Mycosphaerella is polyphyletic

Compositional profiling of the rhizosphere microbiome of Canada thistle reveals consistent patterns across the United States northern Great Plains

Canada thistle is a pervasive perennial weed, causing challenges to agricultural and natural ecosystems globally. Although research has focused on the phenology, genetics, and control of Canada thistle, little is known about the rhizosphere microbiome and the role plant-microbe interactions play in invasion success. This study investigated the rhizosphere microbiome of Canada thistle across diverse climates, soils, and crops in the U.S. northern Great Plains. Soil and rhizosphere samples were collected and bacterial 16S and fungal ITS2 sequencing were performed to characterize the core microbiome and identify potential factors contributing to invasion success. Amplicon sequencing revealed a stable core microbiome that was detected in the Canada thistle rhizosphere across all locations. The core microbiome was dominated by the bacterial phyla Actinobacteriota and Proteobacteria and fungal phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Differential abundance analysis showed rhizosphere fungal communities were enriched in pathogen-containing genera with a 1.7-fold greater abundance of Fusaria and a 2.6-fold greater abundance of Gibberella compared to bulk soil. Predictive functional profiling showed rhizosphere communities were enriched (p < 0.05, FDR corrected) in plant pathogen fungal guilds which represented 19% of the fungal community. The rhizosphere microbiome was similar in composition across environments, highlighting the stable association between Canada thistle and specific microbial taxa. This study characterized the core microbiome of Canada thistle, and the findings highlight plant-microbe interactions shaping invasive behavior. These findings are important for understanding the ecological impacts of plant invasion and soil-microbe ecological processes.

New and Interesting Pine-Associated Hyphomycetes from China

Pine trees play a crucial role in the forests of Sichuan Province, boasting rich species diversity and a lengthy evolutionary history. However, research and investigation on fungi associated with pine trees are insufficient. This study investigated the diversity of hyphomycetes fungi associated with pine trees in Sichuan Province, China. During the survey, we collected five specimens of hyphomycetes from branches and bark of species of Pinus. Five barcodes were selected for study and sequenced, including ITS, SSU, LSU, TEF1, and RPB2. Morphological examination and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses revealed three new species, viz. Catenulostroma pini sp. nov. within Teratosphaeriaceae, Kirschsteiniothelia longisporum sp. nov. within Kirschsteiniotheliaceae, Sporidesmiella sichuanensis sp. nov. within Junewangiaceae, and two known species, Paradictyoarthrinium diffractum and P. hydei within Paradictyoarthriniaceae, which are the new host records from Pinus species. Catenulostroma pini, distinguished from other species in the genus by its unique morphology, has three conidial morphologies: small terminal helicoconidia, scolecoconidia with many septa, and phragmoconidia conidia. Kirschsteiniothelia longisporum has longer spores when compared to the other species in the genus. According to phylogenetic analysis, Sporidesmiella sichuanensis formed an independent clade sister to S. aquatica and S. juncicola, distinguished by differences in conidial size.

Impact of lactic acid bacteria inoculation on fungal diversity during Spanish-style green table olive fermentations

This study delved into the evolution of fungal population during the fermentation of Spanish-style green table olives (Manzanilla cultivar), determining the influence of different factors such as fermentation matrix (brine or fruit) or the use of a lactic acid bacteria inoculum, on its distribution. The samples (n = 24) were directly obtained from industrial fermentation vessels with approximately 10.000 kg of fruits and 6.000 L of brines. Our findings showcased a synchronized uptick in lactic acid bacteria counts alongside fungi proliferation. Metataxonomic analysis of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region unearthed noteworthy disparities across different fermentation time points (0, 24, and 83 days). Statistical analysis pinpointed two Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASV), Candida and Aureobasidium, as accountable for the observed variances among the different fermentation time samples. Notably, Candida exhibited a marked increase during 83 days of fermentation, opposite to Aureobasidium, which demonstrated a decline. Fungal biodiversity was slightly higher in brines than in fruits, whilst no effect of inoculation was noticed. At the onset of fermentation, prominently detected genera were also Mycosphaerella (19.82 %) and Apohysomyces (16.31 %), hitherto unreported in the context of table olive processing. However, their prevalence dwindled to nearly negligible levels from 24th day fermentation onwards (<2 %). On the contrary, they were replaced by the fermentative yeasts Saccharomyces and Isstachenkia. Results obtained in this work will be useful for designing new strategies for better control of table olive fermentations.

Sunken Riches: Ascomycete Diversity in the Western Mediterranean Coast through Direct Plating and Flocculation, and Description of Four New Taxa

The Mediterranean Sea stands out as a hotspot of biodiversity, whose fungal composition remains underexplored. Marine sediments represent the most diverse substrate; however, the challenge of recovering fungi in culture hinders the precise identification of this diversity. Concentration techniques like skimmed milk flocculation (SMF) could represent a suitable solution. Here, we compare the effectiveness in recovering filamentous ascomycetes of direct plating and SMF in combination with three culture media and two incubation temperatures, and we describe the fungal diversity detected in marine sediments. Sediments were collected at different depths on two beaches (Miracle and Arrabassada) on the Spanish western Mediterranean coast between 2021 and 2022. We recovered 362 strains, and after a morphological selection, 188 were identified primarily with the LSU and ITS barcodes, representing 54 genera and 94 species. Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Scedosporium were the most common genera, with different percentages of abundance between both beaches. Arrabassada Beach was more heterogeneous, with 42 genera representing 60 species (Miracle Beach, 28 genera and 54 species). Although most species were recovered with direct plating (70 species), 20 species were exclusively obtained using SMF as a sample pre-treatment, improving our ability to detect fungi in culture. In addition, we propose three new species in the genera Exophiala, Nigrocephalum, and Queenslandipenidiella, and a fourth representing the novel genus Schizochlamydosporiella. We concluded that SMF is a useful technique that, in combination with direct plating, including different culture media and incubation temperatures, improves the chance of recovering marine fungal communities in culture-dependent studies.

Fungal Endophytes: Discovering What Lies within Some of Canada's Oldest and Most Resilient Grapevines

Plant diseases and pests reduce crop yields, accounting for global crop losses of 30% to 50%. In conventional agricultural production systems, these losses are typically controlled by applying chemical pesticides. However, public pressure is mounting to curtail agrochemical use. In this context, employing beneficial endophytic microorganisms is an increasingly attractive alternative to the use of conventional chemical pesticides in agriculture. A multitude of fungal endophytes are naturally present in plants, producing enzymes, small peptides, and secondary metabolites due to their bioactivity, which can protect hosts from pathogens, pests, and abiotic stresses. The use of beneficial endophytic microorganisms in agriculture is an increasingly attractive alternative to conventional pesticides. The aim of this study was to characterize fungal endophytes isolated from apparently healthy, feral wine grapes in eastern Canada that have grown without agrochemical inputs for decades. Host plants ranged from unknown seedlings to long-lost cultivars not widely propagated since the 1800s. HPLC-MS was used to identify unique endophyte-derived chemical compounds in the host plants, while dual-culture competition assays showed a range in endophytes' ability to suppress the mycelial growth of Botrytis, which is typically controlled in viticulture with pesticides. Twelve of the most promising fungal endophytes isolated were identified using multilocus sequencing and morphology, while DNA barcoding was employed to identify some of their host vines. These fungal endophyte isolates, which consisted of both known and putative novel strains, belonged to seven genera in six families and five orders of Ascomycota. Exploring the fungal endophytes in these specimens may yield clues to the vines' survival and lead to the discovery of novel biocontrol agents.

Wide Distribution of Teratosphaeria epicoccoides and T. destructans Associated with Diseased Eucalyptus Leaves in Plantations in Southern China

Species of Mycosphaerellaceae and Teratosphaeriaceae represent over 40% of the fungi identified on eucalypt leaves worldwide. These include some important pathogens that mainly cause leaf blight and spot, and result in increasingly negative impacts on global commercial eucalypt industries. Eucalyptus plantations are commonly cultivated in southern China for solid wood and pulp products. However, the species diversity and geographic distribution of Mycosphaerellaceae and Teratosphaeriaceae, associated with diseased plantation Eucalyptus leaves in China, have not been clarified. In this study, we conducted the first systematic surveys and sample collections of Mycosphaerellaceae- and Teratosphaeriaceae-like fungi from diseased plantation Eucalyptus leaves in southern China. In total, 558 isolates were obtained from 59 sampled sites in five provinces. One isolate was isolated from each tree. According to the disease symptoms, conidia morphological characteristics, and DNA sequence comparisons of ITS, tef1 and tub2 gene regions. The 558 isolates were identified as Teratosphaeria epicoccoides (312 isolates; 55.9%) and T. destructans (246 isolates, 44.1%). Both species were widely distributed in the sampled regions in southern China. The genotypes of T. epicoccoides and T. destructans were determined based on ITS, tef1, and tub2 sequences. The results showed that multiple genotypes of each species of T. epicoccoides and T. destructans exist in China. Additionally, isolates with multiple genotypes were obtained in all five sampled provinces. These results suggest that both T. epicoccoides and T. destructans are not clonal. This study proved that both T. epicoccoides and T. destructans are dominant species and widely distributed on diseased Eucalyptus leaves in southern China. The wide geographic distribution and potential high genetic diversity pose challenges for the disease management of Teratosphaeria leaf blight and leaf spot in China.

Virulence Associations and Global Context of AvrStb6 Genetic Diversity in Iranian Populations of Zymoseptoria tritici

Managing pathogen damage in wheat production is important for sustaining yields. Fungal plant pathogen genomes encode many small secreted proteins acting as effectors that play key roles in the successful colonization of host tissue and triggering host defenses. AvrStb6 is the first described Zymoseptoria tritici avirulence effector, which triggers Stb6-mediated immunity in the wheat host in a gene-for-gene manner. Evasion of major resistance factors such as Stb6 challenges deployment decisions on wheat cultivars. In this study, we analyzed the evolution of the AvrStb6 effector in Iranian isolates of Z. tritici. In total, 78 isolates were isolated and purified from 30 infected wheat specimens collected from the East Azerbaijan and Ardabil provinces of Iran. The pathogenicity of all isolates was evaluated on the susceptible wheat cultivar 'Tajan'. A subset of 40 isolates were also tested for pathogenicity on the resistant cultivar 'Shafir' carrying Stb6. Genetic diversity at the AvrStb6 locus was analyzed for 14 isolates covering the breadth of the observed disease severity. The AvrStb6 sequence variation was high, with virulent isolates carrying highly diverse AvrStb6 haplotypes. In an analysis including more than 1,000 additional AvrStb6 sequences from a global set of isolates, we found that virulent isolates carried AvrStb6 haplotypes either clustering with known virulent haplotypes on different continents or constituting previously unknown haplotypes. Furthermore, we found that AvrStb6 variants from avirulent isolates clustered with known avirulent genotypes from Europe. Our study highlights the relevance of AvrStb6 for Z. tritici virulence and the exceptional global diversity patterns of this effector.

A New Proposed Symbiotic Plant-Herbivore Relationship between Burkea africana Trees, Cirina forda Caterpillars and Their Associated Fungi Pleurostomophora richardsiae and Aspergillus nomius

Burkea africana is a tree found in savannah and woodland in southern Africa, as well as northwards into tropical African regions as far as Nigeria and Ethiopia. It is used as fuel wood, medicinally to treat various conditions, such as toothache, headache, migraine, pain, inflammation, and sexually transmitted diseases, such as gonorrhoea, but also an ornamental tree. The current study investigated the possible symbiotic relationship between B. africana trees and the C. forda caterpillars and the mutual role played in ensuring the survival of B. africana trees/seedlings in harsh natural conditions and low-nutrient soils. Deoxyribonucleic acid isolation and sequencing results revealed that the fungal species Pleurostomophora richardsiae was highly predominant in the leaves of B. africana trees and present in the caterpillars. The second most prominent fungal species in the caterpillars was Aspergillus nomius. The latter is known to be related to a Penicillium sp. which was found to be highly prevalent in the soil where B. africana trees grow and is suggested to play a role in enhancing the effective growth of B. africana trees in their natural habitat. To support this, a phylogenetic analysis was conducted, and a tree was constructed, which shows a high percentage similarity between Aspergillus and Penicillium sp. The findings of the study revealed that B. africana trees not only serve as a source of feed for the C. forda caterpillar but benefit from C. forda caterpillars which, after dropping onto the soil, is proposed to inoculate the soil surrounding the trees with the fungus A. nomius which suggests a symbiotic and/or synergistic relationship between B. africana trees and C. forda caterpillars.

Fungal Diversity Associated with Thirty-Eight Lichen Species Revealed a New Genus of Endolichenic Fungi, Intumescentia gen. nov. (Teratosphaeriaceae)

Fungi from the Teratosphaeriaceae (Mycosphaerellales; Dothideomycetes; Ascomycota) have a wide range of lifestyles. Among these are a few species that are endolichenic fungi. However, the known diversity of endolichenic fungi from Teratosphaeriaceae is far less understood compared to other lineages of Ascomycota. We conducted five surveys from 2020 to 2021 in Yunnan Province of China, to explore the biodiversity of endolichenic fungi. During these surveys, we collected multiple samples of 38 lichen species. We recovered a total of 205 fungal isolates representing 127 species from the medullary tissues of these lichens. Most of these isolates were from Ascomycota (118 species), and the remaining were from Basidiomycota (8 species) and Mucoromycota (1 species). These endolichenic fungi represented a wide variety of guilds, including saprophytes, plant pathogens, human pathogens, as well as entomopathogenic, endolichenic, and symbiotic fungi. Morphological and molecular data indicated that 16 of the 206 fungal isolates belonged to the family Teratosphaeriaceae. Among these were six isolates that had a low sequence similarity with any of the previously described species of Teratosphaeriaceae. For these six isolates, we amplified additional gene regions and conducted phylogenetic analyses. In both single gene and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses using ITS, LSU, SSU, RPB2, TEF1, ACT, and CAL data, these six isolates emerged as a monophyletic lineage within the family Teratosphaeriaceae and sister to a clade that included fungi from the genera Acidiella and Xenopenidiella. The analyses also indicated that these six isolates represented four species. Therefore, we established a new genus, Intumescentia gen. nov., to describe these species as Intumescentia ceratinae, I. tinctorum, I. pseudolivetorum, and I. vitii. These four species are the first endolichenic fungi representing Teratosphaeriaceae from China.

New and Interesting Fungi. 5

Nine new genera, 17 new species, nine new combinations, seven epitypes, three lectotypes, one neotype, and 14 interesting new host and / or geographical records are introduced in this study. New genera: Neobarrmaelia (based on Neobarrmaelia hyphaenes), Neobryochiton (based on Neobryochiton narthecii), Neocamarographium (based on Neocamarographium carpini), Nothocladosporium (based on Nothocladosporium syzygii), Nothopseudocercospora (based on Nothopseudocercospora dictamni), Paracamarographium (based on Paracamarographium koreanum), Pseudohormonema (based on Pseudohormonema sordidus), Quasiphoma (based on Quasiphoma hyphaenes), Rapidomyces (based on Rapidomyces narthecii). New species: Ascocorticium sorbicola (on leaves of Sorbus aucuparia, Belgium), Dactylaria retrophylli (on leaves of Retrophyllum rospigliosii, Colombia), Dactylellina miltoniae (on twigs of Miltonia clowesii, Colombia), Exophiala eucalyptigena (on dead leaves of Eucalyptus viminalis subsp. viminalis supporting Idolothrips spectrum, Australia), Idriellomyces syzygii (on leaves of Syzygium chordatum, South Africa), Microcera lichenicola (on Parmelia sulcata, Netherlands), Neobarrmaelia hyphaenes (on leaves of Hyphaene sp., South Africa), Neobryochiton narthecii (on dead leaves of Narthecium ossifragum, Netherlands), Niesslia pseudoexilis (on dead leaf of Quercus petraea, Serbia), Nothocladosporium syzygii (on leaves of Syzygium chordatum, South Africa), Nothotrimmatostroma corymbiae (on leaves of Corymbia henryi, South Africa), Phaeosphaeria hyphaenes (on leaves of Hyphaene sp., South Africa), Pseudohormonema sordidus (on a from human pacemaker, USA), Quasiphoma hyphaenes (on leaves of Hyphaene sp., South Africa), Rapidomyces narthecii (on dead leaves of Narthecium ossifragum, Netherlands), Reticulascus parahennebertii (on dead culm of Juncus inflexus, Netherlands), Scytalidium philadelphianum (from compressed air in a factory, USA). New combinations: Neobarrmaelia serenoae, Nothopseudocercospora dictamni, Dothiora viticola, Floricola sulcata, Neocamarographium carpini, Paracamarographium koreanum, Rhexocercosporidium bellocense, Russula lilacina. Epitypes: Elsinoe corni (on leaves of Cornus florida, USA), Leptopeltis litigiosa (on dead leaf fronds of Pteridium aquilinum, Netherlands), Nothopseudocercospora dictamni (on living leaves of Dictamnus albus, Russia), Ramularia arvensis (on leaves of Potentilla reptans, Netherlands), Rhexocercosporidium bellocense (on leaves of Verbascum sp., Germany), Rhopographus filicinus (on dead leaf fronds of Pteridium aquilinum, Netherlands), Septoria robiniae (on leaves of Robinia pseudoacacia, Belgium). Lectotypes: Leptopeltis litigiosa (on Pteridium aquilinum, France), Rhopographus filicinus (on dead leaf fronds of Pteridium aquilinum, Netherlands), Septoria robiniae (on leaves of Robinia pseudoacacia, Belgium). Neotype: Camarographium stephensii (on dead leaf fronds of Pteridium aquilinum, Netherlands). Citation: Crous PW, Begoude BAD, Boers J, Braun U, Declercq B, Dijksterhuis J, Elliott TF, Garay-Rodriguez GA, Jurjević Ž, Kruse J, Linde CC, Loyd A, Mound L, Osieck ER, Rivera-Vargas LI, Quimbita AM, Rodas CA, Roux J, Schumacher RK, Starink-Willemse M, Thangavel R, Trappe JM, van Iperen AL, Van Steenwinkel C, Wells A, Wingfield MJ, Yilmaz N, Groenewald JZ (2022) New and Interesting Fungi. 5. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 10: 19-90. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2022.10.02.

Thrombolytic Potential of Micromycetes from the Genus Tolypocladium, Obtained from White Sea Soils: Screening of Producers and Exoproteinases Properties

Thrombotherapy is an important approach in treatment of various diseases associated with pathologies of the cardiovascular and human hemostasis systems. Screening for producers of modern, specific, and safe thrombolytic substances is an important task for medicine and biotechnology. The aim of this study was to characterize thrombolytic potential of seven strains of micromycete belonging to the genus Tolypocladium, which was obtained from White Sea soils. The Tolypocladium inflatum 62a strain was considered the most promising producer of thrombolytic agent activities suitable for possible use in thrombotherapy or diagnostics of hemostasis pathologies. It demonstrated a high radial growth rate and was characterized not only by a sufficiently high value of enzymatic index in media with fibrin and fibrinogen but also by the highest specificity for fibrillar proteins among all strains. The preparation obtained from it demonstrated pronounced thrombolytic effectiveness and substrate specificity.

Precipitation, Not Land Use, Primarily Determines the Composition of Both Plant and Phyllosphere Fungal Communities

Plant communities and fungi inhabiting their phyllospheres change along precipitation gradients and often respond to changes in land use. Many studies have focused on the changes in foliar fungal communities on specific plant species, however, few have addressed the association between whole plant communities and their phyllosphere fungi. We sampled plant communities and associated phyllosphere fungal communities in native prairie remnants and post-agricultural sites across the steep precipitation gradient in the central plains in Kansas, USA. Plant community cover data and MiSeq ITS2 metabarcode data of the phyllosphere fungal communities indicated that both plant and fungal community composition respond strongly to mean annual precipitation (MAP), but less so to land use (native prairie remnants vs. post-agricultural sites). However, plant and fungal diversity were greater in the native remnant prairies than in post-agricultural sites. Overall, both plant and fungal diversity increased with MAP and the communities in the arid and mesic parts of the gradient were distinct. Analyses of the linkages between plant and fungal communities (Mantel and Procrustes tests) identified strong correlations between the composition of the two. However, despite the strong correlations, regression models with plant richness, diversity, or composition (ordination axis scores) and land use as explanatory variables for fungal diversity and evenness did not improve the models compared to those with precipitation and land use (ΔAIC < 2), even though the explanatory power of some plant variables was greater than that of MAP as measured by R2. Indicator taxon analyses suggest that grass species are the primary taxa that differ in the plant communities. Similar analyses of the phyllosphere fungi indicated that many plant pathogens are disproportionately abundant either in the arid or mesic environments. Although decoupling the drivers of fungal communities and their composition - whether abiotic or host-dependent - remains a challenge, our study highlights the distinct community responses to precipitation and the tight tracking of the plant communities by their associated fungal symbionts.

Comparison of the Infection Biology of Teratosphaeria destructans and Teratosphaeria epicoccoides on Eucalyptus

Leaf blight caused by Teratosphaeria destructans is one of the most important diseases of Eucalyptus planted in the subtropics and tropics. In contrast, the better-known T. epicoccoides, though also a primary pathogen of Eucalyptus, causes less damage to trees in these areas. Although T. destructans is an aggressive pathogen, nothing is known about its infection biology. In this study, the conditions for infection and disease development caused by T. destructans and T. epicoccoides were evaluated and compared on a Eucalyptus grandis × E. urophylla hybrid clone. The optimal temperature for germination ranged from 25 to 30°C for T. destructans and 15 to 20°C for T. epicoccoides. The germination of these pathogens was favored under conditions of light and high levels of RH. Penetration by T. destructans and T. epicoccoides occurred via stomata, and the hyphae colonized the intercellular spaces of infected leaves. Symptoms were clearly visible 3 weeks after inoculation by both pathogens, and reproductive structures started to develop in substomatal cavities at 4 weeks after inoculation. The results of this study will facilitate the establishment of rapid screening trials based on artificial inoculations aimed at reducing the impact of disease caused by T. destructans.

The numbers of fungi: contributions from traditional taxonomic studies and challenges of metabarcoding

The global diversity of fungi has been estimated using several different approaches. There is somewhere between 2–11 million estimated species, but the number of formally described taxa is around 150,000, a tiny fraction of the total. In this paper, we examine 12 ascomycete genera as case studies to establish trends in fungal species descriptions, and introduce new species in each genus. To highlight the importance of traditional morpho-molecular methods in publishing new species, we introduce novel taxa in 12 genera that are considered to have low species discovery. We discuss whether the species are likely to be rare or due to a lack of extensive sampling and classification. The genera are Apiospora, Bambusicola, Beltrania, Capronia, Distoseptispora, Endocalyx, Neocatenulostroma, Neodeightonia, Paraconiothyrium, Peroneutypa, Phaeoacremonium and Vanakripa. We discuss host-specificity in selected genera and compare the number of species epithets in each genus with the number of ITS (barcode) sequences deposited in GenBank and UNITE. We furthermore discuss the relationship between the divergence times of these genera with those of their hosts. We hypothesize whether there might be more species in these genera and discuss hosts and habitats that should be investigated for novel species discovery.

Insights into the microbiome assembly during different growth stages and storage of strawberry plants

BACKGROUND

Microbiome assembly was identified as an important factor for plant growth and health, but this process is largely unknown, especially for the fruit microbiome. Therefore, we analyzed strawberry plants of two cultivars by focusing on microbiome tracking during the different growth stages and storage using amplicon sequencing, qPCR, and microscopic approaches.

RESULTS

Strawberry plants carried a highly diverse microbiome, therein the bacterial families Sphingomonadaceae (25%), Pseudomonadaceae (17%), and Burkholderiaceae (11%); and the fungal family Mycosphaerella (45%) were most abundant. All compartments were colonized by high number of bacteria and fungi (10⁷-10¹⁰ marker gene copies per g fresh weight), and were characterized by high microbial diversity (6049 and 1501 ASVs); both were higher for the belowground samples than in the phyllosphere. Compartment type was the main driver of microbial diversity, structure, and abundance (bacterial: 45%; fungal: 61%) when compared to the cultivar (1.6%; 2.2%). Microbiome assembly was strongly divided for belowground habitats and the phyllosphere; only a low proportion of the microbiome was transferred from soil via the rhizosphere to the phyllosphere. During fruit development, we observed the highest rates of microbial transfer from leaves and flowers to ripe fruits, where most of the bacteria occured inside the pulp. In postharvest fruits, microbial diversity decreased while the overall abundance increased. Developing postharvest decay caused by Botrytis cinerea decreased the diversity as well, and induced a reduction of potentially beneficial taxa.

CONCLUSION

Our findings provide insights into microbiome assembly in strawberry plants and highlight the importance of microbe transfer during fruit development and storage with potential implications for food health and safety.

<i>Euantennaria pleioblasti</i> sp. nov. (<i>Euantennariaceae</i>) and <i>Metacapnodium</i> cf. <i>quinqueseptatum</i> (<i>Metacapnodiaceae</i>), two mixed sooty moulds in subicula on <i>Pleioblastus</i> sp. in Taiwan

Black subicula, comprising a mixture of two sooty moulds of Euantennariaceae and Metacapnodiaceae, on Pleioblastus were collected in Batongguan, alt. ca. 2800 m, Nantou County, Taiwan in 1984. The former sooty mould is described and illustrated as Euantennaria pleioblasti sp. nov., an asexually typified species of the genus, as currently circumscribed with the application of the single name nomenclature for pleomorphic fungi. It is characterized by cylindrical, finely to coarsely roughened hyphae and black synnemata bearing massive fusiform, straight, mostly 11-14-septate phragmoconidia in a subglobose to obovoid head; its reliable sexual morph is obscure. The latter was identified as Metacapnodium cf. quinqueseptatum. It features the capnobotrys- and capnophialophora-like asexual morphs, in addition to the sexual morph with 5-7-septate ascospores. These sooty mould taxa are newly added to the mycobiota of Taiwan.

Two new species of Cladosporium from leaf spots of Parispolyphylla in north-western Yunnan Province, China

BACKGROUND

During the survey of pathogenic fungi on medicinal plant leaves in Yunnan Province, China, two Cladosporium-like taxa were isolated from leaf spots of Parispolyphylla. Based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of combined ITS, TEF1-α and ACT genes, two new species were discovered.

NEW INFORMATION

Two new species Cladosporiumyunnanensis and C.paris are introduced, the detailed descriptions and illustrations are provided. Morphology of the two new species is compared with other related Cladosporium species. This study widens the host diversity of the genus Cladosporium.

Sooty molds from the Jurassic of Patagonia, Argentina

PREMISE

The sooty molds are a globally distributed ecological group of ascomycetes with epiphyllous, saprotrophic habit, comprising several phylogenetically distant taxa (i.e., members of the classes Dothideomycetes and Eurotiomycetes). Their fossil record extends almost continuously back to the early Cretaceous; however, they are hypothesized to have originated in the early Mesozoic. Here, we describe new specimens of sooty molds associated with conifer leaves from Jurassic hot spring deposits of Patagonia, Argentina.

METHODS

Thin sections of chert samples from the La Matilde Formation, Deseado Massif (Santa Cruz, Argentina) were observed using light microscopy.

RESULTS

The fungi occur on the surface and axils of leafy twigs with podocarpaceous affinities, forming dense subicula comprised by opaque moniliform hyphae. Additionally, several asexual and sexual reproductive structures are observed. On the basis of vegetative (i.e., dense subicula composed of moniliform hyphae; hyphae composed of opaque cells deeply constricted at the septa) and reproductive characters (i.e., poroconidial and sympodioconidial asexual stages and diverse spores), two morphotypes were identified with affinities within lineages of the subphylum Pezizomycotina that encompass the ecological group of sooty molds, and a third morphotype was within the phylum Ascomycota.

CONCLUSIONS

This finding extends the fossil record of sooty molds to the Jurassic and their geographic fossil range to the South American continent. In particular, their association with podocarpaceous conifers is shown to be ancient, dating back to the Jurassic. This new record provides an additional reference point on the diversity of interactions that characterized Jurassic forests in Patagonia.

Insight into the Systematics of Microfungi Colonizing Dead Woody Twigs of Dodonaea viscosa in Honghe (China)

Members of Dodonaea are broadly distributed across subtropical and tropical areas of southwest and southern China. This host provides multiple substrates that can be richly colonized by numerous undescribed fungal species. There is a severe lack of microfungal studies on Dodonaea in China, and consequently, the diversity, phylogeny and taxonomy of these microorganisms are all largely unknown. This paper presents two new genera and four new species in three orders of Dothideomycetes gathered from dead twigs of Dodonaea viscosa in Honghe, China. All new collections were made within a selected area in Honghe from a single Dodonaea sp. This suggests high fungal diversity in the region and the existence of numerous species awaiting discovery. Multiple gene sequences (non-translated loci and protein-coding regions) were analysed with maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses. Results from the phylogenetic analyses supported placing Haniomyces dodonaeae gen. et sp. in the Teratosphaeriaceae family. Analysis of Rhytidhysteron sequences resulted in Rhytidhysteron hongheense sp. nov., while analysed Lophiostomataceae sequences revealed Lophiomurispora hongheensis gen. et sp. nov. Finally, phylogeny based on a combined dataset of pyrenochaeta-like sequences demonstrates strong statistical support for placing Quixadomyceshongheensis sp. nov. in Parapyrenochaetaceae. Morphological and updated phylogenetic circumscriptions of the new discoveries are also discussed.

Salinomyces polonicus: A moderately halophilic kin of the most extremely halotolerant fungus Hortaea werneckii

A clade where the most halotolerant fungus in the world - Hortaea werneckii, belongs (hereafter referred to as Hortaea werneckii lineage) includes five species: Hortaea werneckii, H. thailandica, Stenella araguata, Eupenidiella venezuelensis, and Magnuscella marina, of which the first species attracts increasing attention of mycologists. The species diversity and phylogenetic relationships within this lineage are weakly known. In this study two moderately halophilic black yeast strains were isolated from brine of graduation tower in Poland. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (=ITS), rDNA 28S D1-D2 (=LSU), and RNA polymerase II (rpb2) sequences showed that the two strains belong to Hortaea werneckii lineage but cannot be assigned to any described taxa. Accordingly, a new genus and species, Salinomyces and Salinomyces polonicus, are described for this fungus. Furthermore, molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed that Hortaea thailandica is more closely related to S. polonicus than to H. werneckii. A new combination Salinomyces thailandicus is proposed for this fungus.

New and Interesting Fungi. 3

Seven new genera, 26 new species, 10 new combinations, two epitypes, one new name, and 20 interesting new host and / or geographical records are introduced in this study. New genera are: Italiofungus (based on Italiofungus phillyreae) on leaves of Phillyrea latifolia (Italy); Neolamproconium (based on Neolamproconium silvestre) on branch of Tilia sp. (Ukraine); Neosorocybe (based on Neosorocybe pini) on trunk of Pinus sylvestris (Ukraine); Nothoseptoria (based on Nothoseptoria caraganae) on leaves of Caragana arborescens (Russia); Pruniphilomyces (based on Pruniphilomyces circumscissus) on Prunus cerasus (Russia); Vesiculozygosporium (based on Vesiculozygosporium echinosporum) on leaves of Muntingia calabura (Malaysia); Longiseptatispora (based on Longiseptatispora curvata) on leaves of Lonicera tatarica (Russia). New species are: Barrmaelia serenoae on leaf of Serenoa repens (USA); Chaetopsina gautengina on leaves of unidentified grass (South Africa); Chloridium pini on fallen trunk of Pinus sylvestris (Ukraine); Cadophora fallopiae on stems of Reynoutria sachalinensis (Poland); Coleophoma eucalyptigena on leaf litter of Eucalyptus sp. (Spain); Cylindrium corymbiae on leaves of Corymbia maculata (Australia); Diaporthe tarchonanthi on leaves of Tarchonanthus littoralis (South Africa); Elsinoe eucalyptorum on leaves of Eucalyptus propinqua (Australia); Exophiala quercina on dead wood of Quercus sp., (Germany); Fusarium californicum on cambium of budwood of Prunus dulcis (USA); Hypomyces gamsii on wood of Alnus glutinosa (Ukraine); Kalmusia araucariae on leaves of Araucaria bidwillii (USA); Lectera sambuci on leaves of Sambucus nigra (Russia); Melanomma populicola on fallen twig of Populus canadensis (Netherlands), Neocladosporium syringae on branches of Syringa vulgarishorus (Ukraine); Paraconiothyrium iridis on leaves of Iris pseudacorus (Ukraine); Pararoussoella quercina on branch of Quercus robur (Ukraine); Phialemonium pulveris from bore dust of deathwatch beetle (France); Polyscytalum pinicola on needles of Pinus tecunumanii (Malaysia); Acervuloseptoria fraxini on Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Russia); Roussoella arundinacea on culms of Arundo donax (Spain); Sphaerulina neoaceris on leaves of Acer negundo (Russia); Sphaerulina salicicola on leaves of Salix fragilis (Russia); Trichomerium syzygii on leaves of Syzygium cordatum (South Africa); Uzbekistanica vitis-viniferae on dead stem of Vitis vinifera (Ukraine); Vermiculariopsiella eucalyptigena on leaves of Eucalyptus sp. (Australia).

Phytopathogenic Cercosporoid Fungi-From Taxonomy to Modern Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Phytopathogenic cercosporoid fungi have been investigated comprehensively due to their important role in causing plant diseases. A significant amount of research has been focused on the biology, morphology, systematics, and taxonomy of this group, with less of a focus on molecular or biochemical issues. Early and extensive research on these fungi focused on taxonomy and their classification based on in vivo features. Lately, investigations have mainly addressed a combination of characteristics such as morphological traits, host specificity, and molecular analyses initiated at the end of the 20th century. Some species that are important from an economic point of view have been more intensively investigated by means of genetic and biochemical methods to better understand the pathogenesis processes. Cercosporin, a photoactivated toxin playing an important role in Cercospora diseases, has been extensively studied. Understanding cercosporin toxicity in relation to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production facilitated the discovery and regulation of the cercosporin biosynthesis pathway, including the gene cluster encoding pathway enzymes. Furthermore, these fungi may be a source of other biotechnologically important compounds, e.g., industrially relevant enzymes. This paper reviews methods and important results of investigations of this group of fungi addressed at different levels over the years.

Pseudocercospora and allied genera associated with leaf spots of banana (Musa spp.)

The Sigatoka leaf spot complex on Musa spp. includes three major pathogens: Pseudocercospora, namely P. musae (Sigatoka leaf spot or yellow Sigatoka), P. eumusae (eumusae leaf spot disease), and P. fijiensis (black leaf streak disease or black Sigatoka). However, more than 30 species of Mycosphaerellaceae have been associated with Sigatoka leaf spots of banana, and previous reports of P. musae and P. eumusae need to be re-evaluated in light of recently described species. The aim of the present study was thus to investigate a global set of 228 isolates of P. musae, P. eumusae and close relatives on banana using multigene DNA sequence data [internal transcribed spacer regions with intervening 5.8S nrRNA gene (ITS), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit gene (rpb2), translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (tef1), beta-tubulin gene (tub2), and the actin gene (act)] to confirm if these isolates represent P. musae, or a closely allied species. Based on these data one new species is described, namely P. pseudomusae, which is associated with leaf spot symptoms resembling those of P. musae on Musa in Indonesia. Furthermore, P. eumusae, P. musae and P. fijiensis are shown to be well defined taxa, with some isolates also representing P. longispora. Other genera encountered in the dataset are species of Zasmidium (Taiwan leaf speckle), Metulocladosporiella(Cladosporium leaf speckle) and Scolecobasidium leaf speckle.

Citation: Crous P, Carlier J, Roussel V, Groenewald JZ (2020). Pseudocercospora and allied genera associated with leaf spots of banana (Musa spp.). Fungal Systematics and Evolution 7: 1–19. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2021.07.01

Teratopyrones A-C, Dimeric Naphtho-γ-Pyrones and Other Metabolites from Teratosphaeria sp. AK1128, a Fungal Endophyte of Equisetum arvense

Bioassay-guided fractionation of a cytotoxic extract derived from a solid potato dextrose agar (PDA) culture of Teratosphaeria sp. AK1128, a fungal endophyte of Equisetum arvense, afforded three new naphtho-γ-pyrone dimers, teratopyrones A–C (1–3), together with five known naphtho-γ-pyrones, aurasperone B (4), aurasperone C (5), aurasperone F (6), nigerasperone A (7), and fonsecin B (8), and two known diketopiperazines, asperazine (9) and isorugulosuvine (10). The structures of 1–3 were determined on the basis of their spectroscopic data. Cytotoxicity assay revealed that nigerasperone A (7) was moderately active against the cancer cell lines PC-3M (human metastatic prostate cancer), NCI-H460 (human non-small cell lung cancer), SF-268 (human CNS glioma), and MCF-7 (human breast cancer), with IC₅₀s ranging from 2.37 to 4.12 μM while other metabolites exhibited no cytotoxic activity up to a concentration of 5.0 μM.

Neodactylariales, Neodactylariaceae (Dothideomycetes, Ascomycota): new order and family, with a new species from China

During a mycological survey of aquatic hyphomycetes on submerged decaying leaves in southwest China, a distinct new fungus was collected. The collection was cultured and sequenced and a BLAST search of its ITS and LSU sequence against data in GenBank revealed a dothideomycetous affiliation, with the closest related taxa in the genus Neodactylaria. Phylogenetic analyses of a multigene matrix containing sequences from four genes (LSU, SSU, rpb2, and tef1), representing broad groups of Dothideomycetes, revealed its placement within Dothideomycetes, but without a supported familial or ordinal affiliation. Based on further phylogenetic analyses and morphological investigations, the new fungus is described here as a new species of Neodactylaria, N.simaoensissp. nov., and placed in a new family Neodactylariaceaefam. nov. and a new order Neodactylarialesord. nov.

Evolution of lifestyles in Capnodiales

The Capnodiales, which includes fungi known as the sooty moulds, represents the second largest order in Dothideomycetes, encompassing morphologically and ecologically diverse fungi with different lifestyles and modes of nutrition. They include saprobes, plant and human pathogens, mycoparasites, rock-inhabiting fungi (RIF), lichenised, epi-, ecto- and endophytes. The aim of this study was to elucidate the lifestyles and evolutionary patterns of the Capnodiales as well as to reconsider their phylogeny by including numerous new collections of sooty moulds, and using four nuclear loci, LSU, ITS, TEF-1α and RPB2. Based on the phylogenetic results, combined with morphology and ecology, Capnodiales s. lat. is shown to be polyphyletic, representing seven different orders. The sooty moulds are restricted to Capnodiales s. str., while Mycosphaerellales is resurrected, and five new orders including Cladosporiales, Comminutisporales, Neophaeothecales, Phaeothecales and Racodiales are introduced. Four families, three genera, 21 species and five combinations are introduced as new. Furthermore, ancestral reconstruction analysis revealed that the saprobic lifestyle is a primitive state in Capnodiales s. lat., and that several transitions have occurred to evolve lichenised, plant and human parasitic, ectophytic (sooty blotch and flyspeck) and more recently epiphytic (sooty mould) lifestyles.

Mollisiaceae: An overlooked lineage of diverse endophytes

Mollisia is a taxonomically neglected discomycete genus (Helotiales, Leotiomycetes) of commonly encountered saprotrophs on decaying plant tissues throughout temperate regions. The combination of indistinct morphological characters, more than 700 names in the literature, and lack of reference DNA sequences presents a major challenge when working with Mollisia. Unidentified endophytes, including strains that produced antifungal or antiinsectan secondary metabolites, were isolated from conifer needles in New Brunswick and placed with uncertainty in Phialocephala and Mollisia, necessitating a more comprehensive treatment of these genera. In this study, morphology and multigene phylogenetic analyses were used to explore the taxonomy of Mollisiaceae, including Mollisia, Phialocephala, and related genera, using new field collections, herbarium specimens, and accessioned cultures and sequences. The phylogeny of Mollisiaceae was reconstructed and compared using the nuc internal transcribed spacer rDNA (ITS) barcode and partial sequences of the 28S nuc rDNA (LSU) gene, largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB1), DNA topoisomerase I (TOP1), and the hypothetical protein Lipin/Ned1/Smp2 (LNS2). The results show that endophytism is common throughout the Mollisiaceae lineage in a diverse range of hosts but is infrequently attributed to Mollisia because of a paucity of reference sequences. Generic boundaries within Mollisiaceae are poorly resolved and based on phylogenetic evidence the family included species placed in Acephala, Acidomelania, Barrenia, Bispora, Cheirospora, Cystodendron, Fuscosclera, Hysteronaevia, Loramyces, Mollisia, Neopyrenopeziza, Obtectodiscus, Ombrophila, Patellariopsis, Phialocephala, Pulvinata, Tapesia (=Mollisia), and Trimmatostroma. Taxonomic novelties included the description of five novel Mollisia species and five novel Phialocephala species and the synonymy of Fuscosclera with Phialocephala, Acidomelania with Mollisia, and Loramycetaceae with Mollisiaceae.

The Genera of Fungi - G6: Arthrographis, Kramasamuha, Melnikomyces, Thysanorea, and Verruconis

The Genera of Fungi series, of which this is the sixth contribution, links type species of fungal genera to their morphology and DNA sequence data. Five genera of microfungi are treated in this study, with new species introduced in Arthrographis, Melnikomyces, and Verruconis. The genus Thysanorea is emended and two new species and nine combinations are proposed. Kramasamuha sibika, the type species of the genus, is provided with DNA sequence data for first time and shown to be a member of Helminthosphaeriaceae (Sordariomycetes). Aureoconidiella is introduced as a new genus representing a new lineage in the Dothideomycetes.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 951-1041

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Antarctica, Apenidiella antarctica from permafrost, Cladosporium fildesense from an unidentified marine sponge. Argentina, Geastrum wrightii on humus in mixed forest. Australia, Golovinomyces glandulariae on Glandularia aristigera, Neoanungitea eucalyptorum on leaves of Eucalyptus grandis, Teratosphaeria corymbiicola on leaves of Corymbia ficifolia, Xylaria eucalypti on leaves of Eucalyptus radiata. Brazil, Bovista psammophila on soil, Fusarium awaxy on rotten stalks of Zea mays, Geastrum lanuginosum on leaf litter covered soil, Hermetothecium mikaniae-micranthae (incl. Hermetothecium gen. nov.) on Mikania micrantha, Penicillium reconvexovelosoi in soil, Stagonosporopsis vannaccii from pod of Glycine max. British Virgin Isles, Lactifluus guanensis on soil. Canada, Sorocybe oblongispora on resin of Picea rubens. Chile, Colletotrichum roseum on leaves of Lapageria rosea. China, Setophoma caverna from carbonatite in Karst cave. Colombia, Lareunionomyces eucalypticola on leaves of Eucalyptus grandis. Costa Rica, Psathyrella pivae on wood. Cyprus, Clavulina iris on calcareous substrate. France, Chromosera ambigua and Clavulina iris var. occidentalis on soil. French West Indies, Helminthosphaeria hispidissima on dead wood. Guatemala, Talaromyces guatemalensis in soil. Malaysia, Neotracylla pini (incl. Tracyllales ord. nov. and Neotracylla gen. nov.) and Vermiculariopsiella pini on needles of Pinus tecunumanii. New Zealand, Neoconiothyrium viticola on stems of Vitis vinifera, Parafenestella pittospori on Pittosporum tenuifolium, Pilidium novae-zelandiae on Phoenix sp. Pakistan, Russula quercus-floribundae on forest floor. Portugal, Trichoderma aestuarinum from saline water. Russia, Pluteus liliputianus on fallen branch of deciduous tree, Pluteus spurius on decaying deciduous wood or soil. South Africa, Alloconiothyrium encephalarti, Phyllosticta encephalarticola and Neothyrostroma encephalarti (incl. Neothyrostroma gen. nov.) on leaves of Encephalartos sp., Chalara eucalypticola on leaf spots of Eucalyptus grandis × urophylla, Clypeosphaeria oleae on leaves of Olea capensis, Cylindrocladiella postalofficium on leaf litter of Sideroxylon inerme, Cylindromonium eugeniicola (incl. Cylindromonium gen. nov.) on leaf litter of Eugenia capensis, Cyphellophora goniomatis on leaves of Gonioma kamassi, Nothodactylaria nephrolepidis (incl. Nothodactylaria gen. nov. and Nothodactylariaceae fam. nov.) on leaves of Nephrolepis exaltata, Falcocladium eucalypti and Gyrothrix eucalypti on leaves of Eucalyptus sp., Gyrothrix oleae on leaves of Olea capensis subsp. macrocarpa, Harzia metrosideri on leaf litter of Metrosideros sp., Hippopotamyces phragmitis (incl. Hippopotamyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Phragmites australis, Lectera philenopterae on Philenoptera violacea, Leptosillia mayteni on leaves of Maytenus heterophylla, Lithohypha aloicola and Neoplatysporoides aloes on leaves of Aloe sp., Millesimomyces rhoicissi (incl. Millesimomyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Rhoicissus digitata, Neodevriesia strelitziicola on leaf litter of Strelitzia nicolai, Neokirramyces syzygii (incl. Neokirramyces gen. nov.) on leaf spots of Syzygium sp., Nothoramichloridium perseae (incl. Nothoramichloridium gen. nov. and Anungitiomycetaceae fam. nov.) on leaves of Persea americana, Paramycosphaerella watsoniae on leaf spots of Watsonia sp., Penicillium cuddlyae from dog food, Podocarpomyces knysnanus (incl. Podocarpomyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Podocarpus falcatus, Pseudocercospora heteropyxidicola on leaf spots of Heteropyxis natalensis, Pseudopenidiella podocarpi, Scolecobasidium podocarpi and Ceramothyrium podocarpicola on leaves of Podocarpus latifolius, Scolecobasidium blechni on leaves of Blechnum capense, Stomiopeltis syzygii on leaves of Syzygium chordatum, Strelitziomyces knysnanus (incl. Strelitziomyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Strelitzia alba, Talaromyces clemensii from rotting wood in goldmine, Verrucocladosporium visseri on Carpobrotus edulis. Spain, Boletopsis mediterraneensis on soil, Calycina cortegadensisi on a living twig of Castanea sativa, Emmonsiellopsis tuberculata in fluvial sediments, Mollisia cortegadensis on dead attached twig of Quercus robur, Psathyrella ovispora on soil, Pseudobeltrania lauri on leaf litter of Laurus azorica, Terfezia dunensis in soil, Tuber lucentum in soil, Venturia submersa on submerged plant debris. Thailand, Cordyceps jakajanicola on cicada nymph, Cordyceps kuiburiensis on spider, Distoseptispora caricis on leaves of Carex sp., Ophiocordyceps khonkaenensis on cicada nymph. USA, Cytosporella juncicola and Davidiellomyces juncicola on culms of Juncus effusus, Monochaetia massachusettsianum from air sample, Neohelicomyces melaleucae and Periconia neobrittanica on leaves of Melaleuca styphelioides × lanceolata, Pseudocamarosporium eucalypti on leaves of Eucalyptus sp., Pseudogymnoascus lindneri from sediment in a mine, Pseudogymnoascus turneri from sediment in a railroad tunnel, Pulchroboletus sclerotiorum on soil, Zygosporium pseudomasonii on leaf of Serenoa repens. Vietnam, Boletus candidissimus and Veloporphyrellus vulpinus on soil. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes.

Lecanosticta acicola: A growing threat to expanding global pine forests and plantations

Lecanosticta acicola causes brown spot needle blight (BSNB) of Pinus species. The pathogen occurs mostly in the Northern Hemisphere but has also been reported in Central America and Colombia. BSNB can lead to stunted growth and tree mortality, and has resulted in severe damage to pine plantations in the past. There have been increasingly frequent new reports of this pathogen in Europe and in North America during the course of the past 10 years. This is despite the fact that quarantine practices and eradication protocols are in place to prevent its spread.

TAXONOMY

Kingdom Fungi; Phylum Ascomycota; Subphylum Pezizomycotina; Class Dothideomycetes; Subclass Dothideomycetidae; Order Capniodales; Family Mycosphaerellaceae; Genus Lecanosticta.

HOST RANGE AND DISTRIBUTION

Lecanosticta spp. occur on various Pinus species and are found in North America, Central America, South America (Colombia), Europe as well as Asia.

DISEASE SYMPTOMS

Small yellow irregular spots appear on the infected pine needles that become brown over time. They can be surrounded by a yellow halo. These characteristic brown spots develop to form narrow brown bands that result in needle death from the tips down to the point of infection. Needles are prematurely shed, leaving bare branches with tufts of new needles at the branch tips. Infection is usually most severe in the lower parts of the trees and progresses upwards into the canopies.

USEFUL WEBSITES

The EPPO global database providing information on L. acicola (https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/SCIRAC) Reference genome of L. acicola available on GenBank (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/?term=Lecanosticta+acicola) JGI Gold Genome database information sheet of L. acicola sequenced genome (https://gold.jgi.doe.gov/organism?xml:id=Go0047147).

Foliar pathogens of eucalypts

Species of eucalypts are commonly cultivated for solid wood and pulp products. The expansion of commercially managed eucalypt plantations has chiefly been driven by their rapid growth and suitability for propagation across a very wide variety of sites and climatic conditions. Infection of foliar fungal pathogens of eucalypts is resulting in increasingly negative impacts on commercial forest industries globally. To assist in evaluating this threat, the present study provides a global perspective on foliar pathogens of eucalypts. We treat 110 different genera including species associated with foliar disease symptoms of these hosts. The vast majority of these fungi have been grown in axenic culture, and subjected to DNA sequence analysis, resolving their phylogeny. During the course of this study several new genera and species were encountered, and these are described. New genera include: Lembosiniella (L. eucalyptorum on E. dunnii, Australia), Neosonderhenia (N. eucalypti on E. costata, Australia), Neothyriopsis (N. sphaerospora on E. camaldulensis, South Africa), Neotrichosphaeria (N. eucalypticola on E. deglupta, Australia), Nothotrimmatostroma (N. bifarium on E. dalrympleana, Australia), Nowamyces (incl. Nowamycetaceae fam. nov., N. globulus on E. globulus, Australia), and Walkaminomyces (W. medusae on E. alba, Australia). New species include (all from Australia): Disculoides fraxinoides on E. fraxinoides, Elsinoe piperitae on E. piperita, Fusculina regnans on E. regnans, Marthamyces johnstonii on E. dunnii, Neofusicoccum corticosae on E. corticosa, Neotrimmatostroma dalrympleanae on E. dalrympleana, Nowamyces piperitae on E. piperita, Phaeothyriolum dunnii on E. dunnii, Pseudophloeospora eucalyptigena on E. obliqua, Pseudophloeospora jollyi on Eucalyptus sp., Quambalaria tasmaniae on Eucalyptus sp., Q. rugosae on E. rugosa, Sonderhenia radiata on E. radiata, Teratosphaeria pseudonubilosa on E. globulus and Thyrinula dunnii on E. dunnii. A new name is also proposed for Heteroconium eucalypti as Thyrinula uruguayensis on E. dunnii, Uruguay. Although many of these genera and species are commonly associated with disease problems, several appear to be opportunists developing on stressed or dying tissues. For the majority of these fungi, pathogenicity remains to be determined. This represents an important goal for forest pathologists and biologists in the future. Consequently, this study will promote renewed interest in foliar pathogens of eucalypts, leading to investigations that will provide an improved understanding of the biology of these fungi.

Biodiversity of Lecanosticta pine-needle blight pathogens suggests a Mesoamerican Centre of origin

Lecanosticta acicola causes the disease known as brown spot needle blight (BSNB), on Pinus species. The pathogen is thought to have a Central American centre of origin. This was based on the morphological variation between isolates believed to represent L. acicola from native Pinus spp. Two species of Lecanosticta, L. brevispora and L. guatemalensis, have recently been described from Mexico and Guatemala respectively based on morphology and sequence-derived phylogenetic inference. However, the putative native pathogen, L. acicola, was not found in those areas. In this study, the species diversity of a large collection of Lecanosticta isolates from Central America was considered. Phylogenetic analyses of the BT1, ITS, MS204, RPB2 and TEF1 gene regions revealed six species of Lecanosticta, four of which represented undescribed taxa. These are described here as Lecanosticta jani sp. nov. from Guatemala and Nicaragua, L. pharomachri sp. nov. from Guatemala and Honduras, L. tecunumanii sp. nov. from Guatemala and L. variabilis sp. nov. from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. New host and country records were also found for the previously described L. brevispora and L. guatemalensis. Lecanosticta acicola was not found in any of the samples from Central America, and we hypothesize that it could be a northern hemisphere taxon. The high species diversity of Lecanosticta found in Mesoamerica suggests that this is a centre of diversity for the genus.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 868-950

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Australia, Chaetomella pseudocircinoseta and Coniella pseudodiospyri on Eucalyptus microcorys leaves, Cladophialophora eucalypti, Teratosphaeria dunnii and Vermiculariopsiella dunnii on Eucalyptus dunnii leaves, Cylindrium grande and Hypsotheca eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus grandis leaves, Elsinoe salignae on Eucalyptus saligna leaves, Marasmius lebeliae on litter of regenerating subtropical rainforest, Phialoseptomonium eucalypti (incl. Phialoseptomonium gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus grandis × camaldulensis leaves, Phlogicylindrium pawpawense on Eucalyptus tereticornis leaves, Phyllosticta longicauda as an endophyte from healthy Eustrephus latifolius leaves, Pseudosydowia eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus sp. leaves, Saitozyma wallum on Banksia aemula leaves, Teratosphaeria henryi on Corymbia henryi leaves. Brazil, Aspergillus bezerrae, Backusella azygospora, Mariannaea terricola and Talaromyces pernambucoensis from soil, Calonectria matogrossensis on Eucalyptus urophylla leaves, Calvatia brasiliensis on soil, Carcinomyces nordestinensis on Bromelia antiacantha leaves, Dendryphiella stromaticola on small branches of an unidentified plant, Nigrospora brasiliensis on Nopalea cochenillifera leaves, Penicillium alagoense as a leaf endophyte on a Miconia sp., Podosordaria nigrobrunnea on dung, Spegazzinia bromeliacearum as a leaf endophyte on Tilandsia catimbauensis, Xylobolus brasiliensis on decaying wood. Bulgaria, Kazachstania molopis from the gut of the beetle Molops piceus. Croatia, Mollisia endocrystallina from a fallen decorticated Picea abies tree trunk. Ecuador, Hygrocybe rodomaculata on soil. Hungary, Alfoldia vorosii (incl. Alfoldia gen. nov.) from Juniperus communis roots, Kiskunsagia ubrizsyi (incl. Kiskunsagia gen. nov.) from Fumana procumbens roots. India, Aureobasidium tremulum as laboratory contaminant, Leucosporidium himalayensis and Naganishia indica from windblown dust on glaciers. Italy, Neodevriesia cycadicola on Cycas sp. leaves, Pseudocercospora pseudomyrticola on Myrtus communis leaves, Ramularia pistaciae on Pistacia lentiscus leaves, Neognomoniopsis quercina (incl. Neognomoniopsis gen. nov.) on Quercus ilex leaves. Japan, Diaporthe fructicola on Passiflora edulis × P. edulis f. flavicarpa fruit, Entoloma nipponicum on leaf litter in a mixed Cryptomeria japonica and Acer spp. forest. Macedonia, Astraeus macedonicus on soil. Malaysia, Fusicladium eucalyptigenum on Eucalyptus sp. twigs, Neoacrodontiella eucalypti (incl. Neoacrodontiella gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus urophylla leaves. Mozambique, Meliola gorongosensis on dead Philenoptera violacea leaflets. Nepal, Coniochaeta dendrobiicola from Dendriobium lognicornu roots. New Zealand, Neodevriesia sexualis and Thozetella neonivea on Archontophoenix cunninghamiana leaves. Norway, Calophoma sandfjordenica from a piece of board on a rocky shoreline, Clavaria parvispora on soil, Didymella finnmarkica from a piece of Pinus sylvestris driftwood. Poland, Sugiyamaella trypani from soil. Portugal, Colletotrichum feijoicola from Acca sellowiana. Russia, Crepidotus tobolensis on Populus tremula debris, Entoloma ekaterinae, Entoloma erhardii and Suillus gastroflavus on soil, Nakazawaea ambrosiae from the galleries of Ips typographus under the bark of Picea abies. Slovenia, Pluteus ludwigii on twigs of broadleaved trees. South Africa, Anungitiomyces stellenboschiensis (incl. Anungitiomyces gen. nov.) and Niesslia stellenboschiana on Eucalyptus sp. leaves, Beltraniella pseudoportoricensis on Podocarpus falcatus leaf litter, Corynespora encephalarti on Encephalartos sp. leaves, Cytospora pavettae on Pavetta revoluta leaves, Helminthosporium erythrinicola on Erythrina humeana leaves, Helminthosporium syzygii on a Syzygium sp. bark canker, Libertasomyces aloeticus on Aloe sp. leaves, Penicillium lunae from Musa sp. fruit, Phyllosticta lauridiae on Lauridia tetragona leaves, Pseudotruncatella bolusanthi (incl. Pseudotruncatellaceae fam. nov.) and Dactylella bolusanthi on Bolusanthus speciosus leaves. Spain, Apenidiella foetida on submerged plant debris, Inocybe grammatoides on Quercus ilex subsp. ilex forest humus, Ossicaulis salomii on soil, Phialemonium guarroi from soil. Thailand, Pantospora chromolaenae on Chromolaena odorata leaves. Ukraine, Cadophora helianthi from Helianthus annuus stems. USA, Boletus pseudopinophilus on soil under slash pine, Botryotrichum foricae, Penicillium americanum and Penicillium minnesotense from air. Vietnam, Lycoperdon vietnamense on soil. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes.

Phylogenetic and Morphological Reassessment of Mycosphaerella nawae, the Causal Agent of Circular Leaf Spot in Persimmon

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) fruit production is severely affected by circular leaf spot worldwide. Mycosphaerella nawae causes circular leaf spot of persimmon (CLSP) and can result in leaf spot, defoliation, early fruit maturation, and subsequent softening and abscission. The morphology and phylogenetic position of M. nawae within the family Mycosphaerellaceae is, therefore, of utmost importance given its impact on persimmon production. Based on previous morphological and molecular studies, the phylogenetic position of the anamorphic genera associated with M. nawae remain in confusion. In the present study, 15 isolates of M. nawae were collected from the tissue of living leaves exhibiting leaf spot symptoms. A subsample of three isolates was characterized phylogenetically and morphologically. Isolates were compared based on DNA sequence data for the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S ITS2), part of the 28S nrDNA including domains D1-D3 (LSU), actin (Act), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1α), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2). The anamorph and teleomorph structures, ascospore germination patterns, as well as host specificity were used to describe the isolates. The phylogenetic and morphological analyses revealed that M. nawae requires a new holomorphic genus within Mycosphaerellaceae, described herein as Plurivorosphaerella gen. nov. A host specificity test revealed that Plurivorosphaerella nawae comb. nov. (M. nawae) can superficially colonize, but not infect, apple, peach, cherry, and plum.

Teratosphaeria stem canker of Eucalyptus: two pathogens, one devastating disease

BACKGROUND

Teratosphaeria gauchensis and T. zuluensis are closely related fungi that cause Teratosphaeria (previously Coniothyrium) stem canker disease on Eucalyptus species propagated in plantations for commercial purposes. This disease is present in many countries in which Eucalyptus trees are planted, and continues to spread with the international trade of infected plant germplasm.

TAXONOMY

Fungi, Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Dothideomycetidae, Capnodiales, Teratosphaeriaceae, Teratosphaeria.

IDENTIFICATION

The causal agents form dark masses of pycnidia that are visible on the surface of distinct stem cankers that typically form on young green stem tissues. Accurate diagnosis of the causal agents requires DNA sequence data.

HOST RANGE

Nine species of Eucalyptus are known to be affected. Of these, E. grandis and its hybrids, which include some of the most important planting stock globally, appear to be particularly vulnerable.

DISEASE SYMPTOMS

Small necrotic lesions develop on young green stem tissue. These lesions coalesce to form large cankers that exude gum. Epicormic shoots develop below the girdling canker and, in severe cases, trees die.

USEFUL WEBSITES

Mycobank, https://www.mycobank.org; Publications of the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), https://www.fabinet.up.ac.za/index.php/journals.

Cytotoxic and Noncytotoxic Metabolites from Teratosphaeria sp. FL2137, a Fungus Associated with Pinus clausa

A new naphthoquinone, teratosphaerone A (1), four new naphthalenones, namely, teratosphaerone B (2), structurally related to 1, iso-balticol B (3), iso-balticol B-4,9-acetonide (4), and (+)-balticol C (5), a new furanonaphthalenone, (3a S,9 R,9a S)-1(9a),3(3a),9-hexahydromonosporascone (6), and the known metabolite monosporascone (7) were isolated from Teratosphaeria sp. FL2137, a fungal strain inhabiting the internal tissue of recently dead but undecomposed foliage of Pinus clausa. The structures of 1-6 were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic data including 2D NMR, and absolute configurations of 2, 3, and 6 were determined by the modified Mosher's ester method. When evaluated in a panel of five tumor cell lines, metabolites 1 and 7 isolated from a cytotoxic fraction of the extract exhibited moderate selectivity for metastatic breast adenocarcinoma cell line MDA-MB-231. Of these, 1 showed cytotoxicity to this cell line with an IC₅₀ of 1.2 ± 0.1 μM.

Cladosporium species in indoor environments

As part of a worldwide survey of the indoor mycobiota about 520 new Cladosporium isolates from indoor environments mainly collected in China, Europe, New Zealand, North America and South Africa were investigated by using a polyphasic approach to determine their species identity. All Cladosporium species occurring in indoor environments are fully described and illustrated. Fourty-six Cladosporium species are treated of which 16 species are introduced as new. A key for the most common Cladosporium species isolated from indoor environments is provided. Cladosporium halotolerans proved to be the most frequently isolated Cladosporium species indoors.