Cochliobolus

The fungal genus Cochliobolus includes 55 species, including the following plant pathogenic species: C. carbonum, C. heterostrophus, C. miyabeanus, C. sativus and C. lunatus. Those fungi that need a partner to mate are referred to as heterothallic (self-sterile), and those fungi not needing a partner are referred to as homothallic (self-fertile). A study of DNA sequences of mating type loci from different heterothallic and homothallic species in the genus Cochliobolus suggests that homothallism can be derived from heterothallism by recombination.