Impact of ICN changes on scientific names of regulated fungal plant pathogens
M. E. PALM (1), A. Y. Rossman (2). (1) USDA APHIS PPQ, Riverdale, MD, U.S.A.; (2) USDA ARS, Beltsville, MD, U.S.A.
Scientific names communicate information about fungi. For USDA, APHIS, Plant Protection and Quarantine, names are the currency for issuing permits and the basis for pest risk assessments and quarantine decisions. Scientific names of organisms have always been subject to change based on new information and concepts. However, the change to one name for one fungal species will bring about a large number of nomenclatural changes over a very short period of time. How will the required nomenclatural changes impact plant quarantine regulations? For example, if you hold a permit under a name such as <i>Cochliobolus heterostrophus</i> and the correct name for that species is now <i>Bipolaris maydis</i>, is your permit still valid? The answer is yes because the same fungus is being permitted, only the name has changed. When two names are synonyms, the oldest name generally is used. As generic and species names compete for synonymy, committees open to all may propose exceptions based on user needs (www.fungaltaxonomy.org/subcommissions). The key to a seamless transition will be comprehensive databases of fungal nomenclature that links all names of fungi with an indication of the approved name. Accurate scientific names can be sought at http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/nomen/nomenclature.cfm, which emphasizes plant-associated fungi, and www.indexfungorum.org/Names/Names.asp and www.mycobank.org/ for scientific names of all groups of fungi.
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