrichum destructivum, and the infection process followed.

One biotype of Trichoderma harzianum causing damage in Agaricus bisporus beds is tolerant of inhibitory bacteria. An extracellular mutanase from this same species may have applications in oral hygiene, and a protease from Cryptococcus neoformans has been found to be a metallopetidase.

Two papers focus on fungal development: sclerotial formation in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum may be triggered by oxidative stress; and rhizomorphs of Armillaria luteobulbina formed in aerial and submerged culture are compared.

The assemblages of endophytic fungi in different species of mangroves differ.

Systematic papers in this issue: revise the corticioid Sistotremateae in the Patagonian Andes; describe a new genus in the Kickxellales; and describe a new species of Chionosphaera.

The following new scientific names are introduced: Myconymphaea gen. nov.; Chionosphaera cuniculicola, M. yatsukahoi, Sistotrema botryobasidioides, and S. globosa spp. nov.; C. phylacicola (syn. Fubulostilbum phylacicola) comb. Nov.

This issue of Mycological Research News features the evolutionary origins of ryegrass endophytes, and implications of the cyclosporin experience for bioprospecting.

This month's Mycological Research includes 17 papers. The first demonstrates the successful and stable transformation of the genome in Fusarium circinatum using the Agrobacterium tumifaciens Ti plasmid. Molecular studies include ones on six species of Agaricus to elucidate their breeding systems, further research on the ascomycete order Agyriales, Alternaria alternata isolates associated with pistachio late blight, 16 species of Claviceps, the Entomophthora muscae complex, Hebeloma velutipes, Mycocalicium subtile, Ophiostoma piceae and O. quercus, genera in the Thelebolaceae, isolates identified as Trichoderma aureoviride, Tuber magnatum, and a Venturia associated with aspen blight.

Alternaria alternata, A. gaisen and A. longipes are shown to be distinct species, and the infection process of A. cirsinoxia on Canada thistle is documented. A xylanase gene of Cochliobolus sativus (anamorph Bipolaris sorokiniana) has been characterized, as has an hydrophobin in Metarhizium anisopliae.

The following new scientific names are introduced: Ainoa, and Antarctomyces gens. nov.; Antarctomyces psychrotrophicus sp. nov.; and Ainoa geochroa (syn. Biatora geochroa), and A. mooreana (syn. Lecidea mooreana) combs. nov.

This issue of Mycological Research News features altruism within Dictyostelium colonies, and questions whether lichens protect or damage stonework.

This month's Mycological Research includes 16 papers. The first is a major contribution to knowledge of the diversity and ecology of coprophilous fungi, the most detailed to have appeared since 1972. Molecular studies focus on the Auriculariales and related orders, family and generic concepts in the Georgefischeriales, the Galerina marginata complex, Serpula lacrymans and S. himantioides, and lichenicolous fungi referred to Hobsonia and Marchandiomyces. A hydroxynaphthalene reductase gene from Ophiostoma floccosum has been cloned which complements a phenotype of Magnaporthe grisea, and chitin synthase sequences are reported in different arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Fungi able to grow on toluene have been investigated, the potential of Rhynchosporium alismatis chlamydospores in weed biocontrol explored, and the behaviour of the conidia of the entomopathogen Erynia neoaphidis in air studied.

Systematic papers concern Leptographium species on pines, novel fungi on Juncus roemerianus, a new homothallic Mortierella, and Sphaerella species described from filmy ferns.

The following new scientific names are introduced: Eballistraceae fam. nov.; Eballistra, Hobsoniopsis, Illosporiopsis, Phragmotaenium, and Pycnodallia gens. nov.; Hymenopsis chlorothrix, Leptographium alethinum, L. euphyes, L. pityophilum, Mortierella tsukubaensis, and Pycnodallia dupla spp. nov.; Eballistra brachiariae (syn. Entyloma brachyariae), E. lineata (syn. Melanotaenium lineata), E. oryzae (syn. Entyloma oryzae), Hobsoniopsis santessonii (syn. Hobsonia santessonii), Illosporiopsis christiansenii (syn. Hobsonia christiansenii), Jamesdicksonia dactylis (syn. Thecaphora dactylidis), J. eleochartis (syn. Ustilago eleochartis), J. irregularis (syn. Entyloma irregulare), J. ischaemianum (syn. Melanotaenium ischaemianum), J. scirpicola (syn. E. scirpicola), Phragmotaenium indicum (syn. Melanotaenium indicum), and Trichothelium assurgens (syn. Sphaerella assurgens) combs. nov.

This issue of Mycological Research News features instability in ectomycorrhizal associations, and the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the internal structures of fungi.

This month's Mycological Research includes 17 papers. The first reports catastrophic rupture of germinating conidia in a Glomerella graminicola mutant. The discovery of effective primers for the separation of ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete species is reported, genetic transformation of a Cercospora with a particle gun has been achieved, ploidy and aneuploidy levels in Armillaria have been analyzed by fluorescence flow cytometry and molecular methods, the molecular phylogeny of Collybia s. str. investigated, and the identity of a fungus cultivated by a leaf-cutter ant confirmed molecularly.

Protein production in different states of Flammulina velutipes is compared, and a remarkable heterogeneity of incompatible genets of Heterobasidion annosum found in a single stump. The intracellular thermotolerant lipoxygenase of Thermomyces lanuginosus has been characterized, and cell-wall degrading enzymes of Colletotrichum acutatum examined.

The identification of Fusarium species by the computer imaging of macroconidia is assessed. Other systematic papers provide a revision of Hygrocybe subgen. Pseudohygrocybe sect. Firmae in the Greater Antilles, and describe: a new aflatoxin-producing Aspergillus, a new Ophiostoma on Protea, a new genus of smuts on Arthropodium, and five new ascomycetes from native plants in Mauritius.

The following new scientific names are introduced: Dendrocollybia, Pellucida, and Yelsemia gens. nov.; Aspergillus pseudotamarii, Englerodothis oleae, Hygrocybe brunneosquamosa, H. cinereofirma, H. flavocampanulata, H. laboyi, H. miniatofirma, H. neofirma, H. olivaceofirma, Lepteutypa tropicalis, Ophiostoma africanum, P. pendulina, Pseudorhynchia mauritiana, and Y. arthropodii spp. nov.; and D. racemosa (syn. Agaricus racemosus) comb. nov.