There is an urgent need to expand our knowledge of both the nature of
the toxigenic fungi that are widespread on economically-important plants
and the effect of their toxic secondary metabolites on human health.
Informa- tion about the production of mycotoxins by plant pathogens,
particularly by species of Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium, their
occurrence in infected plants, as well as their role in the
plant-pathogen interaction, for example as virulence/pathogenicity
factors, is a pre-requisite for preventing plant disease and hence for
reducing the Ievels of mycotoxin contamination. Fusarium infections in
cereals and other crops are a particular problern world-wide and recent
epidemics on wheat in Europe, the USA and Canada have again focused
attention on this problem. Fur- thermore, species ofAspergillus and
Penicillium and their related mycotoxins, particularly Ochratoxin A,
represent another consistent problern on cereals and grapes, especially
in Europe where 40% of the global grape crop is grown. The aim of this
publication is to gather together specialist updated reviews based on
papers originally presented during a Workshop of EU Cost Action 835
entitled 'Agriculturally Important Taxigenie Fungi', held in Rome, 7-8
October 1999 at the Plant Pathology Research Institute. We hope the
diversity of the contents will stimulate discussion, encourage the
sharing of information and result in cross-fertilization of ideas needed
for the solution of the present problems. This special issue will be of
particular value to interdisciplinary scientists and especially
mycologists, mycotoxicologists, plant pathologists and those concerned
about the quality of food and food products.
