Mycologia最新文献

This study presents a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the genus Meripilus and its allied genera Henningsia and Physisporinus within the Meripilaceae family, in the broader context of the residual polyporoid clade. The three genera are morphologically similar and characterized by resupinate to pileate basidiomes that harden and often darken upon drying, a monomitic hyphal structure, simple-septate generative hyphae, and globose to ovoid basidiospores, with variable presence of cystidia. Species in Henningsia and Meripilus, in turn, present gloeopleurous hyphae in the context and large, multipileate basidiomes. Recent studies have indicated that Physisporinus, as currently defined, is not monophyletic, with Meripilus nested within it. Phylogenetic analysis based on four molecular markers confirmed the paraphyletic nature of Physisporinus, with Meripilus and Henningsia both nested within it. Morphological examinations of specimens collected in South America, along with revisions of type specimens, show that this segregation is not natural and causes nomenclatural problems. We propose to transfer all species currently placed in Physisporinus into Meripilus, thereby preventing the division of the genus into morphologically indistinguishable groups. As a result of this reclassification, we propose 35 new combinations in Meripilus and describe three new species from South America.

Leandria momordicae Rangel is the etiological agent of net spot, which is a very important disease of cucumber (Cucumis sativus), chayote (Sicyos edule), and in other Cucurbitaceae species. Although this pathogen was described more than a century ago infecting Momordica charantia, its taxonomic positioning has not yet been clarified. Moreover, a standard isolate of this fungus is not available in any reference mycological collection. In this context, the aims of the present work were (i) to clarify the taxonomic position of the fungus via morphological and phylogenetic analyses; (ii) to deposit a neotype of L. momordicae in a public mycological collection; (iii) to provide the first DNA sequences of the pathogen in GenBank. The morphometrical characteristics of distinct L. momordicae isolates were similar to those originally described. The phylogenetic analyses were carried out using information of five genomic regions. Using the BLASTn algorithm, it was observed that the L. momordicae-derived sequences displayed higher identity levels to fungal sequences of the order Pleosporales, which were subsequently included in the analyses. All sequences from the nine isolates of L. momordicae grouped within a single phylogenetic clade distinct from the other taxa in Pleosporales. Therefore, it is suggested the establishment of a new family of Pleosporales to include L. momordicae to which the name Leandriaceae is proposed. In addition, an ex-neotype and a neotype were illustrated and deposited in the Herbarium of the Federal University of Viçosa (VIC4754) and in the culture collection "Octávio Almeida Drummond" (COAD3403). The present study reinforces the view that many "hidden" fungal taxa are yet to be discovery under Neotropical conditions.

The polyphagous insect Helicoverpa armigera is a devastating pest known to develop resistance to insecticides quickly. In the search for alternatives, the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae has been found to be an eco-friendly component of integrated pest management for lepidopteran insects all over the world. On tomatoes, this pest devours both the leaves and the fruits. The present investigation was carried out to identify effective M. anisopliae strains against H. armigera through ultramicroscopic investigations. The fungal strains sourced from soil and Spodoptera frugiperda cadavers were subjected to molecular and morphological characterization, confirming their identity as M. anisopliae. Of the 10 M. anisopliae strains, ICAR SBI Ma 08 and ICAR SBI Ma 01 ranked first and second in efficacy against H. armigera second and fourth instars, respectively. The order of efficacy of other strains against H. armigera was ICAR SBI Ma 69 > ICAR SBI Ma 44 > ICAR SBI Ma 07 > ICAR SBI Ma 05 > ICAR SBI Ma 172 > ICAR SBI Ma 03 > ICAR SBI Ma 46 > ICAR SBI Ma 04. Ultramicroscopic examinations found the growth of mycelia in the natural openings of the larva, such as the spiracles, thorax, legs, and setal alveoli, within 168 h. The tested strains demonstrated greater effectiveness against the second instar compared with the fourth instar, suggesting that the most potent strain, ICAR SBI Ma 08, can effectively manage the early instars.

Much progress documenting the diversity and relationships within the Hydnaceae has been made over the past decades. Nevertheless, the diversity of the family is far from completely known, especially in neotropical regions, which remain underexplored. Concentrated fieldwork to document the diversity and distribution of macrofungi in Costa Rica began in the late 1980s and continued through early 2000s. As most of the studies were morphology based, some species were identified only to genus level, provisionally named, or misidentified. This study provides morphological and molecular evidence of new species of Hydnaceae previously and newly collected in neotropical Quercus-dominated forests in Costa Rica. Molecular phylogenies support the proposal of five new species: a yellow chanterelle Ca. neotropicalis, three Craterellus species: Cr. griseohymeninus, sp. nov. Cr. minutibrunneus, sp. nov. and Cr. lamelligracilis, sp. nov. and a Hydnum repandum lookalike: Hydnum pallideflavum, sp. nov.

Advancements in fungal taxonomy have been significantly enhanced by multilocus phylogenetic analyses, which improve the precision of species identification. This study also employs such methods to investigate the genus Conocybe, resulting in the description of three novel species, viz. C. hasiluprensis and C. sultanii belonging to the section Pilosellae and C. ferruginae of section Conocybe, from southern Punjab, Pakistan. Field collections yielded specimens that were examined morphologically and genetically, using a multilocus phylogenetic analysis utilizing sequences from the ITS, 28S, and TEF1-α regions. A combined phylogenetic tree was constructed through maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods, revealing three novel taxa occupying their respective distinct branches. Further, morphological analysis complemented the genetic data, with each species displaying unique characteristics. This study not only adds to the fungal biodiversity of Pakistan but also provides a robust framework for future taxonomic and ecological research in the region. In addition, we provide a key to the known species of Conocybe in Pakistan.

Three new species of Artomyces from the Gaoligong Mountains and adjacent areas of southwestern China, namely, A. brunneoalbus, A. hirtipes, and A. pteruloides, are described based on morphological characteristics, molecular phylogenetic evidence, and ecological traits. Two other species described recently, A. niveus and A. yunnanensis, have also been identified in the same area. In addition, the occurrence of A. pyxidatus in southwestern China and North Macedonia was confirmed. Our study indicated that the species diversity of Artomyces is relatively high in East Asia. To date, seven species of Artomyces have been reported from the region, including the aforementioned species and A. microsporus. Given the diversity of forest ecosystems, from tropical to temperate areas in China, additional species of the genus could be revealed in the future.

The plant genus Eryngium (Apiaceae) includes various species used as condiments, ornamentals in gardens, or as elements in floral arrangements. In recent years, there has been a surge in interceptions from South America at U.S. ports of entry, leading to the subsequent destruction of these plants due to the presence of an unidentified species of Entyloma (Entylomatales, Exobasidiomycetes). The combination of morphology, host, and geographic origin did not align with any reported species on Eryngium. This study aimed to identify and characterize this unknown Entyloma sp. ascertain its phylogenetic relationship with other Entyloma species, and verify the identity of the host plant. Morphological and phylogenetic (nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer [ITS] regions) analyses were performed, in context with available sequences and species of Entyloma. Nuc rDNA ITS was also used to attempt the identification of the host. Findings reveal that the unidentified Entyloma sp. forms a distinct and well-supported clade separate from other species on Eryngium. Its closest relatives include En. carmeli, En. eryngii, En. eryngii-cretici, En. eryngii-plani, En. lagoeciae, and En. scandicis. Morphologically, it resembles En. argentinense, En. eryngii-alpini, En. eryngii-cretici, En. eryngii-maritimi, and En. eryngii-plani; however, a combination of host affiliation, geography, and morphology distinguishes the new Entyloma sp. from these five species. Therefore, the new species Entyloma meridionale is described herein. The host plant was confirmed as Eryngium planum. This research increases knowledge of Entyloma diversity and contributes to understanding the dynamics of pathogen movement and potential invasion into new territories.

Pennisetum purpureum × P. americanum is an important forage in southwest China. In recent years, a considerable number of wilting plants have occurred in forage-growing regions located in Yunnan Province. The typical symptoms were that the surface of the wilted stems turned brown with a covering of white powder. Six isolates were identified as a new Brunneomyces species based on morphological characteristics and combined phylogenetic analysis of partial 28S nuc rDNA region (28S), internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1-α), and the RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) sequence data. The Koch's postulates test confirmed Brunneomyces pennisetum, sp. nov. as a pathogen causing wilt disease in Pennisetum purpureum × P. americanum. The colony diameter of B. pennisetum, sp. nov. exhibited different sensitivity to the six fungicides. Carbendazol (50%) was demonstrated to be the most effective in slowing the growth rate of the pathogen. The pathogen exhibited a higher growth rate at pH 7.0 but could not grow when the pH was greater than 9. The pathogen growth peaked at 25 C, but it could not grow at 5, 10, and 35 C.

Hypsizygus ulmarius, a novel oyster mushroom species, offers potential scope due to its low-cost production, high biological efficiency, and notable nutritional, medicinal, and therapeutic properties. The present study standardized commercial cultivation technology for H. ulmarius in the Trans-Gangetic Plains of India. The mycelium grew well on potato dextrose agar and carrot extract broth at pH 8.0 and temperature 25 C. Wheat straw supplemented with the cotton seed hull at the rate of 10.0% dose, spawned with pearl millet grain spawn at the rate of 5.0% spawn dose, gave the highest mushroom yield (953.66 g/0.4 kg dry substrate) with biological efficiency (238.41%). The first flush sporocarps were freeze-dried for physicochemical characterization, revealing 16 strong peaks and 8 functional groups via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Particle size averaged 45.97 µm of mushroom powder, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed diverse surface textures. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolic profiling identified 20 key secondary metabolites each from hexane and methanolic extracts, with therapeutic uses that are valuable for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and food industry applications.

The current study was conducted to obtain the first detailed assessment of true morel (Morchella) species diversity in Pakistan. A collection of 179 morels was obtained by conducting field surveys in 13 districts during spring and autumn of 2014 through 2020. Species were identified phylogenetically by analyzing portions of two (RPB1, RPB2) or four (RPB1, RPB2, TEF1, ITS rDNA) marker loci together with authentic reference sequences of known species and by conducting BLASTn queries of National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) GenBank. A retrospective analysis of morel sequences from Pakistani (N = 52) and Indian (N = 69) collections accessioned in GenBank was also conducted to expand and compare our knowledge of Morchella species diversity in both countries. Analyses of our 179-morel collection and the 52 Pakistani sequences deposited in GenBank indicated that at least 20 species are present in Pakistan, including five putatively novel taxa within the Elata subclade here informally distinguished as Morchella spp. (Mel-43 to Mel-47). Phylospecies Mel-45 and Mel-46 were described formally as M. pycnogranulata and M. waziristanica, respectively. By comparison, analyses of the 69 Indian sequences deposited in GenBank indicated that at least 12 species are extant in India. However, only 4/9 Pakistani and 3/12 Indian species were correctly identified in GenBank. Two collections of the steppe morel, M. steppicola (Mes-1), from Afghanistan were also included in the present study, which extends the southeasternmost range of this morphologically distinct species.