Identification of endophytic fungi from leaves of Pandanaceae based on their morphotypes and DNA sequence data from southern Thailand

MycoKeys issue 100: progress and innovation to enhance rapid publication in fungal systematics

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Diaporthe Species on Palms: Molecular Re-Assessment and Species Boundaries Delimitation in the D. arecae Species Complex

Due to cryptic diversification, phenotypic plasticity and host associations, multilocus phylogenetic analyses have become the most important tool in accurately identifying and circumscribing species in the Diaporthe genus. However, the application of the genealogical concordance criterion has often been overlooked, ultimately leading to an exponential increase in novel Diaporthe spp. Due to the large number of species, many lineages remain poorly understood under the so-called species complexes. For this reason, a robust delimitation of the species boundaries in Diaporthe is still an ongoing challenge. Therefore, the present study aimed to resolve the species boundaries of the Diaporthe arecae species complex (DASC) by implementing an integrative taxonomic approach. The Genealogical Phylogenetic Species Recognition (GCPSR) principle revealed incongruences between the individual gene genealogies. Moreover, the Poisson Tree Processes' (PTPs) coalescent-based species delimitation models identified three well-delimited subclades represented by the species D. arecae, D. chiangmaiensis and D. smilacicola. These results evidence that all species previously described in the D. arecae subclade are conspecific, which is coherent with the morphological indistinctiveness observed and the absence of reproductive isolation and barriers to gene flow. Thus, 52 Diaporthe spp. are reduced to synonymy under D. arecae. Recent population expansion and the possibility of incomplete lineage sorting suggested that the D. arecae subclade may be considered as ongoing evolving lineages under active divergence and speciation. Hence, the genetic diversity and intraspecific variability of D. arecae in the context of current global climate change and the role of D. arecae as a pathogen on palm trees and other hosts are also discussed. This study illustrates that species in Diaporthe are highly overestimated, and highlights the relevance of applying an integrative taxonomic approach to accurately circumscribe the species boundaries in the genus Diaporthe.

Four new endophytic species of Diaporthe (Diaporthaceae, Diaporthales) isolated from Cameroon

The genus Diaporthe (Diaporthaceae, Diaporthales) is a large group of fungi frequently reported as phytopathogens, with ubiquitous distribution across the globe. Diaporthe have traditionally been characterized by the morphology of their ana- and teleomorphic state, revealing a high degree of heterogeneity as soon as DNA sequencing was utilized across the different members of the group. Their relevance for biotechnology and agriculture attracts the attention of taxonomists and natural product chemists alike in context of plant protection and exploitation for their potential to produce bioactive secondary metabolites. While more than 1000 species are described to date, Africa, as a natural habitat, has so far been under-sampled. Several endophytic fungi belonging to Diaporthe were isolated from different plant hosts in Cameroon over the course of this study. Phylogenetic analyses based on DNA sequence data of the internal transcribed spacer region and intervening 5.8S nrRNA gene, and partial fragments of the calmodulin, beta-tubulin, histone and the translation elongation factor 1-α genes, demonstrated that these isolates represent four new species, i.e. D.brideliae, D.cameroonensis, D.pseudoanacardii and D.rauvolfiae. Moreover, the description of D.isoberliniae is here emended, now incorporating the morphology of beta and gamma conidia produced by two of our endophytic isolates, which had never been documented in previous records. Moreover, the paraphyletic nature of the genus is discussed and suggestions are made for future revision of the genus.

Characterization of Colletotrichum Causing Anthracnose on Rubber Trees in Yunnan: Two New Records and Two New Species from China

Among the most damaging diseases of rubber trees is anthracnose caused by the genus Colletotrichum, which leads to significant economic losses. Nonetheless, the specific Colletotrichum spp. that infect rubber trees in Yunnan Province, an important natural rubber base in China, have not been extensively investigated. Here, we isolated 118 Colletotrichum strains from rubber tree leaves exhibiting anthracnose symptoms in multiple plantations in Yunnan. Based on comparisons of their phenotypic characteristics and internal transcribed spacer ribosomal DNA sequences, 80 representative strains were chosen for additional phylogenetic analysis based on eight loci (act, ApMat, cal, CHS-1, GAPDH, GS, his3, and tub2), and nine species were identified. Colletotrichum fructicola, C. siamense, and C. wanningense were found to be the dominant pathogens causing rubber tree anthracnose in Yunnan. C. karstii was common, whereas C. bannaense, C. brevisporum, C. jinpingense, C. mengdingense, and C. plurivorum were rare. Among these nine species, C. brevisporum and C. plurivorum are reported for the first time in China, and two species are new to the world: C. mengdingense sp. nov. in the C. acutatum species complex and C. jinpingense sp. nov. in the C. gloeosporioides species complex. Their pathogenicity was confirmed with Koch's postulates by inoculating each species in vivo on rubber tree leaves. This study clarifies the geographic distribution of Colletotrichum spp. associated with anthracnose on rubber trees in representative locations of Yunnan, which is crucial for the implementation of quarantine measures.

Unprecedented Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Polyketides from Cultures of Diaporthe africana sp. nov

Four unprecedented polyketides named isoprenylisobenzofuran B (2), isoprenylisobenzofuran C₁/C₂ (3), diaporisoindole F₁/F₂ (4), and isochromophilonol A₁/A₂ (7) were isolated from ethyl acetate extracts of the newly described endophytic fungus Diaporthe africana. Additionally, the previously reported cyclic depsipeptide eucalactam B (1) was also identified, along with the known compounds diaporisoindole A/B (5), tenellone B (6) and beauvericin (8). The taxonomic identification of the fungus was accomplished using a polyphasic approach combining multi-gene phylogenetic analysis and microscopic morphological characters. The structures 1-8 were determined by a detailed analysis of their spectral data, namely high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESIMS), 1D/2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, as well as electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. In addition, chemical methods such as Marfey's analysis were also employed to determine the stereochemistry in compound 1. All the compounds obtained were evaluated for antimicrobial and in vitro cytotoxic properties. Compounds 3-8 were active against certain fungi and Gram-positive bacteria with MIC values of 8.3 to 66.6 µg/mL. In addition, 3-5 displayed cytotoxic effects (22.0 ≤ IC₅₀ ≤ 59.2 µM) against KB3.1 and L929 cell lines, whereas compounds 6-8 inhibited the growth of seven mammalian cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ ranging from 17.7 to 49.5 µM (6), 0.9 to 12.9 µM (7) and 1.9 to 4.3 µM (8).

Exploring More on Dictyosporiaceae: The Species Geographical Distribution and Intriguing Novel Additions from Plant Litter

Five fungal taxa collected from plant litter in Chiang Mai province, Thailand, are described with illustrations. The maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian analyses of combined loci of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large subunit nuclear ribosomal DNA (LSU), and translation extension factor 1-α (tef1-α) region were used for phylogeny analyses. Dictyocheirospora acaciae is introduced as a new species from Acacia dealbata. Based on size differences in conidiomata, conidia, and DNA sequence data, it is separated from the other species in the genus. Four new host records, Dictyocheirospora garethjonesii, Di. taiwanense, Dictyosporium digitatum, and Pseudocoleophoma zingiberacearum are also reported from Bismarkia nobilis, Ficus benjamina, Cyperus aggregatus, and Hedychium spicatum, respectively. Detailed descriptions, microphotographs, and phylogenetic information were provided, and all the species were compared to similar taxa. It is noted that there is still a necessity for a collective worldwide account of the distribution of Dictyosporiaceae species. Therefore, we compiled the geographical distributions and host species associations of all the so far known Dictyosporiaceae species and discussed them here.

Taxonomic Advances from Fungal Flora Associated with Ferns and Fern-like Hosts in Northern Thailand

Ferns are one of the most significant plant groupings that comprise a substantial proportion of the plant flora due to the fact of their great diversity, especially in tropical areas. The biodiversity of fungi associated with ferns and fern-like hosts has also received little attention in studies. Plant samples were collected from diseased and dead plants of ten fern or fern-like species from Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. Forty-one isolates were selected from the obtained isolates for molecular and morphological analysis, with a focus on pathogenic fungal genera and consideration of the diversity in host and geographical location. Twenty-six species belonging to seven genera (Colletotrichum, Curvularia, Diaporthe, Fusarium, Lasiodiplodia, Neopestalotiopsis, and Pestalotiopsis) in six families were identified. Thirty new hosts, eight new geographical hosts, and one new species, Colletotrichum polypodialium, are described. Nepestalotiopsis phangngaensis, N. pandancola, Diaporthe tectonendophytica, D. chiangraiensis, and D. delonicis were isolated for the first time from leaf spots. Additionally, new reservoirs and geographical locations for species previously isolated from leaf spots or whose pathogenicity was established were found. However, more studies are necessary to prove the pathogenicity of the fungi isolated from the leaf spots and to identify the fungi associated with other species of ferns.

Re-Evaluating Botryosphaeriales: Ancestral State Reconstructions of Selected Characters and Evolution of Nutritional Modes

Botryosphaeriales (Dothideomycetes, Ascomycota) occur in a wide range of habitats as endophytes, saprobes, and pathogens. The order Botryosphaeriales has not been subjected to evaluation since 2019 by Phillips and co-authors using phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses. Subsequently, many studies introduced novel taxa into the order and revised several families separately. In addition, no ancestral character studies have been conducted for this order. Therefore, in this study, we re-evaluated the character evolution and taxonomic placements of Botryosphaeriales species based on ancestral character evolution, divergence time estimation, and phylogenetic relationships, including all the novel taxa that have been introduced so far. Maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian inference analyses were conducted on a combined LSU and ITS sequence alignment. Ancestral state reconstruction was carried out for conidial colour, septation, and nutritional mode. Divergence times estimates revealed that Botryosphaeriales originated around 109 Mya in the early epoch of the Cretaceous period. All six families in Botryosphaeriales evolved in the late epoch of the Cretaceous period (66-100 Mya), during which Angiosperms also appeared, rapidly diversified and became dominant on land. Families of Botryosphaeriales diversified during the Paleogene and Neogene periods in the Cenozoic era. The order comprises the families Aplosporellaceae, Botryosphaeriaceae, Melanopsaceae, Phyllostictaceae, Planistromellaceae and Saccharataceae. Furthermore, current study assessed two hypotheses; the first one being "All Botryosphaeriales species originated as endophytes and then switched into saprobes when their hosts died or into pathogens when their hosts were under stress"; the second hypothesis states that "There is a link between the conidial colour and nutritional mode in botryosphaerialean taxa". Ancestral state reconstruction and nutritional mode analyses revealed a pathogenic/saprobic nutritional mode as the ancestral character. However, we could not provide strong evidence for the first hypothesis mainly due to the significantly low number of studies reporting the endophytic botryosphaerialean taxa. Results also showed that hyaline and aseptate conidia were ancestral characters in Botryosphaeriales and supported the relationship between conidial pigmentation and the pathogenicity of Botryosphaeriales species.

Endophytic Fungi Associated with Aquilaria sinensis (Agarwood) from China Show Antagonism against Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens

Agarwood is the most expensive non-construction wood product in the world. As a therapeutic agent, agarwood can cure some diseases, but few studies have been carried out on the antagonistic abilities of endophytic fungi associated with agarwood. Agarwood is mainly found in the genus Aquiaria. The objectives of this study are to understand the antimicrobial activities and their potential as biocontrol agents of the endophytic fungi of Aquilaria sinensis. First, fresh samples of A. sinensis were collected from Yunnan and Guangdong Provinces in 2020-2021, and the endophytic fungi were isolated and identified to genus level based on the phylogenetic analyses of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region. In this bioassay, 47 endophytic strains were selected to check their bioactivities against three bacterial pathogens viz. Erwinia amylovora, Pseudomonas syringae, and Salmonella enterica; and three fungal pathogens viz. Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, and Penicillium digitatum. The antibiosis test was carried out by the dual culture assay (10 days), and among the 47 strains selected, 40 strains belong to 18 genera viz. Alternaria, Annulohypoxylon, Aspergillus, Botryosphaeria, Colletotrichum, Corynespora, Curvularia, Daldinia, Diaporthe, Fusarium, Lasiodiplodia, Neofusicoccum, Neopestalotiopsis, Nigrospora, Paracamarosporium, Pseudopithomyces, Trichoderma, Trichosporon and one strain belongs to Xylariaceae had antimicrobial activities. In particular, Lasiodiplodia sp. (YNA-D3) showed the inhibition of all the bacterial and fungal pathogens with a significant inhibition rate. In addition, the strains viz; Curvularia sp. (GDA-3A9), Diaporthe sp. (GDA-2A1), Lasiodiplodia sp. (YNA-D3), Neofusicoccum sp. (YNA-1C3), Nigrospora sp. (GDA-4C1), and Trichoderma sp. (YNA-1C1) showed significant antimicrobial activities and are considered worthy of further studies to identify individual fungal species and their bioactive compounds. This study enriches the diversity of endophytic fungi associated with agarwood, and their potential antagonistic effects against bacterial and fungal pathogens.

First Report of Anthracnose Crown Rot on Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) Caused by Colletotrichum pandanicola in Yunnan Provence, China

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.), a widely grown octoploid species, is one of the most important economic fruit crops and has been widely cultivated in the world, including China. In December 2021, a serious crown rot disease (approximately 50% incidence) was observed in strawberry (cultivar Miaoxiang) plantations in Qujing City, Yunnan Province, China. Symptoms observed on aboveground part withered rapidly, reddish-brown marbled necrosis on crown. The roots were healthy and strong, but the plants finally died. To isolate the causal agent of this disease, crown tissues from five strawberry plants showing typical symptoms were cut into pieces of 5×5 mm, and the pieces were surface-sterilized with 75% ethanol for 45 s followed by 2.5% NaClO for 3 min and rinsed thrice with sterile water, and then placed onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) for 7 days at 25 ºC. After 3 to 4 days, extended single hyphal tips from the tissues were transferred to PDA and incubated for 7 days at 25 ºC. The colonies were initially white, later became somewhat zonate, velvety, cyan gray on the upper side and cyan ink pigment ring on the reverse side of plates, with concentric rings of salmon sporodochia. Many yellowish or orange creamy conidial droplets formed on PDA after 14 days at 25 ºC. Fifty-nine isolates were obtained, and three isolates QLYRR1, QLMCR9, and QLMCR39 were selected for further experiments. Conidia were hyaline, cylindrical with rounded ends, 12.17-19.35×3.71-6.30 μm (average±SD, 15.24±1.37×5.09±0.45 μm, n=150), L/W ratio = 2.99. The three isolates were molecularly identified using the genomic regions of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), actin (ACT), chitin synthase (CHS-1), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and beta-tubulin (TUB2) genes, and the sequences were deposited in GenBank (accession nos. QLYRR1, QLMCR9, QLMCR39: ON668272, ON668256, ON668257[ITS], ON684302, ON684300, ON684301[ACT], ON684316, ON684314, ON684315[CHS-1], ON684292, ON684290, ON684291[GAPDH], ON684286, ON684284, ON684285[TUB2]). The phylogenetic analysis of experimental strains was performed by Maximum-likelihood (ML) tree and Bayesian inference (BI) method. Nucleotide sequences exhibited three isolates were clustered with the ex-type strain C. pandanicola strain MFLUCC 170571T found in Thailand, C. pandanicola strains (SAUCC201152, SAUCC200204) found in Shandong Province, and the holotype stain C. parvisporum YMF 1.06942T found in Guangxi Province, China. Morphologically, isolates were easily distinguished from C. parvisporum by the colony on PDA and the size of conidia (Yu et al. 2022). Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses revealed that QLYRR1, QLMCR9, and QLMCR39 belong to C. pandanicola, the members of the C. gloeosporioides species complex (Tibpromma et al. 2018; Mu et al. 2021). Koch's postulates were tested by strawberry plants (two cultivars, Akihime and Miaoxiang) in vivo, strawberry plants were tested for the three isolates by spraying 1×106 conidia/mL suspension on three seedlings. Three seedlings sprayed with sterile distilled water were served as control. All of the plants were transferred to a glasshouse with a 28/20 °C day/night temperature range and natural sunlight. After 6 weeks, QLYRR1-, QLMCR9-, and QLMCR39-sprayed seedlings were stunted and developed typical wilt symptoms similar to those observed in the field with the incidence for 3, 3, and 3 seedlings, respectively. The negative control remained asymptomatic. The fungi were reisolated again from lesions of diseased plants and leaves with 100% frequency, and morphological characteristics and tested gene sequences were identical to the original isolates in this note, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. C. pandanicola was described from the healthy leaves of Pandanus sp. and the lesion fruits of Juglans regia. To our knowledge, this is the first report confirming C. pandanicola causes anthracnose crown rot on strawberries in China. C. pandanicola has the potential for causing serious losses to the strawberry industry, and research is needed on management strategies to minimize losses.

In silico, in vitro screening of antioxidant and anticancer potentials of bioactive secondary metabolites from an endophytic fungus (Curvularia sp.) from Phyllanthus niruri L

The main objective of this research work is to discover novel and efficient phytochemical substances from endophytic fungus found in medicinal plants. Curvularia geniculata L. (C. geniculata L.), an endophytic fungus isolated from Phyllanthus niruri L. (P. niruri L.), was tested against hepatoma cell lines (HepG2) in order to screen their antioxidant and anticancer potentials. The profiling of phytochemicals from the fungal extract was characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and molecular docking was done for the identified compounds against one of the potential receptors predominantly present in the hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Among the phytochemicals found, 2-methyl-7-phenylindole had the highest binding affinity (- 8.8 kcal mol^-1) for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The stability of 2-methyl-7-phenylindole in the EGFR-binding pockets was tested using in silico molecular dynamics simulation. The fungal extract showed the highest antioxidant activity as measured by DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging, and FRAP assays. In vitro cytotoxicity assay of fungal extract demonstrated the concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells after 24 h, and the IC₅₀ (50% cell death) value was estimated to be 62.23 μg mL^-1. Typical morphological changes such as condensation of nuclei and deformed membrane structures are indicative of ongoing apoptosis. The mitochondria of HepG2 cells were also targeted by the endophytic fungal extract, which resulted in substantial generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to the destruction of mitochondrial transmembrane potential integrity. These outcomes suggest that the ethyl acetate extract of C. geniculata L. has the potential to be an antioxidant agent and further to be exploited in developing potential anticancer agents.

Endophytic Fungi Associated with Coffee Leaves in China Exhibited In Vitro Antagonism against Fungal and Bacterial Pathogens

Coffee endophytes have been studied for almost 74 years, and several studies have demonstrated coffee-endophytic fungi with antibacterial and antifungal potential for human and plant pathogens. In this study, we isolated and identified a total of 235 strains of endophytic fungi from coffee leaf tissues collected in four coffee plantations in Pu’er city, Yunnan province, China. Molecular identification was carried out using maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2) sequences, while the colonization rate and the isolation frequency were also calculated. Two pathogenic fungi (Alternaria alternata and Penicillium digitatum) and two pathogenic bacteria (Pseudomonas syringae and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica) were used for screening the antagonistic activities of 61 strains of coffee-endophytic fungi by a dual-culture test assay while maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis confirmed their natural classification. This is the first study of coffee-leaf-endophytic fungal diversity in China, and the results revealed that coffee-endophytic fungi from this study belong to the Ascomycota, distributed among two classes, 10 orders, and 17 families. Concurrently, endophytic fungi isolates distributed in Arthrinium, Biscogniauxia, Daldinia, Diaporthe, and Nigrospora showed strong antagonistic activities against the pathogens. For the pathogens Alternaria alternata and Pseudomonas syringae, Nigrospora XCE-7 showed the best inhibitory effects with inhibition rates of 71.76% and 61.11%, respectively. For the pathogen Penicillium digitatum, Daldinia ME-9 showed the best inhibitory effect with a 74.67% inhibition rate, while Biscogniauxia PTE-7 and Daldinia T5E-1-3 showed the best inhibitory effect with a rate of 60.42% against the pathogen Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica. Overall, our study shows the diversity of coffee endophytes in four coffee-growing areas in Pu’er city, Yunnan province, China, and their potential use as biological control agents against two fungal and two bacterial pathogens.

Composition and Diversity of the Culturable Endophytic Community of Six Stress-Tolerant Dessert Plants Grown in Stressful Soil in a Hot Dry Desert Region

Saudi Arabia is part of a hot dry desert region and is characterized by stressful conditions. The main goal of this research was to identify endophytic fungal (EF) community composition, diversity and abundance in relation to their plant hosts and soil stress. The above-ground parts of six wild plants (Haloxylon salicornicum, Salsola kali, Heliotropium bacciferum, Erica verticillata, Salsola imbricata and Bienertia sinuspersici) were sampled, surface-sterilized and cut into small pieces, which were cultured and incubated for 4–6 weeks. Isolates were grouped and identified by using both morphological and ITS rDNA molecular data. The diversity and community structure of plant-endophyte associations were studied. A total of 455 EF isolates were grouped into 25 different taxa; 21 of which were identified at the species level, 2 at genus level and 2 were unclassified fungi. Here, 95.65% of the identified genera were Ascomycota; of which 36.36, 31.81 and 31.81% were members of the classes Dothideomycetes, Eurotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes, respectively. S. imbricata showed the highest isolation rate and colonization frequency (CF%) of EF when compared to other plant species. Additionally, S. imbricata demonstrated the highest species richness and species diversity of the EF community predominated by the genus Fusarium. Conclusively, the core culturable EF genera of six wild plants were identified (unculturable taxa were not identified in this study). The composition of the EF community was revealed to have a strong correlation to both the electrical conductivity and pH of the soil and a moderate correlation to both the host species and the host family. The abundance and diversity of EF communities of the six plants were environment-dependent.

Fourteen New Species of Foliar Colletotrichum Associated with the Invasive Plant Ageratinaadenophora and Surrounding Crops

Ageratina adenophora is one of the most invasive weeds in China. Following an outbreak in Yunnan in the 1960s, A. adenophora has been spreading in Southwest China at tremendous speed. Previous research indicated A. adenophora contained many Colletotrichum species as endophytes. In this study, we investigated the diversity of Colletotrichum in healthy and diseased leaves of the invasive plant A. adenophora and several surrounding crops in Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guizhou provinces in China, and obtained over 1000 Colletotrichum strains. After preliminary delimitation using the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) sequences, 44 representative strains were selected for further study. Their phylogenetic positions were determined by phylogenetic analyses using combined sequences of ITS, actin (ACT), chitin synthase (CHS-1), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and beta-tubulin (TUB2). Combined with morphological characteristics, 14 new Colletotrichum species were named as C. adenophorae, C. analogum, C. cangyuanense, C. dimorphum, C. gracile, C. nanhuaense, C. nullisetosum, C. oblongisporum, C. parvisporum, C. robustum, C. simulanticitri, C. speciosum, C. subhenanense, and C. yunajiangense.

Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses reveal three species of Colletotrichum in Shandong province, China

Colletotrichum has numerous host range and distribution. Its species are important plant pathogens, endophytes and saprobes. Colletotrichum can cause regular or irregular depressions and necrotic lesions in the epidermal tissues of plants. During this research Colletotrichum specimens were collected from Mengyin County, Shandong Province, China. A multi-locus phylogenetic analysis of ITS, GAPDH, CHS-1, ACT, TUB2, CAL and GS sequence data combined with morphology, revealed a new species and two known species, viz. C.mengyinense sp. nov., C.gloeosporioides and C.pandanicola, belonging to the C.gloeosporioides species complex. The new species is described and illustrated in this paper and compared with taxa in the C.gloeosporioides species complex.

Fungal diversity notes 1512-1610: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungal taxa

This article is the 14th in the Fungal Diversity Notes series, wherein we report 98 taxa distributed in two phyla, seven classes, 26 orders and 50 families which are described and illustrated. Taxa in this study were collected from Australia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, French Guiana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Laos, Mexico, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. There are 59 new taxa, 39 new hosts and new geographical distributions with one new combination. The 59 new species comprise Angustimassarina kunmingense, Asterina lopi, Asterina brigadeirensis, Bartalinia bidenticola, Bartalinia caryotae, Buellia pruinocalcarea, Coltricia insularis, Colletotrichum flexuosum, Colletotrichum thasutense, Coniochaeta caraganae, Coniothyrium yuccicola, Dematipyriforma aquatic, Dematipyriforma globispora, Dematipyriforma nilotica, Distoseptispora bambusicola, Fulvifomes jawadhuvensis, Fulvifomes malaiyanurensis, Fulvifomes thiruvannamalaiensis, Fusarium purpurea, Gerronema atrovirens, Gerronema flavum, Gerronema keralense, Gerronema kuruvense, Grammothele taiwanensis, Hongkongmyces changchunensis, Hypoxylon inaequale, Kirschsteiniothelia acutisporum, Kirschsteiniothelia crustaceum, Kirschsteiniothelia extensum, Kirschsteiniothelia septemseptatum, Kirschsteiniothelia spatiosum, Lecanora immersocalcarea, Lepiota subthailandica, Lindgomyces guizhouensis, Marthe asmius pallidoaurantiacus, Marasmius tangerinus, Neovaginatispora mangiferae, Pararamichloridium aquisubtropicum, Pestalotiopsis piraubensis, Phacidium chinaum, Phaeoisaria goiasensis, Phaeoseptum thailandicum, Pleurothecium aquisubtropicum, Pseudocercospora vernoniae, Pyrenophora verruculosa, Rhachomyces cruralis, Rhachomyces hyperommae, Rhachomyces magrinii, Rhachomyces platyprosophi, Rhizomarasmius cunninghamietorum, Skeletocutis cangshanensis, Skeletocutis subchrysella, Sporisorium anadelphiae-leptocomae, Tetraploa dashaoensis, Tomentella exiguelata, Tomentella fuscoaraneosa, Tricholomopsis lechatii, Vaginatispora flavispora and Wetmoreana blastidiocalcarea. The new combination is Torula sundara. The 39 new records on hosts and geographical distribution comprise Apiospora guiyangensis, Aplosporella artocarpi, Ascochyta medicaginicola, Astrocystis bambusicola, Athelia rolfsii, Bambusicola bambusae, Bipolaris luttrellii, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Chlorophyllum squamulosum, Colletotrichum aeschynomenes, Colletotrichum pandanicola, Coprinopsis cinerea, Corylicola italica, Curvularia alcornii, Curvularia senegalensis, Diaporthe foeniculina, Diaporthe longicolla, Diaporthe phaseolorum, Diatrypella quercina, Fusarium brachygibbosum, Helicoma aquaticum, Lepiota metulispora, Lepiota pongduadensis, Lepiota subvenenata, Melanconiella meridionalis, Monotosporella erecta, Nodulosphaeria digitalis, Palmiascoma gregariascomum, Periconia byssoides, Periconia cortaderiae, Pleopunctum ellipsoideum, Psilocybe keralensis, Scedosporium apiospermum, Scedosporium dehoogii, Scedosporium marina, Spegazzinia deightonii, Torula fici, Wiesneriomyces laurinus and Xylaria venosula. All these taxa are supported by morphological and multigene phylogenetic analyses. This article allows the researchers to publish fungal collections which are important for future studies. An updated, accurate and timely report of fungus-host and fungus-geography is important. We also provide an updated list of fungal taxa published in the previous fungal diversity notes. In this list, erroneous taxa and synonyms are marked and corrected accordingly.

Two new species of Diaporthe (Diaporthaceae, Diaporthales) associated with tree cankers in the Netherlands

Diaporthe (Diaporthaceae, Diaporthales) is a common fungal genus inhabiting plant tissues as endophytes, pathogens and saprobes. Some species are reported from tree branches associated with canker diseases. In the present study, Diaporthe samples were collected from Alnusglutinosa, Fraxinusexcelsior and Quercusrobur in Utrecht, the Netherlands. They were identified to species based on a polyphasic approach including morphology, pure culture characters, and phylogenetic analyses of a combined matrix of partial ITS, cal, his3, tef1 and tub2 gene regions. As a result, four species (viz. Diaporthepseudoalnea sp. nov. from Alnusglutinosa, Diaporthesilvicola sp. nov. from Fraxinusexcelsior, D.foeniculacea and D.rudis from Quercusrobur) were revealed from tree branches in the Netherlands. Diaporthepseudoalnea differs from D.eres (syn. D.alnea) by its longer conidiophores. Diaporthesilvicola is distinguished from D.fraxinicola and D.fraxini-angustifoliae by larger alpha conidia.

Characterization of Diaporthe species on Camelliaoleifera in Hunan Province, with descriptions of two new species

Tea-oil tree (Camelliaoleifera Abel.) is an important edible oil woody plant with a planting area over 3,800,000 hectares in southern China. Species of Diaporthe inhabit a wide range of plant hosts as plant pathogens, endophytes and saprobes. At present, relatively little is known about the taxonomy and genetic diversity of Diaporthe on C.oleifera. Here, we conducted an extensive field survey in Hunan Province in China to identify and characterise Diaporthe species associated with tea-oil leaf spots. As a result, eleven isolates of Diaporthe were obtained from symptomatic C.oleifera leaves. These isolates were studied by applying a polyphasic approach including morphological and phylogenetic analyses of partial ITS, cal, his3, tef1 and tub2 gene regions. Two new Diaporthe species (D.camelliae-oleiferae and D.hunanensis) were proposed and described herein, and C.oleifera was revealed to be new host records of D.hubeiensis and D.sojae. This study indicated there is a potential of more undiscovered Diaporthe species from C.oleifera in China.

Current Insight into Culture-Dependent and Culture-Independent Methods in Discovering Ascomycetous Taxa

Culture techniques are vital in both traditional and modern fungal taxonomy. Establishing sexual-asexual links and synanamorphs, extracting DNA and secondary metabolites are mainly based on cultures. However, it is widely accepted that a large number of species are not sporulating in nature while others cannot be cultured. Recent ecological studies based on culture-independent methods revealed these unculturable taxa, i.e., dark taxa. Recent fungal diversity estimation studies suggested that environmental sequencing plays a vital role in discovering missing species. However, Sanger sequencing is still the main approach in determining DNA sequences in culturable species. In this paper, we summarize culture-based and culture-independent methods in the study of ascomycetous taxa. High-throughput sequencing of leaf endophytes, leaf litter fungi and fungi in aquatic environments is important to determine dark taxa. Nevertheless, currently, naming dark taxa is not recognized by the ICN, thus provisional naming of them is essential as suggested by several studies.

Cytospora and Diaporthe Species Associated With Hazelnut Canker and Dieback in Beijing, China

Hazelnut (Corylus heterophylla Fisch.) is an important nut crop in China but has been declining owing to the destructive effects of fungal branch canker and dieback. The identification and management of these pathogens are difficult because of the lack of attention to branch canker, insufficient understanding of phylogenetic, and overlapping morphological characteristics of the pathogens. In total, 51 strains were isolated from Chinese wild hazelnut in this study, and three species of Cytospora and two of Diaporthe were identified through morphological observation and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses (ITS, act, rpb2, tef1-α, and tub2 for Cytospora; ITS, cal, his3, tef1-α, and tub2 for Diaporthe). Three new species, Cytospora corylina, C. curvispora, and Diaporthe corylicola, and two known species, Cytospora leucostoma and Diaporthe eres, grew at 5-30°C and a pH of 3.0-11.0, with optimum growth at approximately 25°C and pH 4.0-7.0. Additionally, the effects of six carbon sources on mycelial growth were investigated. This study explored the main pathogenic fungi species of Corylus heterophylla, completed the corresponding database of pathogenic fungi information, and clarified their biological characteristics. Moreover, the results of this study provided a theoretical basis for Corylus heterophylla disease management and prevention in China.

Diaporthe taoicola and D. siamensis, Two New Records on Citrus sinensis in China

Two Diaporthe species isolated from fruit of Citrus sinensis in China were characterized based on morphology and multilocus phylogeny of ITS, tef1, and tub2 gene sequences. The phylogeny indicated that the two species match Diaporthe taoicola and D. siamensis. A critical examination of phenotypic characteristics confirmed the phylogenetic results. Diaporthe taoicola was morphologically characterized by producing Alpha conidia with tapering toward both ends. Meanwhile, D. siamensis produced cylindrical or ellipsoidal Alpha conidia with two oil drops. Pathogenicity tests revealed that both species were pathogenic to fruit of C. sinensis. To our knowledge, the two species were firstly reported on Citrus sinensis in China.

Volatile Constituents of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Aquilaria sinensis with Descriptions of Two New Species of Nemania

Algae, bacteria, and fungi, as well as higher plants, produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites known as natural products. Natural products are well known as remarkable sources of many therapeutic agents. The genus Nemania is a wood-decaying fungus that belongs to family Xylariaceae. Nemania is often found as an endophyte in diverse hosts and some species are known to produce useful secondary metabolites. In this study, two Nemania species were isolated as an endophytic fungus from Aquilaria sinensis. Multi-gene phylogenetic studies showed that the newly described strains of Nemania are new to science, and this is the first report of Nemania from the host Aquilaria. One of the fermented species, Nemania aquilariae (KUMCC 20-0268), resulted in five sesquiterpenoids, which were previously reported from agarwood, and their structures were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition, five different media were investigated in vitro to optimize conditions for growing the fungal biomass of Nemania aquilariae and N. yunnanensis.

Isolation and Molecular Characterization of the Romaine Lettuce Phylloplane Mycobiome

Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is an important staple of American agriculture. Unlike many vegetables, romaine lettuce is typically consumed raw. Phylloplane microbes occur naturally on plant leaves; consumption of uncooked leaves includes consumption of phylloplane microbes. Despite this fact, the microbes that naturally occur on produce such as romaine lettuce are for the most part uncharacterized. In this study, we conducted culture-based studies of the fungal romaine lettuce phylloplane community from organic and conventionally grown samples. In addition to an enumeration of all such microbes, we define and provide a discussion of the genera that form the "core" romaine lettuce mycobiome, which represent 85.5% of all obtained isolates: Alternaria, Aureobasidium, Cladosporium, Filobasidium, Naganishia, Papiliotrema, Rhodotorula, Sampaiozyma, Sporobolomyces, Symmetrospora and Vishniacozyma. We highlight the need for additional mycological expertise in that 23% of species in these core genera appear to be new to science and resolve some taxonomic issues we encountered during our work with new combinations for Aureobasidiumbupleuri and Curvibasidium nothofagi. Finally, our work lays the ground for future studies that seek to understand the effect these communities may have on preventing or facilitating establishment of exogenous microbes, such as food spoilage microbes and plant or human pathogens.

Draft Genome Sequence of Cumin Blight Pathogen Alternaria burnsii

The fungal genus Alternaria consists of highly diverse species. They can be isolated readily from soil, water, and many plants, and even from animals and humans. Alternaria burnsii is a small-spored species of section Alternaria. It has been reported as a pathogen, an endophyte, and a saprophyte, and can also be found in indoor air. It causes cumin blight, a destructive disease on cumin (Cuminum cyminum), and also causes other serious diseases, such as pumpkin seed rot, date palm leaf spot, wheat leaf spot, and gray spot of Notopterygium incisum. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the first genome of A. burnsii isolate CBS 107.38. The draft genome can be used as a reference for the further study of related pathogens and comparative genomics of Alternaria species.

Fungal Endophytes of Tahiti Lime (Citrus citrus × latifolia) and Their Potential for Control of Colletotrichum acutatum J. H. Simmonds Causing Anthracnose

Colletotrichum acutatum is one of the causal agents of anthracnose in several crops, and of post-flowering fruit drop (PFD) in citrus and key lime anthracnose (KLA). The pathogen normally attacks flowers, causing lesions only in open flowers. Under very favorable conditions, however, it can also affect flower buds and small fruits, causing complete rotting of the fruit and a premature fall, resulting in major economic crop losses. We isolated endophytic fungi from Tahiti lime to evaluate its diversity, verify its antagonistic capacity against the phytopathogen Colletotrichum acutatum C-100 in dual tests, and evaluate the ability of various endophytic agents to control flowers with induced anthracnose. 138 fungal isolates were obtained from 486 fragments of branches, leaves, and fruit; from which 15 species were identified morphologically. A higher isolation frequency was found in branches and leaves, with a normal level of diversity compared to other citrus species. Of the 15 morphospecies, 5 were trialed against C. acutatum in antagonism tests, resulting in a finding of positive inhibition. 2 endophytic fungi from the antagonism tests demonstrated high inhibition of the phytopathogen, and were thus used in in vivo tests with Tahiti lime flowers, applied in a spore solution. Spore solutions of two molecularly identified species, Xylaria adscendens, and Trichoderma atroviride, reduced the lesions caused by the phytopathogen in these in vivo tests. The finding that these endophytes react antagonistically against C. acutatum may make them good candidates for further biological control research in an agroindustry that requires environmental sustainability.

New Cladosporium Species from Normal and Galled Flowers of Lamiaceae

A series of isolates of Cladosporium spp. were recovered in the course of a cooperative study on galls formed by midges of the genus Asphondylia (Diptera, Cecidomyidae) on several species of Lamiaceae. The finding of these fungi in both normal and galled flowers was taken as an indication that they do not have a definite relationship with the midges. Moreover, identification based on DNA sequencing showed that these isolates are taxonomically heterogeneous and belong to several species which are classified in two different species complexes. Two new species, Cladosporium polonicum and Cladosporium neapolitanum, were characterized within the Cladosporium cladosporioides species complex based on strains from Poland and Italy, respectively. Evidence concerning the possible existence of additional taxa within the collective species C. cladosporioides and C. pseudocladosporioides is discussed.

Morphological and phylogenetic analyses reveal three new species of Diaporthe from Yunnan, China

Species of Diaporthe have often been reported as plant pathogens, endophytes or saprobes, commonly isolated from a wide range of plant hosts. Sixteen strains isolated from species of ten host genera in Yunnan Province, China, represented three new species of Diaporthe, D. chrysalidocarpi, D. machili and D. pometiae as well as five known species D. arecae, D. hongkongensis, D. middletonii, D. osmanthi and D. pandanicola. Morphological comparisons with known species and DNA-based phylogenies based on the analysis of a multigene (ITS, TUB, TEF, CAL and HIS) dataset support the establishment of the new species. This study reveals that a high species diversity of Diaporthe with wide host ranges occur in tropical rainforest in Yunnan Province, China.

Refined families of Dothideomycetes: orders and families incertae sedis in Dothideomycetes

Numerous new taxa and classifications of Dothideomycetes have been published following the last monograph of families of Dothideomycetes in 2013. A recent publication by Honsanan et al. in 2020 expanded information of families in Dothideomycetidae and Pleosporomycetidae with modern classifications. In this paper, we provide a refined updated document on orders and families incertae sedis of Dothideomycetes. Each family is provided with an updated description, notes, including figures to represent the morphology, a list of accepted genera, and economic and ecological significances. We also provide phylogenetic trees for each order. In this study, 31 orders which consist 50 families are assigned as orders incertae sedis in Dothideomycetes, and 41 families are treated as families incertae sedis due to lack of molecular or morphological evidence. The new order, Catinellales, and four new families, Catinellaceae, Morenoinaceae Neobuelliellaceae and Thyrinulaceae are introduced. Seven genera (Neobuelliella, Pseudomicrothyrium, Flagellostrigula, Swinscowia, Macroconstrictolumina, Pseudobogoriella, and Schummia) are introduced. Seven new species (Acrospermum urticae, Bogoriella complexoluminata, Dothiorella ostryae, Dyfrolomyces distoseptatus, Macroconstrictolumina megalateralis, Patellaria microspora, and Pseudomicrothyrium thailandicum) are introduced base on morphology and phylogeny, together with two new records/reports and five new collections from different families. Ninety new combinations are also provided in this paper.

Genome mining of a fungal endophyte of Taxus yunnanensis (Chinese yew) leads to the discovery of a novel azaphilone polyketide, lijiquinone

Genome mining of Ascomycete sp. F53 (F53), a fungal endophyte of the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Taxus yunnanensis (Chinese yew), revealed 35 putative specialized metabolite biosynthesis gene clusters, one of which encodes a rarely seen tandem polyketide synthase pathway with close homology to azaphilone biosynthesis pathways. A novel compound, lijiquinone 1, was subsequently isolated from F53 and structurally and functionally characterized. The m/z 385 [M + H+ ]+ compound, comprised of a cyclohexenone side group attached to a core bicyclic ring, displayed cytotoxicity against human myeloma cells (IC50  = 129 μM), as well as antifungal activity against Candida albicans (IC50  = 79 μM) and Cryptococcus albidus (IC50  = 141 μM). Our results suggest that enzymes encoded on the lij gene cluster are responsible for the synthesis of 1 and that the medicinal properties of T. yunnanensis could be partially mediated by this novel azaphilone. This study highlights the utility of combining traditional knowledge with contemporary genomic approaches for the discovery of new bioactive compounds.

Polyketide-Derived Secondary Metabolites from a Dothideomycetes Fungus, Pseudopalawania siamensisgen. et sp. nov., (Muyocopronales) with Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activities

Pseudopalawania siamensisgen. et sp. nov., from northern Thailand, is introduced based on multi-gene analyses and morphological comparison. An isolate was fermented in yeast malt culture broth and explored for its secondary metabolite production. Chromatographic purification of the crude ethyl acetate (broth) extract yielded four tetrahydroxanthones comprised of a new heterodimeric bistetrahydroxanthone, pseudopalawanone (1), two known dimeric derivatives, 4,4'-secalonic acid D (2) and penicillixanthone A (3), the corresponding monomeric tetrahydroxanthone paecilin B (4), and the known benzophenone, cephalanone F (5). Compounds 1-3 showed potent inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Compounds 2 and 3 were inhibitory against Bacillus subtilis with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 1.0 and 4.2 μg/mL, respectively. Only compound 2 showed activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis. In addition, the dimeric compounds 1-3 also showed moderate cytotoxic effects on HeLa and mouse fibroblast cell lines, which makes them less attractive as candidates for development of selectively acting antibiotics.

New Species of the Genus Curvularia: C. tamilnaduensis and C. coimbatorensis from Fungal Keratitis Cases in South India

Members of the genus Curvularia are melanin-producing dematiaceous fungi of increasing clinical importance as causal agents of both local and invasive infections. This study contributes to the taxonomical and clinical knowledge of this genus by describing two new Curvularia species based on isolates from corneal scrapings of South Indian fungal keratitis patients. The phylogeny of the genus was updated based on three phylogenetic markers: the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal RNA gene cluster as well as fragments of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gpdh) and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1α) genes. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree constructed from the alignment of the three concatenated loci revealed that the examined isolates are representing two new, yet undescribed, Curvularia species. Examination of colony and microscopic morphology revealed differences between the two species as well as between the new species and their close relatives. The new species were formally described as Curvularia tamilnaduensis N. Kiss & S. Kocsubé sp. nov. and Curvularia coimbatorensis N. Kiss & S. Kocsubé sp. nov. Antifungal susceptibility testing by the broth microdilution method of CLSI (Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute) revealed that the type strain of C. coimbatorensis is less susceptible to a series of antifungals than the C. tamilnaduensis strains.

Morphology and Multi-Gene Phylogeny Reveal Pestalotiopsis pinicola sp. nov. and a New Host Record of Cladosporium anthropophilum from Edible Pine (Pinus armandii) Seeds in Yunnan Province, China

This study contributes new knowledge on the diversity of conidial fungi in edible pine (Pinus armandii) seeds found in Yunnan Province, China and emphasizes the importance of edible seed products to ensure food safety standards. We isolated two fungal species, one on the pine seed coat and the other on the endosperm of the pine seed. The two fungal species were identified as Pestalotiopsis pinicola sp. nov. and a new host record Cladosporium anthropophilum. Characteristic morphological features of Pestalotiopsis pinicola were used alongside results from multi-gene phylogenetic analysis to distinguish it from currently known species within the genus. Cladosporium anthropophilum was identified as a new host record based on morphological features and phylogenetic analysis. In addition, detailed descriptions, scanned electron microscopy morphology, illustrations, and phylogenetic trees are provided to show the placement of these species.

Notes, outline and divergence times of Basidiomycota

The Basidiomycota constitutes a major phylum of the kingdom Fungi and is second in species numbers to the Ascomycota. The present work provides an overview of all validly published, currently used basidiomycete genera to date in a single document. An outline of all genera of Basidiomycota is provided, which includes 1928 currently used genera names, with 1263 synonyms, which are distributed in 241 families, 68 orders, 18 classes and four subphyla. We provide brief notes for each accepted genus including information on classification, number of accepted species, type species, life mode, habitat, distribution, and sequence information. Furthermore, three phylogenetic analyses with combined LSU, SSU, 5.8s, rpb1, rpb2, and ef1 datasets for the subphyla Agaricomycotina, Pucciniomycotina and Ustilaginomycotina are conducted, respectively. Divergence time estimates are provided to the family level with 632 species from 62 orders, 168 families and 605 genera. Our study indicates that the divergence times of the subphyla in Basidiomycota are 406–430 Mya, classes are 211–383 Mya, and orders are 99–323 Mya, which are largely consistent with previous studies. In this study, all phylogenetically supported families were dated, with the families of Agaricomycotina diverging from 27–178 Mya, Pucciniomycotina from 85–222 Mya, and Ustilaginomycotina from 79–177 Mya. Divergence times as additional criterion in ranking provide additional evidence to resolve taxonomic problems in the Basidiomycota taxonomic system, and also provide a better understanding of their phylogeny and evolution.

Agricultural and Other Biotechnological Applications Resulting from Trophic Plant-Endophyte Interactions

Endophytic microbiota plays a role not only in supplying plants with the basic nutrients indispensable for their growth, but also helps them in the mechanisms of adaptation to various environmental stresses (i.e., salinity, drought), which is important in the aspect of crop yields. From the agricultural and biotechnological points of view, the knowledge of endophytes and their roles in increasing crop yields, plant resistance to diseases, and helping to survive environmental stress is extremely desirable. This paper reviews some of the beneficial plant–microbe interactions that might be potentially used in both agriculture (plant growth stimulation effect, adaptation of host organisms in salinity and drought conditions, and support of defense mechanisms in plants), and in biotechnology (bioactive metabolites, application of endophytes for bioremediation and biotransformation processes, and production of biofertilizers and biopreparations). Importantly, relatively recent reports on endophytes from the last 10 years are summarized in this paper.

High Genetic Diversity and Species Complexity of Diaporthe Associated With Grapevine Dieback in China

Grapevine trunk diseases have become one of the main threats to grape production worldwide, with Diaporthe species as an emerging group of pathogens in China. At present, relatively little is known about the taxonomy and genetic diversity of Chinese Diaporthe populations, including their relationships to other populations worldwide. Here, we conducted an extensive field survey in six provinces in China to identify and characterize Diaporthe species in grape vineyards. Ninety-four isolates were identified and analyzed using multi-locus phylogeny. The isolates belonged to eight species, including three novel taxa, Diaporthe guangxiensis (D. guangxiensis), Diaporthe hubeiensis (D. hubeiensis), Diaporthe viniferae (D. viniferae), and three new host records, Diaporthe gulyae (D. gulyae), Diaporthe pescicola (D. pescicola), and Diaporthe unshiuensis (D. unshiuensis). The most commonly isolated species was Diaporthe eres (D. eres). In addition, high genetic diversity was observed for D. eres in Chinese vineyards. Haplotype network analysis of D. eres isolates from China and Europe showed a close relationship between samples from the two geographical locations and evidence for recombination. In comparative pathogenicity testing, D. gulyae was the most aggressive taxon, whereas D. hubeiensis was the least aggressive. This study provides new insights into the Diaporthe species associated with grapevines in China, and our results can be used to develop effective disease management strategies.

Diaporthe species in south-western China

Three strains of the genus Diaporthe were isolated from different plant hosts in south-western China. Phylogenetic analyses of the combined ITS, β-tubulin, tef1 and calmoudulin dataset indicated that these strains represented three independent lineages in Diaporthe. Diaporthemillettiaesp. nov. clustered with D.hongkongensis and D.arecae, Diaportheosmanthisp. nov. grouped with D.arengae, D.pseudomangiferae and D.perseae and Diaporthe strain GUCC9146, isolated from Camelliasinensis, was grouped in the D.eres species complex with a close relationship to D.longicicola. These species are reported with taxonomic descriptions and illustrations.

Re-evaluation of Mycoleptodiscus species and morphologically similar fungi

Mycoleptodiscus includes plant pathogens, animal opportunists, saprobic and endophytic fungi. The present study presents the first molecular phylogeny and revision of the genus based on four loci, including ITS, LSU, rpb2, and tef1. An extensive collection of Mycoleptodiscus cultures, including ex-type strains from the CBS, IMI, MUCL, BRIP, clinical isolates from the USA, and fresh isolates from Brazil and Spain, was studied morphologically and phylogenetically to resolve their taxonomy. The study showed that Mycoleptodiscus sensu lato is polyphyletic. Phylogenetic analysis places Mycoleptodiscus in Muyocopronales (Dothideomycetes), together with Arxiella, Leptodiscella, Muyocopron, Neocochlearomyces, and Paramycoleptodiscus. Mycoleptodiscus terrestris, the type species, and M. sphaericus are reduced to synonyms, and one new species is introduced, M. suttonii. Mycoleptodiscus atromaculans, M. coloratus, M. freycinetiae, M. geniculatus, M. indicus, M. lateralis (including M. unilateralis and M. variabilis as its synonyms) and M. taiwanensis belong to Muyocopron (Muyocopronales, Dothideomycetes), and M. affinis, and M. lunatus to Omnidemptus (Magnaporthales, Sordariomycetes). Based on phylogenetic analyses we propose Muyocopron alcornii sp. nov., a fungus associated with leaf spots on Epidendrum sp. (Orchidaceae) in Australia, Muyocopron zamiae sp. nov. associated with leaf spots on Zamia (Zamiaceae) in the USA, and Omnidemptus graminis sp. nov. isolated from a grass (Poaceae) in Spain. Furthermore, Neomycoleptodiscus venezuelense gen. & sp. nov. is introduced for a genus similar to Mycoleptodiscus in Muyocopronaceae.

Two new endophytic Colletotrichum species from Nothapodytespittosporoides in China

Two new endophytic species, Colletotrichumjishouense sp. nov. and. C.tongrenense sp. nov. were isolated from Nothapodytespittosporoides in Guizhou and Hunan provinces, China. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of these new taxa are provided and morphological comparisons with similar taxa are explored. Phylogenetic analysis with combined sequence data (ITS, GAPDH, ACT and TUB2) demonstrated that both species formed distinct clades in this genus. This is the first record of Colletotrichum species from N.pittosporoides in China.

High diversity of Diaporthe species associated with dieback diseases in China, with twelve new species described

Diaporthe species have often been reported as important plant pathogens, saprobes and endophytes on a wide range of plant hosts. Although several Diaporthe species have been recorded in China, little is known about species able to infect forest trees. Therefore, extensive surveys were recently conducted in Beijing, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shaanxi and Zhejiang Provinces. The current results emphasised on 15 species from 42 representative isolates involving 16 host genera using comparisons of DNA sequence data for the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), calmodulin (cal), histone H3 (his3), partial translation elongation factor-1α (tef1) and β-tubulin (tub2) gene regions, as well as their morphological features. Three known species, D.biguttulata, D.eres and D.unshiuensis, were identified. In addition, twelve novel taxa were collected and are described as D.acerigena, D.alangii, D.betulina, D.caryae, D.cercidis, D.chensiensis, D.cinnamomi, D.conica, D.fraxinicola, D.kadsurae, D.padina and D.ukurunduensis. The current study improves the understanding of species causing diebacks on ecological and economic forest trees and provides useful information for the effective disease management of these hosts in China.