Organization and evolution of mating-type genes in three Stagonosporopsis species causing gummy stem blight of cucurbits and leaf spot and dry rot of papaya.

Population divergence and speciation of closely related lineages can result from reproductive differences leading to genetic isolation. An increasing number of fungal diseases of plants and animals have been determined to be caused by morphologically indistinguishable species that are genetically distinct, thereby representing cryptic species. We were interested in identifying if mating systems among three Stagonosporopsis species (S.