Volume 7 - 2024 - issue 1
1. Seasonal dynamics of phyllosphere fungi of Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze from the plantations of Tripura, Northeast India
Authors: Sharma D, Singha R, Saha AK and Das P
Recieved: 03 August 2024, Accepted: 16 January 2024, Published: 05 March 2024
The objective of this study is to investigate the seasonal composition of phylloplane and endophytic fungi in Camellia sinensis, as well as their seasonal flux. The results indicated that the peak isolation rate for both groups of fungi occurred prior to winter. For endophytic fungi, the lowest isolation rate was observed during the winter season, and for phylloplane fungi, during the monsoon season. Genera Alternaria, Colletotrichum and Phyllosticta exhibited the highest colonization frequency of fungal endophytes across all four seasons. Penicillium, followed by Aspergillus and Mucor reveals the highest proportion of phylloplane fungi across all four seasons. In the winter, phyllosphere fungi had the highest diversity. The similarity index of endophytic and phylloplane fungal genera isolated from C. sinensis for distinct seasons revealed the highest similarity during the pre-monsoon season and the lowest similarity during the monsoon season. The occurrences of both categories of fungi are discussed in terms of seasonal and environmental variation.
Keywords: Endophytes – Fungal diversity – Phylloplane – Seasonal fluctuations – Tea plant
2. Biophysiological profiling of Ganoderma resinaceum Boud., a newly recorded Philippine mushroom
Authors: Fabros JA, Lazo MKM, Abon MD, Dulay RMR, Kalaw SP, Reyes RG.
Recieved: 08 January 2024, Accepted: 02 April 2024, Published: 01 May 2024
Ganoderma resinaceum, a member of the family Ganodermataceae, is a saprophytic fungus that grows parasitically on living trees. It is considered an ethnomedicine as it contains different important bioactive compounds and exhibits various bioactivities. This study focused on establishing the optimal culture conditions for the mycelial growth of G. resinaceum. Luxuriant secondary mycelial growth of G. resinaceum was obtained using MEA and PDA as culture media. Meanwhile, a slightly alkaline medium with a pH of 8 favors the optimal growth of G. resinaceum, while no significant differences were observed for both aeration and illumination; G. resinaceum exhibited its best growth under both conditions. Moreover, a slightly lower temperature of 23 °C promotes the optimal growth of the secondary mycelia of this mushroom. On the other hand, by utilizing the 7:3 v/v rice straw-sawdust substrate formulation, G. resinaceum successfully produced fruiting bodies, yielding 11.40 g per bag equivalent to 2.40% biological efficiency. Overall, this study determined the optimum cultivation conditions and fructification of G. resinaceum, indicating the successful domestication of this wild mushroom. In addition, the successful production of fruiting bodies in G. resinaceum has paved the way for mass industrial cultivation. Subsequent studies that focus on optimizing substrate formulations to enhance the yields and efficiency of fruiting body production for G. resinaceum are recommended.
Keywords: fruiting body – indigenous medium – optimization – secondary mycelia
3. Endophytic and rhizospheric Trichoderma spp. associated with cucumber plants as potential biocontrol agents of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum
Authors: Akbari Oghaz N, Rahnama K, Habibi R, Hatamzadeh S, Razavi SI, de Farias ARG.
Recieved: 13 September 2023, Accepted: 20 March 2024, Published: 14 May 2024
The diverse roles of Trichoderma spp. in the ecosystem make them valuable resources for sustainable development. This study aimed to identify root endophytic and rhizospheric Trichoderma spp. from cucumber plants based on morphology and molecular data. Molecular identification was based on sequencing the internal transcribed spacer and large subunit rRNA genomic regions. The species identities were determined through a phylogenetic analysis conducted using the Maximum Likelihood method. Additionally, the antifungal ability of the identified Trichoderma spp. against the wilt pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum was investigated by evaluating their antagonistic activity (using the dual culture method) and antifungal ability (through the application of secondary metabolites). Three fungi isolated from the rhizosphere and inner root tissue were identified as T. atroviride, T. virens, and T. harzianum. Phylogenetic analysis grouped rhizospheric and endophytic isolates of each Trichoderma species in a unique subcluster. Furthermore, endophytic and rhizospheric isolates of each Trichoderma species showed the same antagonistic and antifungal potential against the pathogenic fungus. Trichoderma atroviride and T. virens exhibited the highest antagonistic activity, whereas the secondary metabolites of T. harzianum showed the highest antifungal activity. This study demonstrated that rhizospheric Trichoderma spp. of cucumber agroecological fields can shift from soil saprophytes to root endophytes, which is likely and directly related to the presence of cucumber plants in the soil and the root metabolites released in the rhizosphere. Therefore, our findings and further research on the mechanisms underlying these interactions can provide additional tools for enhancing the productivity and sustainability of agroecosystems.
Keywords: Antifungal activity – Mycoparasitic behavior –Root endophytes – Secondary metabolites
4. Screening for Bioactivities of Wild Hymenopellis spp., and Volvariella pulla in Thailand
Authors: Niego AGT, Thongklang N, Charoensup R
Recieved: 15 December 2023, Accepted: 29 March 2024, Published: 17 May 2024
This study investigates the potential medicinal properties of EtOAc and MeOH mycelial extracts obtained from Hymenopellis species and Volvariella pulla. The extracts were subjected to rigorous analysis to assess their inhibitory effects on bacterial growth, especially against opportunistic pathogens such as M. luteus and C. albicans. The study also unveils the antibacterial activity of the Hymenopellis taxa for the first time. Furthermore, the research reveals potent inhibitory activity against alpha-glucosidases exhibited by EtOAc extracts of Hymenopellis sp. T20-0713, H. utriformis T20-0715, and Volvariella pulla T20-0714. This inhibition mechanism has implications for glucose absorption, vital for controlling blood glucose levels and managing diabetes. Notably, the EtOAc extracts displayed lower half-maximal inhibitory concentrations than standard acarbose, enhancing their potential therapeutic significance. Intriguingly, MeOH extracts from Hymenopellis sp. T20-0713, H. utriformis T20-0715, and Volvariella pulla T20-0714 exhibited the capacity to promote glucose uptake in L6 cells, a crucial component of diabetes management. Considering the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and microbial infections, observed antidiabetic potential and antibacterial activity of these mushroom extracts hold promise for future therapeutic applications. The study not only contributes to understanding the medicinal properties of Hymenopellis and Volvariella but also underscores the significance of further research to explore their mechanisms and optimize their application in clinical contexts. Moreover, the absence of cytotoxicity in non-tumour cells may confirm the safety of Hymenopellis spp. and Volvariella pulla extracts for consumption.
Keywords: antimicrobial – antidiabetic – Basidiomycota – cytotoxicity – medicinal properties
5. Guiding Sclerotia Formation in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Through Tolerating Impinging Stress
Authors: Chang HD, Tsai H, Chang YK, Liu MA.
Recieved: 13 July 2023, Accepted: 23 February 2024, Published: 21 May 2024
The sclerotium of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum produces its primary inoculum ascospore through the sexual cycle, enhancing pathogenicity via meiotic genetic variation. The formation of the sclerotium plays a pivotal role in developing genetic variation for adaptation. This study specifically examines the transfer of energy-conserving agents to the resting body. The approach involves establishing a 2-D position on the medium's surface, elucidating the transition from a floating state to a defined position through the manipulation of allowable stress. Direct monitoring under the abiotic impinge stress model indicates that strengthened sites experiencing maximum stress modulate the process. As gametes were indistinguishable, the differentiation of vegetative hyphae was observed to be swollen, parallel-aligned, and eventually wound and aggregated. Notably, development exhibits tolerance to lower temperatures. As suggested, the experiment delves into cell differentiation from vegetative to storage bodies, with biochemical mechanisms playing a crucial role. To glean insights into structures based on morphogenesis time series, the model provides a platform for the direct examination of metabolic activity in the initial stages. Apart from structural morphology, cytochemical staining immediately after tissue fixation indicates the dominance of bio-energetic activity, provided by reducing sugars and succinate dehydrogenase (SUDH) activity, with increases in the differential apex and parallel alliances for cellular development. The distribution of glucose-6PDH activity fluctuates over time, intermittently aligning with SUDH through all stages. Polyphenol oxidase activity is sparse in developing cells and increases after the cushion aggregation (CA) stage. The effects of metabolic inhibitors highlight the role of respiration and RNA synthesis inhibition at effective doses, underscoring their significance in sclerotia development. Control amino acid (AA) doses reveal enhanced profiles, including aromatic, branched, and long-chain structures stimulated in the fusion of parallel mycelium clumps. Finally, the nuclei of ascospores in the sexual stage possess two nuclei, a characteristic feature of S. sclerotiorum.
Keywords: Fungal physiology – Sclerotial initial site – Cytochemical localization – Secondary metabolism – Cushion aggregation – Sclerotinia sclerotium.
6. Development of improved strains of Pleurotus ostreatus with a shorter harvesting period and a higher yield through hybridization
Authors: Rana K, Shyaula M, Bade A, Raut JK.
Recieved: 16 October 2023, Accepted: 02 March 2024, Published: 30 May 2024
Pleurotus ostreatus, a mushroom of significant commercial importance, is extensively cultivated worldwide. The demand for enhanced mushroom strains with increased yield is on the rise. This study aimed to enhance mushroom strains using the dual-culture hybridization method. Out of thirty-four combinations of single-spore cultures, ten successfully formed hybrids, as confirmed by the presence of clamp connections. Both hybrids and parent strains were assessed for their performance in spawn running, pinhead formation, yield, and biological efficiency. Compared to the parent strains, the time required for the spawn run and the initiation of pinhead formation in hybrids were reduced. The hybrid strain KAL5×A9.1 displayed the highest performance, achieving a biological efficiency (BE) of 79.61%, surpassing other hybrids and the parent strains. The color of the hybrids fell between those of the parents. Additionally, the hybrids exhibited greater stipe length and pileus diameter compared to the parental strains.
Keywords: Biological efficiency – clamp connections – dual-culture – hybrids
7. A stimulator of light emission of the luminous fungus Neonothopanus nambi
Authors: Ronzhin NO, Posokhina ED, Mogilnaya OA, Bondar VS
Recieved: 10 October 2024, Accepted: 04 April 2024, Published: 30 May 2024
Biochemical mechanisms of bioluminescence of higher fungi remain poorly understood, and further research is needed. By now, in vitro experiments have shown that hispidin is a precursor of the substrate of basidiomycete luminescence reaction: NADPH-dependent hydroxylase transforms it into 3-hydroxyhispidin (luciferin), which is then oxidized by luciferase, generating light quanta. In the present study, the component stimulating luminescence of the fungus Neonothopanus nambi in vivo was detected in the aqueous extract after treatment of mycelium with β-glucosidase, and some of its properties were investigated. The addition of the extract to the luminous mycelium increased the level of its light emission from several times to 1.5 orders of magnitude or more. The light emission stimulator is a thermostable low-molecular-weight compound with an apparent molecular weight of 0.46 kDa. In the absorption spectrum of the aqueous sample of the stimulator, there are two major peaks in the short wavelength region at 205 and 260 nm and a shoulder in the 350–370 nm range. The stimulator is capable of blue fluorescence with the maximum light emission at 440 nm after excitation at 350–370 nm. The current study demonstrates that the component stimulating light emission is not the substrate (or substrate precursor) of the luminescence system of the fungus N. nambi. Having discovered the stimulator of fungal luminescence, we are faced with new research objectives to determine its structure and mechanism of stimulation.
Keywords: bioluminescence – basidiomycete Neonothopanus nambi – luminous mycelium – luminescence stimulator – fluorescence
8. Novel Botryosphaeriaceae records associated with epiphytic plants from South China
Authors: Hua L, Manawasinghe IS, Bhunjun CS, Zhang Y, Xu B.
Recieved: 05 December 2023, Accepted: 06 May 2024, Published: 13 June 2024
Botryosphaeriaceae (Botryosphaeriales) encompasses numerous endophytic, saprobic, and plant pathogenic fungal species associated with a wide range of hosts. They are commonly associated with woody plants and are recognized as opportunistic fungal pathogens. In this study, five endophytic Botryosphaeriaceae species were isolated from epiphytic plants of Ficus pumila and Lemmapphyllum microphyllum (Le.) and identified using both morphology and phylogeny. Botryosphaeria dothidea, B. ramosa, Lasiodiplodia citricola, L. mahajangana, and L. theobromae were identified and described. Notably, Lasiodiplodia citricola and L. mahajangana were isolated for the first time from F. pumila, while Botryosphaeria dothidea, B. ramosa, L. citricola, L. mahajangana, and L. theobromae were isolated for the first time from Le. microphyllum. We also synonymize Botryosphaeria tenuispora as B. dothidea and Lasiodiplodia chonburiensis as L. mahajangana. The results of this study significantly contribute to our understanding of the fungal diversity in F. pumila and Le. microphyllum. In addition, our findings expand the knowledge regarding the diversity and distribution of Botryosphaeriaceae species in South China.
Keywords: 6 new host records – Botryosphaeria – Ficus, Lasiodiplodia – Lemmaphyllum – leaf-based endophytes.
9. Pseudoidium peltophori on the ornamental tropical tree legume Peltophorum pterocarpum: a new competing synonym of Erysiphe quercicola, and a new host record for Taiwan
Authors: Yeh YW, Kirschner R.
Recieved: 25 March 2024, Accepted: 03 May 2024, Published: 19 June 2024
An anamorphic powdery mildew fungus was observed on the leaves of two individual trees of Peltophorum pterocarpum (Fabaceae) for several years in Taiwan. The host and morphology initially suggested Pseudoidium peltophori. While the morphology of some conidiophores showed atypical long foot cells, sequences of the internal transcribed spacer ribosomal DNA and beta-tubulin genes identified the species as Erysiphe quercicola. Based on morphology and phylogeny, Pseudoidium peltophori is considered a synonym of E. quercicola, in addition to the older E. cinnamomi, originally described from Cinnamomum camphora in Taiwan.
Keywords: 1F1N – Erysiphaceae – fungal nomenclature – plant pathogenic fungi – powdery mildews
10. Bioremediation of chromium and arsenic-contaminated soil using the potential of fungi for a healthy ecosystem
Authors: Prashad J, Singh R, Yadav A, Singh N
Recieved: 30 December 2022, Accepted: 19 April 2024, Published: 19 June 2024
Heavy metal contamination has become a major environmental concern and research topic for scientists and scholars. Chromium and arsenic are well-known pollutants with serious health effects. They are discharged into the environment by both natural and artificial sources and are highly toxic even at low concentrations; non-biodegradable and can persist in the environment for long periods. Arsenic exposure can lead to serious health issues such as nausea, vomiting, skin lesions, and heart diseases, whereas health problems like skin irritation, emphysema, and headache arise due to chromium exposure. Therefore, there is a need to mitigate the increasing pollution caused by these heavy metals. Bioremediation is a microbe-assisted technology that deals with elevated levels of heavy metals. Mushrooms are a powerful weapon in the fight against these metals. They are natural decomposers containing various extracellular enzymes. Fungi use a variety of mechanisms for bioremediation and can be used in a wide range of applications. The mechanisms involved in bioremediation are biosorption, bioaccumulation, chelation, and biotransformation. In future perspectives, there is a need to conduct molecular-level studies to identify the genes involved and study the metabolic pathways and enzymes which are employed in bioremediation. This review focuses on the different sources of chromium and arsenic emissions, their toxicity and associated health issues, various mechanisms of bioremediation, and future aspects.
Keywords: Arsenic – Bioremediation – Chromium – Heavy metals – Pollution
Recent Papers
Volume 8 - 2025 issue 1
1. Erratum to: Novel Botryosphaeriaceae records associated with epiphytic plants from South China
Hua Li et al. (2025)
Volume 7 - 2024 issue 2
10. New species and new records of plant pathogenic fungi from northern Thailand
Armand et al. (2024)
9. Plant growth-promoting and protective potential of root fungal endophytes associated with a pioneer grass, Saccharum spontaneum L., from a lahar-affected area
Cruz EM, dela Cruz TEE (2024)
8. Optimization of Culture Conditions and Forced Wood Decay Assessment of Wood-rotting Mushrooms of Central Luzon, Philippines
Advincula et al. (2024)
7. The genera Micarea and Brianaria in the Magadan Region (Far East of Russia)
Konoreva et al. (2024)
6. Fungal endophytes associated with actinorhizal plant species, Elaeagnus latifolia (Elaeagnaceae) and evaluating their antagonistic potential against grey blight disease in tea [causal agent: Pestalotiopsis theae] in North-East India
Handique et al. (2024)
5. Spatial analysis vis a vis local perception of anthropogenic pressures on natural habitats of ectomycorrhizal fungi in Wari–Maro Forest Reserve in Benin
Teteli SC et al. (2024)
4. Biology, diversity, detection and management of Plasmopara viticola causing downy mildew of grapevine (Vitis spp.)
Rhouma et al. (2024)
Announcements
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