Three New Species of Fusicolla (Hypocreales) from China

Synthetic Microbial Community Promotes Bacterial Communities Leading to Soil Multifunctionality in Desertified Land

Soil desertification is an important challenge in global soil management, and effectively and stably restoring soil function is an urgent problem. Using synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) is a burgeoning microbial strategy aimed at enhancing soil nutrients through functional synergies among diverse microorganisms; nevertheless, their effectiveness in restoring desertified soils remains unknown. In this study, we conducted a two-year field experiment using a SynCom constructed by in situ probiotic bacteria and set up control, chemical fertilizer, and combined SynCom-chemical fertilizer (combined fertilizer) treatments to investigate the linkage between microbial communities and soil multifunctionality in the soil surface layer (0-10 cm). Both the bacterial and fungal communities differed the most under the combined fertilizer treatment compared to the control. The bacterial communities differed more under treatments of the SynCom than the chemical fertilizer, while the fungal communities differed more under the chemical fertilizer treatment than the SynCom treatment. Regarding soil function, the SynCom strengthened the correlation between enzyme activities and both bacterial communities and functional properties. pH and available potassium were the main influencing factors under the chemical fertilizer and combined fertilizer treatments. The beta-diversity of the bacterial communities was significantly correlated with soil multifunctionality. Random forest analyses showed that the SynCom significantly enhanced the bacterial communities, driving soil multifunctionality, and that some potential microbial taxa drove multiple nutrient cycles simultaneously. In summary, the SynCom effectively increased the abundance of most carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus functional genes as well as soil enzyme activities. The bacterial community composition contributed significantly to soil multifunctionality. Hence, the development of novel microbial agents holds significant potential for improving soil functionality and managing desertification.

Four New Species and One New Record of Thelephora from China

Species of the genus Thelephora (Thelephorales, Thelephoraceae) are ectomycorrhizal symbionts of coniferous and broad-leaved plants, and some of them are well-known edible mushrooms, making it an exceptionally important group ecologically and economically. However, the diversity of the species from China has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses, along with morphological observations of this genus. Four new species from China are proposed, viz., T. dactyliophora, T. lacunosa, T. petaloides, and T. pinnatifida. In addition, T. sikkimensis originally described from India is reported for the first time from China. Thelephora dactyliophora, T. pinnatifida, and T. sikkimensis are distributed in subtropical forests and mainly associated with plants of the families Fagaceae and Pinaceae. Thelephora lacunosa and T. petaloides are distributed in tropical to subtropical forests. Thelephora lacunosa is mainly associated with plants of the families Fagaceae and Pinaceae, while T. petaloides is mainly associated with plants of the family Fagaceae. Line drawings of microstructures, color pictures of fresh basidiomes, and detailed descriptions of these five species are provided.

Morphological and phylogenetic analyses reveal three new species of Fusarium (Hypocreales, Nectriaceae) associated with leaf blight on Cunninghamialanceolata in China

Chinese fir (Cunninghamialanceolata) is a special fast-growing commercial tree species in China with high economic value. In recent years, leaf blight disease on C.lanceolata has been observed frequently. The diversity of Fusarium species associated with leaf blight on C.lanceolata in China (Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Hunan provinces) was evaluated using morphological study and molecular multi-locus analyses based on RNA polymerase second largest subunit (RPB2), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-1α), and RNA polymerase largest subunit (RPB1) genes/region as well as the pairwise homoplasy index tests. A total of five Fusarium species belonging to four Fusarium species complexes were recognized in this study. Two known species including Fusariumconcentricum and F.fujikuroi belonged to the F.fujikuroi species complex, and three new Fusarium species were described, i.e., F.fujianense belonged to the F.lateritium species complex, F.guizhouense belonged to the F.sambucinum species complex, and F.hunanense belonged to the F.solani species complex. To prove Koch's postulates, pathogenicity tests on C.lanceolata revealed a wide variation in pathogenicity and aggressiveness among the species, of which F.hunanense HN33-8-2 caused the most severe symptoms and F.fujianense LC14 led to the least severe symptoms. To our knowledge, this study also represented the first report of F.concentricum, F.fujianense, F.fujikuroi, F.guizhouense, and F.hunanense causing leaf blight on C.lanceolata in China.