The genus Apiospora is known as a cosmopolitan genus, found across various substrates. In this study, four Apiospora taxa were obtained from the decaying stems of bamboo and maize in northern Thailand. Apiospora collections were compared with known species based on the morphological characteristics and the DNA sequence data of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the partial large subunit nuclear rDNA (LSU), the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (TEF1-α) and beta-tubulins (TUB2). Apiospora chiangraiense sp. nov. and two new host records (Ap. intestini and Ap. rasikravindra) are introduced here based on the morphological characteristics and multi-locus analyses. Additionally, thirteen species previously identified as Arthrinium are introduced as new combinations in Apiospora, viz., Ap. acutiapica, Ap. bambusicola, Ap. biserialis, Ap. cordylines, Ap. cyclobalanopsidis, Ap. euphorbiae, Ap. gelatinosa, Ap. locuta-pollinis, Ap. minutispora, Ap. pseudorasikravindrae, Ap. septate, Ap. setariae and Ap. sorghi.
Tag: fungal community
Yuxiensis granularis gen. et sp. nov., a Novel Quellkörper-Bearing Fungal Taxon Added to Scortechiniaceae and Inclusion of Parasympodiellaceae in Coronophorales Based on Phylogenetic Evidence
An undetermined saprobic fungal taxon from Yunnan (China) is revealed as a new genus in Scortechiniaceae (Coronophorales). The novel taxon, Yuxiensis, is characterized by immersed to erumpent, semi-globose ascomata, which are not surrounded by any tomentum or conspicuous subiculum, a subcylindrical quellkörper in the centrum, clavate asci with long pedicels and allantoid hyaline ascospores with granular contents. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian posterior probability analyses based on LSU, ITS, tef1 and rpb2 sequence data depict a close phylogenetic relationship of the new genus to Pseudocatenomycopsis, hence, confirming its placement in Scortechiniaceae. Parasympodiellaceae, thus far belonging to Parasympodiellales, is transferred to Coronophorales based on multi-gene phylogenetic evidence. Additionally, the incertae sedis monotypic genus Arthrocristula is treated as a synonym of Parasympodiella, with Arthrocristula hyphenata recombined as Parasympodiella hyphenata comb. nov., as the type strain of Arthrocristula hyphenata clusters inside the Parasympodiellaceae clade along with other Parasympodiella taxa.
A Taxonomic Appraisal of Bambusicolous Fungi in Occultibambusaceae (Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes) with New Collections from Yunnan Province, China
During our ongoing studies of bambusicolous fungi in southwest China and Thailand, three saprobic pleosporalean taxa were discovered on bamboos in Yunnan Province of China. Occultibambusa hongheensis and Seriascoma bambusae spp. nov. are introduced based on morphological characteristics coupled with multi-locus phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, SSU, TEF1-α, RPB2 and ITS sequence data. Occultibambusa kunmingensis is also reported from a terrestrial habitat for the first time. Comprehensive descriptions, color photo plates of micromorphology, and a phylogenetic tree showing the placements of these three taxa are provided. In addition, synopsis tables of Occultibambusa and Seriascoma with morphological features are also provided.
Stachybotrys musae sp. nov., S. microsporus, and Memnoniella levispora (Stachybotryaceae, Hypocreales) Found on Bananas in China and Thailand
A study was conducted to investigate saprobic fungal niches of Stachybotryaceae (Hypocreales) associated with leaves of Musa (banana) in China and Thailand. Three hyphomycetous taxa were collected during the dry season of 2018 and 2019. After a careful phenotypic characterization (both macro- and microscopically) and a phylogenetic tree reconstruction using a concatenated sequence dataset of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), calmodulin (cmdA), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), β-tubulin (tub2), and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) gene regions, we report three species of Stachybotryaceae. Stachybotrys musae is introduced as a novel taxon from Yunnan, China, while S.microsporus is reported from Chiang Rai Province in Thailand on Musa. In addition, Memnoniella levispora is also reported from China for the first time.
Addition to Phaeosphaeria: Eriobotrya japonica a New Host of Phaeosphaeria acaciae
In this paper, we report a coelomycetous fungus that belongs to the family Phaeosphaeriaceae (Pleosporales), associated with the leaves of Eriobotrya japonica in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. Morphologically, our fungal collection shows similarities to known asexual morphs of Phaeosphaeria, and exhibits pycnidial, globose conidiomata, a pycnidia wall composed of cells with textura angularis, ampulliform to broadly conical, hyaline, phialidic conidiogenous cells and pale brown, subcylindrical conidia that are 3-septate. Phylogenetic analyses of maximum-likelihood and Bayesian posterior probabilities of a combined dataset of SSU, LSU, ITS, and tef1- α sequences and morphological analysis confirmed that our fungal collection is Phaeosphaeria acaciae. This is the first report of a Phaeosphaeria taxon on Eriobotrya japonica.
Prevalence, severity and causative agents of dieback in calotropis procera in semi-arid regions of Kenya
Calotropis procera has a great potential for domestication and commercialization in Kenya for fibre production. However, the shrub experiences dieback condition caused by unidentified fungi. This makes it difficult to prevent dieback during cultivation, a situation that may lead to low productivity and financial losses. This study determined dieback prevalence, severity and causative agents among naturally growing Calotropis procera in the semi-arid regions of Kenya. A repeated measure research design was used. Purposive sampling technique was used in selecting Tharaka and Makueni as study sites. Simple and systematic random sampling techniques were used in developing main and sub plots, respectively. Simple random sampling technique was used in selecting 16 cuttings from each block for laboratory analysis. In the laboratory, specimens were obtained from samples, sterilized, rinsed, blotted and incubated at 23°C followed by observation of spores under a Microscope. Mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) and 2*4*6 factorial ANOVA using SPSS version 25 was used in analysis. There were significant differences in dieback prevalence and severity at different time points with the highest prevalence (78.56%) and severity index (3.54) reported in (September-November) 2019. Fusarium was the dominant dieback causative fungi with dominance ranging from 32.29% to 43.38%. In conclusion, the study established that naturally growing Calotropis procera stands in semi-arid regions of Kenya experience dieback throughout the year though at varying levels. Copyright