Microbotryales

Microbotryales is an order of fungi in the class Pucciniomycetidae. Members of this order are often associated with plants, and many are plant pathogens. The order was described by the mycologist Walter Jülich in 1981. Microbotryales are characterized by their teliospores, which are often smooth and hyaline or pigmented, and germinate to form a promycelium bearing basidiospores. They reproduce asexually through conidia.

Some well-known genera within Microbotryales include Microbotryum, which are known for causing anther smut diseases in various plants, and Sporisorium, which includes species that cause smuts on grasses. Another significant genus is Ustilago, though its taxonomic placement has been debated and some species have been moved to other orders. The life cycles of many Microbotryales are complex, often involving alternation of generations and sexual reproduction that occurs within plant tissues.

Research into Microbotryales continues to uncover new species and to clarify their ecological roles and evolutionary relationships. Their impact on agriculture, particularly through crop diseases, makes them a subject of ongoing study. The diversity within this order reflects a wide range of host plant associations and geographical distribution.