Chapter 131 - Tilletiaria Bandoni & Johri (1972)

Abstract

This chapter studies the genus Tilletiaria. In the determination of the asexual reproduction it is seen that colonies are tough and grayish-brown. Hyphae are septate, narrow, hyaline, and monokaryotic and have retraction septa. Septal pores are poorly differentiated dolipore-like structures without parenthesomes. Ballistoconidia form on sterigmata and are allantoid and falcate. In sexual reproduction it is found that the species is homothallic. Teliospores occur intercalarily or terminally on the hyphae, and are echinulate and brown and germinate with one- to four-celled basidia. The chapter also discusses physiology/biochemistry and phylogenetic placement of the genus. The type species taken is Tilletiaria anomala. In the systematic discussion of the species, growth on 5% malt extract agar, growth on the surface of liquid media, Dalmau plate culture on morphology agar, formation of ballistoconidia, formation of teliospores, and origin of the strain studied are determined. Tilletiaria is characterized by the presence of narrow hyphae without clamp connections, allantoid to falcate ballistoconidia, and brown, echinulate teliospores.