**1. Introduction**

The genus *Fusarium* was introduced by Link in 1809 [1]. However, *Fusarium* received more attention when "Die Fusarien" was published by Wollenweber and Reinking in 1935 [2]. In the past 80 years, tremendous investigations have been carried out on the taxonomy, biology, and mycotoxins of *Fusarium* species [3–5]. Although Wollenweber and Reinking described 65 species, 55 varieties, and 22 forms of *Fusarium* in 1935 [2], Snyder and Hansen reduced number of species of *Fusarium* to nine [6]. During 1940–1980, several mycologists developed different

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

taxonomy of *Fusarium*, but none of them received a global agreement. During 1980s, *Fusarium* taxonomists in the world collaborated to offer a unique agreement on *Fusarium* taxonomy. In 1990s, however, the application of phylogenic species concept based on the DNA sequencing resulted in introducing new species of *Fusarium* that often cannot be distinguished morphologically. In 2006, Leslie and Summerell published "The *Fusarium* Laboratory Manual" and described 70 *Fusarium* species [3].

**2.3. Gordon**

**2.5. Matuo**

**2.6. Raillo**

**2.7. Bilai**

**2.8. Booth**

**2.10. Joffe**

Reinking [16, 17].

**2.9. Gerlach and Nirenberg**

concepts of Snyder and Hansen system.

**2.4. Messiaen and Cassini**

by Snyder and Hanson.

Gordon published a number of papers on *Fusarium* species collected from Canada [10–12]. He used *Fusarium* taxonomy system developed by Wollenweber and Reinking with some

*Fusarium*: Historical and Continued Importance http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.74147 15

These French scientists developed a *Fusarium* taxonomy system based on Snyder and Hansen system [13]. They used varieties for the subspecific level instead of cultivars, which was used

Matuo was a Japanese scientist who used the system developed by Snyder and Hanson and

Raillo, a Russian scientist, published a taxonomic system based on the shape of macroconidia,

Bilai, a Ukrainian scientist, studied variability in characteristics related to temperature, moisture, and culture media composition and offered her own revision of the taxonomy of the genus *Fusarium* and recommended combining some sections suggested by Wollenweber and

A significant development in the taxonomy of *Fusarium* was made by Booth from England during 1960s and 1970s. He published a monograph "The Genus *Fusarium*" [18], which was a revision of the Wollenweber and Reinking's system. Booth introduced the use of the morphol-

Based on the taxonomy published in "Die Fusarien," Gerlach and Nirenberg published their own *Fusarium* taxonomy system in Germany in 1982 [19]. In spite of the criticism of their taxonomic system, their work was a significant step forward in understanding of *Fusarium*

Joffe, originally a Russian scientist and then in Israel, began his studies on *Fusarium* in Russia in 1940s. He included *Fusarium* isolates collected from Russia, Israel, and some other

ogy of the conidiogenous cells, especially those producing the macroconidia.

taxonomy and many of the suggested species in their system are now accepted.

introduced a new *Fusarium* taxonomy system with 10 species [14].

and the presence of microconidia and chlamydospores [15].

*Fusarium* species are among the most common and widespread plant pathogens in the world and are of great economic importance [4]. Every plant pathologist, mycologist, agronomist, and horticulturist encounters them in the course of work. They are serious pathogens on a wide range of crops. In spite of worldwide investigations on *Fusarium* in the past 200 years, *Fusarium* diseases continue to be among most important plant diseases and cause widespread crop losses throughout the world [4, 7].

Several *Fusarium* species produce mycotoxins, which cause various disorders, including cancer in animals and humans [5]. Zearalenone, fumonisin, moniliformin, and trichothecenes are among most important *Fusarium* mycotoxins, especially in grains [5]. The objective of this chapter is to provide details of *Fusarium* taxonomy, pathology, and mycotoxins.
