Fusarium striatum

Fusarium solani is a species complex of at least 26 closely related filamentous fungi in the division Ascomycota, family Nectriaceae. It is the anamorph of Nectria haematococca. It is a common soil fungus and colonist of plant materials. Fusarium solani is implicated in plant disease as well as human disease notably infection of the cornea of the eye. The genus Fusarium was described in 1809 by Link. In the 1930s, Wollenweber and Reinking organized the genus Fusarium into sections, including Martiella and Ventricosum, which were collapsed together by Snyder and Hansen in the 1940s to form a single species, Fusarium solani; one of nine Fusarium species they recognized based on morphological features. The current concept of F. solani is as a species complex consisting of multiple, closely related and morphologically poorly distinguishable, 'cryptic' species with characteristic genetic differences. The fungus is allied with the sexual species, Nectria haematococca, in the family Nectriaceae (phylum Ascomycota). Like other species in its genus, Fusarium solani produces colonies that are white and cottony. However, instead of developing a pink or violet centre like most Fusarium species, F. solani becomes blue-green or bluish brown. On the underside, they may be pale, tea-with-milk-brown, or red-brown. However, some clinical isolates have been blue-green or ink-blue on the underside. F. solani colonies are low-floccose, loose, slimy, and sporadical. When grown on potato dextrose agar (PDA), this fungus grows rapidly, but not as rapidly as Fusarium oxysporum. In PDA, F. solani colonies reach a diameter of 64–70 mm in 7 days. F. solani has aerial hyphae that give rise to conidiophores laterally. The conidiophores branch into thin, elongated monophialides that produce conidia. Phialides that produce macroconidia are shorter than those that produce microconidia. The macroconidia produced by F. solani are slightly curved, hyaline, and broad, often aggregating in fascicles. Typically the macroconidia of this species have 3 septa but may have as many as 4–5. Microconidia have thickened basal cells and tapered, rounded apical cells. However, some F. solani isolates have pointed, rather than rounded, macroconidia. Microconidia are oval or cylindrical, hyaline, and smooth. Some microconidia may be curved. Microconidia typically lack septa, but occasionally they may have up to two. Fusarium solani also forms chlamydospores most commonly under suboptimal growth conditions. These may be produced in pairs or individually. They are abundant, have rough walls, and are 6-11 μm. F. solani chlamydospores are also brown and round. F. solani is a very generalistic fungal specie and has been known to infect peas, beans, potatoes, and many types of cucurbits. There has been increasing evidence that F. solani  can also act as a causal agent of mycoses in humans . F. solani can also cause damping off, corn rot, and root rot, as well as sudden death of soybeans(SDS) . Symptoms include general plant decline, wilting, and large necrotic spots on tap roots. Recently the pathogen has also done serious damage to olive trees throughout the mediterranean . F. solani has been and remains a serious economic disease in North and South America. F. solani is found in soil worldwide. However, a given species within the complex may not be as widespread and may not have the same ecology as others in the complex. In general, as a soil fungus, F. solani is associated with the roots of plants and may be found as deep in the ground as 80 cm. It is frequently isolated in tropic, subtropic, and temperate locations, and less frequently isolated from alpine habitats. The pH of soil does not have a significant effect on F. solani, however, soil fumigation causes an increase in occurrence. F. solani is typically sensitive to soil fungicides. F. solani has been found in ponds, rivers, sewage facilities, and water pipes. It has also been found in larvae and adults of the picnic beetle, is a symbiote of the ambrosia beetle.