This issue of Mycological Research News features: How safe is Aspergillus niger?; Advantage, invasive plants; and Forthcoming international mycological meetings.

Sixteen original papers are included in this part. Those with a molecular or phylogenetic thrust address the polyphyletic nature of Paraphaeosphaeria, report the discovery of a teleomorph for Marchandiomyces, address the separation of Neofabraea spp., variation in Pythium insidiosum, the separation of cereal rusts, reveal a new Diplodia within Sphaeropsis sapinea auct., and demonstrate host-linked genotypes within Corynespora cassiicola. Telomere fingerprinting in Beauveria bassiana is reported, Hypocrella (incl. Aschersonia) spp. are shown to be cytotoxic to insect cells, and the efficacy of natural mycoparasites aginst cocoa diseases is demonstrated.

The separation of South American Polyporus spp. by isoenzymes, and of Agaricus spp. by volatiles using an electronic nose, is described. Alginate beads can be used to preserve arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi long-term, the basis of reduced aflatoxin production in Aspergillus flavus mixed cultures is deduced, and the importance of oxidative stress in sclerotial formation in Sclerotinia demonstrated. The results of an extensive seven-year study of macromycetes in Austria with implications for recording practices are also presented.

The following new scientific names are introduced: Marchandiobasidium, Neophaeosphaeria, and Phaeosphaeriopsis gens. nov.; Diplodia scrobiculata, M. aurantiacum, and P. amblyspora spp. nov.; N. barrii (syn. Paraphaeosphaeria barrii), N. conglomerata (syn. P. conglomerata), N. filamentosa (syn. Leptosphaeria filamentosa), N. quadriseptata (syn. P. quadriseptata), Phaeosphaeriopsis agavensis (syn. Paraphaeosphaeria agavensis), Phaeosphaeriopsis glauco-punctata (syn. Cryptosphaeria glauco-punctata), P. obtusispora (syn. L. obtusispora), and P. nolinae (syn. Paraphaeosphaeria nolinae) combs. nov.