Insights into the molecular phylogeny and morphology of three novel Dothiora species, along with a worldwide checklist of Dothiora.

Most species of Dothiora are known from the dead parts of various host plants as saprobic fungi in terrestrial habitats occurring in tropical and temperate regions. In the present study, samples of Dothiora were collected from dead twigs and branches of Capparis spinosa, Rhaponticum repens, and an unknown angiosperm plant from the Tashkent and Jizzakh regions of Uzbekistan. Multi-gene phylogenetic analyses based on a combined ITS, LSU, SSU, TEF1, and TUB2 sequence data revealed their taxonomic positions within the Dothideaceae. Three new species of Dothiora, namely, Dothiora capparis, Dothiora rhapontici, and Dothiora uzbekistanica were proposed by molecular and morphological data. Likewise, the phylogenetic relationship and morphology of Dothiora are discussed. In addition, we provide a list of accepted Dothiora species, including host information, distribution, morphology descriptions, and availability of sequence data, to enhance the current knowledge of the diversity within Dothiora.

A New Edible Wild Mushroom Species, Panus sribuabanensis (Panaceae, Polyporales) from Northern Thailand and Its Nutritional Composition, Total Phenolic Content, and Antioxidant Activity.

A new edible wild mushroom species, described herein as Panus sribuabanensis, was collected from local markets and natural forests located in northern Thailand. This species is characterized by its medium to large-sized basidiomata, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid-shaped basidiospores, dimitic hyphal system, and the absence of hyphal pegs. A molecular phylogenetic analysis of combined the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (nrLSU) of nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences supported the monophyly of P. sribuabanensis as a distinct lineage within the genus Panus. Full description, illustrations, color photographs, and a phylogenetic tree to show the placement of P. sribuabanensis are provided. The dried mushroom showed a nutritional composition within the range of 2.58%-2.67% for fat content, 27.10%-27.98% for protein, and 43.97%-44.10% for carbohydrates. The ethanolic extracts from this mushroom exhibited a total phenolic content ranging from 0.66 to 0.74 mg GAE/g dry weight (dw). Moreover, the antioxidant activities of ethanolic extracts evaluated by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (0.90-1.08 mg TE/g dw) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (0.93-1.08 mg TE/g dw) assays demonstrate higher activity compared to the 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assay (0.44-0.51 mg TE/g dw). The outcomes of this study provide significant information on the nutritional value, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity potential of this new mushroom species discovered in northern Thailand.

Multifarious Characterization and Efficacy of Three Phosphate-Solubilizing Aspergillus Species as Biostimulants in Improving Root Induction of Cassava and Sugarcane Stem Cuttings.

Several soil fungi significantly contribute to the enhancement of plant development by improving nutrient uptake and producing growth-promoting metabolites. In the present study, three strains of phosphate-solubilizing fungi, namely, Aspergillus chiangmaiensis SDBR-CMUI4, A. pseudopiperis SDBR-CMUI1, and A. pseudotubingensis SDBR-CMUO2, were examined for their plant-growth-promoting capabilities. The findings demonstrated that all fungi showed positive siderophore production, but only A. pseudopiperis can produce indole-3-acetic acid. All fungi were able to solubilize insoluble phosphate minerals [Ca3(PO4)2 and FePO4] by producing phosphatase enzymes and organic acids (oxalic, tartaric, and succinic acids). These three fungal species were grown at a water activity ranging from 0.837 to 0.998, pH values ranging from 4 to 9, temperatures between 4 and 40 °C, and 16-17% NaCl in order to evaluate their drought, pH, temperature, and salt tolerances, respectively. Moreover, the results indicated that A. pseudopiperis and A. pseudotubingensis were able to tolerate commercial insecticides (methomyl and propargite) at the recommended dosages for field application. The viability of each fungal strain in the inoculum was higher than 50% at 4 and 20 °C after 3 months of storage. Subsequently, all fungi were characterized as plant-growth-promoting strains by improving the root inductions of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) stem cuttings in greenhouse experiments. No symptoms of plant disease were observed with any of the treatments involving fungal inoculation and control. The cassava and sugarcane stem cuttings inoculated with fungal strains and supplemented with Ca3(PO4)2 exhibited significantly increased root lengths, shoot and root dry biomasses, chlorophyll concentrations, and cellular inorganic phosphate contents. Therefore, the application of these phosphate-solubilizing fungi is regarded as a new frontier in the induction of roots and the promotion of growth in plants.

Exploring diversity rock-inhabiting fungi from northern Thailand: a new genus and three new species belonged to the family Herpotrichiellaceae.

Members of the family Herpotrichiellaceae are distributed worldwide and can be found in various habitats including on insects, plants, rocks, and in the soil. They are also known to be opportunistic human pathogens. In this study, 12 strains of rock-inhabiting fungi that belong to Herpotrichiellaceae were isolated from rock samples collected from forests located in Lamphun and Sukhothai provinces of northern Thailand during the period from 2021 to 2022. On the basis of the morphological characteristics, growth temperature, and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses of a combination of the internal transcribed spacer, the large subunit, and the small subunit of ribosomal RNA, beta tubulin and the translation elongation factor 1-a genes, the new genus, Petriomyces gen. nov., has been established to accommodate the single species, Pe. obovoidisporus sp. nov. In addition, three new species of Cladophialophora have also been introduced, namely, Cl. rupestricola, Cl. sribuabanensis, and Cl. thailandensis. Descriptions, illustrations, and a phylogenetic trees indicating the placement of these new taxa are provided. Here, we provide updates and discussions on the phylogenetic placement of other fungal genera within Herpotrichiellaceae.

First Report of Anthracnose on Giant Philodendron Caused by Colletotrichum siamense in Thailand.

Giant philodendron (Philodendron giganteum Schott) is cultivated in Thailand and has become an important ornamental houseplant with great economic value. During the rainy season in July 2022, anthracnose disease on this plant was observed at a nursery in Saraphi District, Chiang Mai Province (18°40'18" N, 99°03'17" E), Thailand. The area investigated was approximately 800 m². The disease incidence was estimated at above 15% according to the total number of plants (220 plants). The disease severity of each plant was between 25 and 50% of the necrotic lesion on the leaf. Initially, symptoms with brown spots, appeared on leaves, gradually becoming enlarged, elongate, 1 to 11 cm long by 0.3 to 3.5 cm wide, irregular, sunken, dark brown, with a yellow halo surrounding each lesion. Then, the diseased leaves eventually withered and died. Leaf pieces (5 × 5 mm2) of the margins between lesions and the healthy tissue were surface sterilized in 1% NaClO for 1 min, 70% ethanol for 30 s, and rinsed three times with sterile distilled water. Tissues were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 25°C in darkness. After three days of incubation, pure fungal colonies were purified by a single hyphal tip method on PDA (Korhonen and Hintikka 1980). Two fungal isolates (SDBR-CMU471 and SDBR-CMU472) with similar morphology were obtained. Fungal colonies on PDA were white and 38 to 40 mm in diameter after 3 days of incubation at 25 °C, then grayish white with cottony mycelia, the reverse side pale yellow after one week of incubation. Both isolates produced asexual structures on PDA. Setae were brown with 1 to 3 septa, 50 to 110 × 2.4 to 4.0 µm, with a cylindrical base, and acuminate tip. Conidiophores were hyaline to pale brown, septate, and branched. Conidiogenous cells were hyaline to pale brown, cylindrical to ampulliform, 9.5 to 35 µm long (n = 50). Conidia were single-celled, straight, hyaline, smooth-walled, cylindrical, ends rounded, guttulate, 9.1 to 19.6 × 3.5 to 5.6 µm (n = 50). Appressoria were brown to dark brown, oval to irregular, smooth-walled, 5 to 10 × 5 to 7.5 µm (n = 50). Morphologically, both fungal isolates resembled members of the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex (Weir et al. 2012; Jayawardena et al. 2021). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal DNA, actin (act), ß-tubulin (tub2), calmodulin (CAL), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) genes were amplified using primer pairs ITS5/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), ACT-512F/ACT-783R (Carbone and Kohn 1999), T1/T22 (O'Donnell and Cigelnik 1997), CL1C/CL2C (Weir et al. 2012), and GDF1/GDR1 (Templeton et al. 1992), respectively. Sequences were deposited in GenBank (ITS: OQ699280, OQ699281; act: OQ727122, OQ727123; tub2: OQ727124, OQ727125; CAL: OQ727126, OQ727127; GAPDH: OQ727128, OQ727129). Multi-gene (combined data set of ITS, GAPDH, CAL, act, and tub2) maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that both isolates were identified as C. siamense with 100% support. In a pathogenicity test, leaves of healthy plants were surface sterilized with a 0.1% NaClO solution for 3 min, rinsed three times with sterile distilled water. After being air-dried, a uniform wound (5 pores, 3 mm in width) was made at the equator of each leaf using aseptic needles. Conidial suspensions were collected from two-week-old cultures and suspended in sterile distilled water with 0.05% Tween-20. Fifteen microliters of the conidial suspension (1 × 106 conidia/ml) were placed on wounded attached leaves. As well, wounded control leaves were mock inoculated with sterile distilled water. Ten replications were conducted for each treatment and experiments were repeated twice. The inoculated plants were stored in a greenhouse at conditions of 25 to 30°C and 75 to 85% relative humidity. After 14 days, all the inoculated leaves showed disease symptoms, brown lesions with yellow halos, whereas control leaves remained asymptomatic. The pathogen C. siamense was consistently re-isolated on PDA from the inoculated tissues to complete Koch's postulates. Colletotrichum siamense has been reported as a causal agent on a wide range of host plants in Thailand and throughout the world (Farr and Rossman 2021; Jayawardena et al. 2021). Prior to this study, C. endophytica, C. karsti, C. orchidearum, C. philodendricola, and C. pseudoboninense were identified as causal agents of anthracnose on philodendrons (Xue et al. 2020; Zhang et al. 2023). However, anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum species on giant philodendron (P. giganteum) has not been previously reported. Thus, we propose C. siamense as a new causal agent of anthracnose disease on giant philodendron. This study provides information for further investigation into the epidemiology and management of this disease. Moreover, further investigations should be carried out in other philodendron growing areas of Thailand in order to specifically search for this pathogen.

Identification and Characterization of Fusarium Species Causing Watermelon Fruit Rot in Northern Thailand.

Fruit rot caused by phytopathogenic fungi is one of the major diseases affecting watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) around the world, which can result in unmarketable fruits and significant economic losses. Fruit rot was observed on watermelons throughout the postharvest storage periods in Phayao Province, northern Thailand in 2022. For the present study, a total of ten fungal isolates were isolated from the rot lesions of watermelons. All obtained fungal isolates were then characterized in terms of their pathogenicity. The results indicated that only four fungal isolates caused rot disease with similar symptoms during the postharvest storage period. Based on their morphological characteristics, these four fungal isolates were identified as belonging to the genus Fusarium. Using multi-gene phylogenetic analyses with a combination of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef-1), calmodulin (cam), and RNA polymerase second largest subunit (rpb2) genes, the fungal isolates were subsequently identified as Fusarium compactum and F. paranaense. Taken together, the results of this study indicate that F. compactum and F. paranaense cause fruit rot disease in watermelons. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report F. compactum and F. paranaense as novel pathogens of watermelon fruit rot both in Thailand and elsewhere in the world.

Morphology, Molecular Identification, and Pathogenicity of Two Novel Fusarium Species Associated with Postharvest Fruit Rot of Cucurbits in Northern Thailand.

Fruit rot of cucurbits caused by several pathogenic fungi has become an important postharvest disease worldwide. In 2022, fruit rot on watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and muskmelon (Cucumis melo) was observed during the postharvest storage phase in the Chiang Mai and Phitsanulok Provinces of northern Thailand. These diseases can lead to significant economic losses. This present study was conducted to isolate the causal agent of fungi in lesions of fruit rot. A total of four fungal isolates were obtained, of which two isolates (SDBR-CMU422 and SDBR-CMU423) were obtained from rot lesions of watermelons, while the remaining isolates (SDBR-CMU424 and SDBR-CMU425) were obtained from rot lesions of muskmelons. All fungal isolates were identified using both morphological characteristics and molecular analyses. Morphologically, all isolated fungal isolates were classified into the genus Fusarium. Multi-gene phylogenetic analyses of a combination of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef-1), calmodulin (cam), and RNA polymerase second largest subunit (rpb2) genes reveled that four fungal isolates belonged to the Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex and were distinct from all other known species. Thus, we have described them as two new species, namely F. citrullicola (SDBR-CMU422 and SDBR-CMU423) and F. melonis (SDBR-CMU424 and SDBR-CMU425). A full description, illustrations, and a phylogenetic tree indicating the position of both new species have been provided. Moreover, pathogenicity tests were subsequently performed and the results showed that F. citrullicola and F. melonis caused symptoms of fruit rot on inoculated watermelon and muskmelon fruits, respectively. Notably, this outcome was indicative of the symptoms that appeared during the postharvest storage phase. To our knowledge, two new pathogenic fungi, F. citrullicola and F. melonis, are new causal agents of watermelon and muskmelon fruit rot, respectively. Importantly, these findings provide valuable information for the development of effective strategies for the monitoring and prevention of these diseases.

First Report of Rose Apple Leaf Spot Caused by Colletotrichum siamense in Thailand.

The rose apple (Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. & L.M.Perry) plant has been commonly cultivated in Thailand. In May of 2022, leaf spot disease of rose apple was discovered in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, with approximately 30% disease incidence. The typical symptoms initially showed brown spots (0.1 to 0.5 mm in diameter) with a yellow halo surrounding. These spots then expanded with black edges and the infected leaves appear blighted and desiccated. In humid conditions, pale yellow conidiomata formed on the lesions. Small pieces (5 × 5 mm2) of the margins between lesions and the healthy tissue were surface disinfected with 1% NaClO for 1 min, 70% ethanol for 30 s, and washed three times with sterile distilled water. Tissues were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 25 ºC for three days. Three fungal isolates (SDBR-CMU419, SDBR-CMU420, and SDBR-CMU421) were obtained that exhibited similar morphology. Fungal colonies appeared white to gray with cottony mycelia after incubation on PDA at 25 ºC for one week. All fungal isolates produced asexual morph on PDA. Setae were 5590 × 2.53.5 µm, brown with 13-septa, cylindrical base, and tip rounded. Conidiophores were hyaline to pale brown, septate, and branched. Conidiogenous cells were hyaline to pale brown, cylindrical to ampulliform, 2050 µm long (n = 50). Conidia were one-celled, hyaline, smooth-walled, aseptate, straight, cylindrical, end round, guttulate, 1017 × 35 µm (n = 50). Appressoria were mostly formed from mycelia, oval to irregular, brown to dark brown, smooth-walled, 610 × 57 µm (n = 50). Morphologically, all fungal isolates resembled to Colletotrichum (Weir et al. 2012; Jayawardena et al. 2021). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal DNA, actin (act), ß-tubulin (tub2), calmodulin (CAL), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) were amplified using primer pairs ITS5/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), ACT-512F/ACT-783R (Carbone and Kohn 1999), T1/T22 (O'Donnell and Cigelnik 1997), CL1C/CL2C (Weir et al. 2012), and GDF1/GDR1 (Templeton et al. 1992), respectively. The ITS (ON740892 to ON740894), act (ON759242 to ON759244), tub2 (ON759245 to ON759247), CAL (ON759248 to ON759250), and GAPDH (ON759251 to ON759253) sequences were deposited in GenBank. Multi-gene (combined data set of ITS, GAPDH, CAL, act, and tub2) maximum phylogenetic analyses indicated that all fungal isolates clustered with C. siamense ICMP 18578 (type strain) with strong statistical (99% ML) support. For pathogenicity test, asymptomatic leaves, stems and fruits detached from healthy plants were surface disinfected using 0.1% NaClO for 3 min, washed three times with sterile distilled water, and air-dried. A uniform wound (3 pores, 1 mm in width) was made at the equator of each leaf, stem and fruit using aseptic needles. Mycelial plugs (5 mm in diameter) and conidia suspensions (1 × 106 conidia/ml) of each fungal isolate grown on PDA at 25 ºC for one week were used to inoculate both wounded and unwounded samples by the detached method (Huda­Shakirah et al. 2022; Suwannarach et al. 2022). Plugs of PDA and sterile distilled water were used as controls. Ten replications were performed for each treatment and the experiment was repeated twice. All inoculated samples were incubated in a moist chamber at 25 ºC with 90% relative humidity. The disease severity index was used to evaluate the specimens (Acar et al. 2008; Ngegba et al. 2017). After one week, both wounded and unwounded leaves that inoculated with mycelial plugs and conidia suspensions showed brown leaf spots and a weak infection. Mycelial plugs inoculated on both wounded and unwounded fruits revealed a moderate infection, but inoculation of conidia suspensions showed a weak infection. No symptoms of disease were observed on the inoculated stems. Control leaves, stems and fruits remained asymptomatic. The pathogen C. siamense was re-isolated from spot and rot lesions on PDA in order to fulfill Koch's postulates. Phoulivong et al. (2012) reported that C. siamense is a causal agent of fruit rot in rose apples cultivated in Lao and Thailand. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. siamense causing leaf spots on rose apple plants in Thailand. Importantly, these findings will provide crucial information for epidemiologic studies and in the development of appropriate management strategies for this newly emerging disease.

Species Diversity, Distribution, and Phylogeny of Exophiala with the Addition of Four New Species from Thailand.

The genus Exophiala is an anamorphic ascomycete fungus in the family Herpotrichiellaceae of the order Chaetothyriales. Exophiala species have been classified as polymorphic black yeast-like fungi. Prior to this study, 63 species had been validated, published, and accepted into this genus. Exophiala species are known to be distributed worldwide and have been isolated in various habitats around the world. Several Exophiala species have been identified as potential agents of human and animal mycoses. However, in some studies, Exophiala species have been used in agriculture and biotechnological applications. Here, we provide a brief review of the diversity, distribution, and taxonomy of Exophiala through an overview of the recently published literature. Moreover, four new Exophiala species were isolated from rocks that were collected from natural forests located in northern Thailand. Herein, we introduce these species as E. lamphunensis, E. lapidea, E. saxicola, and E. siamensis. The identification of these species was based on a combination of morphological characteristics and molecular analyses. Multi-gene phylogenetic analyses of a combination of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and small subunit (nrSSU) of ribosomal DNA, along with the translation elongation factor (tef), partial ß-tubulin (tub), and actin (act) genes support that these four new species are distinct from previously known species of Exophiala. A full description, illustrations, and a phylogenetic tree showing the position of four new species are provided.

Morphology Characterization, Molecular Identification, and Pathogenicity of Fungal Pathogen Causing Kaffir Lime Leaf Blight in Northern Thailand.

Thailand is known to be the largest producer of kaffir lime leaf products in the global market. In 2021, leaf blight was found on kaffir lime plants (Citrus hystrix DC.) in Lamphun Province of northern Thailand. This disease has been associated with significant economic losses. However, there have been no prior reports of leaf blight on kaffir lime plants in Thailand or anywhere else in the world. In this study, causal fungi were isolated from lesions of kaffir lime plants and a total of three fungal isolates were obtained. All causal fungi were identified as Lasiodiplodia chinensis based on morphological characteristics and the phylogenetic analysis of combined sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of ribosomal DNA, the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef-1), ß-tubulin (tub), and RNA polymerase II subunit (rbp2) genes. Pathogenicity tests were conducted and the results revealed that all isolated fungi caused symptoms of leaf blight on inoculated leaves. This outcome was similar to symptoms that naturally occur and have been observed in the field. This is the first report on kaffir lime leaf blight caused by L. chinensis. Our study will provide information of high value for the development of effective strategies for the monitoring and prevention of this disease.

Fungal diversity notes 1387-1511: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungal taxa.

This article is the 13th contribution in the Fungal Diversity Notes series, wherein 125 taxa from four phyla, ten classes, 31 orders, 69 families, 92 genera and three genera incertae sedis are treated, demonstrating worldwide and geographic distribution. Fungal taxa described and illustrated in the present study include three new genera, 69 new species, one new combination, one reference specimen and 51 new records on new hosts and new geographical distributions. Three new genera, Cylindrotorula (Torulaceae), Scolecoleotia (Leotiales genus incertae sedis) and Xenovaginatispora (Lindomycetaceae) are introduced based on distinct phylogenetic lineages and unique morphologies. Newly described species are Aspergillus lannaensis, Cercophora dulciaquae, Cladophialophora aquatica, Coprinellus punjabensis, Cortinarius alutarius, C. mammillatus, C. quercoflocculosus, Coryneum fagi, Cruentomycena uttarakhandina, Cryptocoryneum rosae, Cyathus uniperidiolus, Cylindrotorula indica, Diaporthe chamaeropicola, Didymella azollae, Diplodia alanphillipsii, Dothiora coronicola, Efibula rodriguezarmasiae, Erysiphe salicicola, Fusarium queenslandicum, Geastrum gorgonicum, G. hansagiense, Helicosporium sexualis, Helminthosporium chiangraiensis, Hongkongmyces kokensis, Hydrophilomyces hydraenae, Hygrocybe boertmannii, Hyphoderma australosetigerum, Hyphodontia yunnanensis, Khaleijomyces umikazeana, Laboulbenia divisa, Laboulbenia triarthronis, Laccaria populina, Lactarius pallidozonarius, Lepidosphaeria strobelii, Longipedicellata megafusiformis, Lophiotrema lincangensis, Marasmius benghalensis, M. jinfoshanensis, M. subtropicus, Mariannaea camelliae, Melanographium smilaxii, Microbotryum polycnemoides, Mimeomyces digitatus, Minutisphaera thailandensis, Mortierella solitaria, Mucor harpali, Nigrograna jinghongensis, Odontia huanrenensis, O. parvispina, Paraconiothyrium ajrekarii, Parafuscosporella niloticus, Phaeocytostroma yomensis, Phaeoisaria synnematicus, Phanerochaete hainanensis, Pleopunctum thailandicum, Pleurotheciella dimorphospora, Pseudochaetosphaeronema chiangraiense, Pseudodactylaria albicolonia, Rhexoacrodictys nigrospora, Russula paravioleipes, Scolecoleotia eriocamporesi, Seriascoma honghense, Synandromyces makranczyi, Thyridaria aureobrunnea, Torula lancangjiangensis, Tubeufia longihelicospora, Wicklowia fusiformispora, Xenovaginatispora phichaiensis and Xylaria apiospora. One new combination, Pseudobactrodesmium stilboideus is proposed. A reference specimen of Comoclathris permunda is designated. New host or distribution records are provided for Acrocalymma fici, Aliquandostipite khaoyaiensis, Camarosporidiella laburni, Canalisporium caribense, Chaetoscutula juniperi, Chlorophyllum demangei, C. globosum, C. hortense, Cladophialophora abundans, Dendryphion hydei, Diaporthe foeniculina, D. pseudophoenicicola, D. pyracanthae, Dictyosporium pandanicola, Dyfrolomyces distoseptatus, Ernakulamia tanakae, Eutypa flavovirens, E. lata, Favolus septatus, Fusarium atrovinosum, F. clavum, Helicosporium luteosporum, Hermatomyces nabanheensis, Hermatomyces sphaericoides, Longipedicellata aquatica, Lophiostoma caudata, L. clematidis-vitalbae, Lophiotrema hydei, L. neoarundinaria, Marasmiellus palmivorus, Megacapitula villosa, Micropsalliota globocystis, M. gracilis, Montagnula thailandica, Neohelicosporium irregulare, N. parisporum, Paradictyoarthrinium diffractum, Phaeoisaria aquatica, Poaceascoma taiwanense, Saproamanita manicata, Spegazzinia camelliae, Submersispora variabilis, Thyronectria caudata, T. mackenziei, Tubeufia chiangmaiensis, T. roseohelicospora, Vaginatispora nypae, Wicklowia submersa, Xanthagaricus necopinatus and Xylaria haemorrhoidalis. The data presented herein are based on morphological examination of fresh specimens, coupled with analysis of phylogenetic sequence data to better integrate taxa into appropriate taxonomic ranks and infer their evolutionary relationships.

An Updated Global Species Diversity and Phylogeny in the Genus Wickerhamomyces with Addition of Two New Species from Thailand.

Ascomycetous yeast species in the genus Wickerhamomyces (Saccharomycetales, Wickerhamomycetaceae) are isolated from various habitats and distributed throughout the world. Prior to this study, 35 species had been validly published and accepted into this genus. Beneficially, Wickerhamomyces species have been used in a number of biotechnologically applications of environment, food, beverage industries, biofuel, medicine and agriculture. However, in some studies, Wickerhamomyces species have been identified as an opportunistic human pathogen. Through an overview of diversity, taxonomy and recently published literature, we have updated a brief review of Wickerhamomyces. Moreover, two new Wickerhamomyces species were isolated from the soil samples of Assam tea (Camellia sinensis var. assamica) that were collected from plantations in northern Thailand. Herein, we have identified these species as W. lannaensis and W. nanensis. The identification of these species was based on phenotypic (morphological, biochemical and physiological characteristics) and molecular analyses. Phylogenetic analyses of a combination of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit (LSU) of ribosomal DNA genes support that W. lannaensis and W. nanensis are distinct from other species within the genus Wickerhamomyces. A full description, illustrations and a phylogenetic tree showing the position of both new species have been provided. Accordingly, a new combination species, W. myanmarensis has been proposed based on the phylogenetic results. A new key for species identification is provided.

Growth Enhancement of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and Onion (Allium cepa) With Inoculation of Three Newly Identified Mineral-Solubilizing Fungi in the Genus Aspergillus Section Nigri.

Some soil fungi play an important role in supplying elements to plants by the solubilizing of insoluble minerals in the soil. The present study was conducted to isolate the mineral-solubilizing fungi from rhizosphere soil in some agricultural areas in northern Thailand. Seven fungal strains were obtained and identified using a polyphasic taxonomic approach with multilocus phylogenetic and phenotypic (morphology and extrolite profile) analyses. All obtained fungal strains were newly identified in the genus Aspergillus section Nigri, Aspergillus chiangmaiensis (SDBR-CMUI4 and SDBR-CMU15), Aspergillus pseudopiperis (SDBR-CMUI1 and SDBR-CMUI7), and Aspergillus pseudotubingensis (SDBR-CMUO2, SDBR-CMUO8, and SDBR-CMU20). All fungal strains were able to solubilize the insoluble mineral form of calcium, copper, cobalt, iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, feldspar, and kaolin in the agar plate assay. Consequently, the highest phosphate solubilization strains (SDBR-CMUI1, SDBR-CMUI4, and SDBR-CMUO2) of each fungal species were selected for evaluation of their plant growth enhancement ability on Arabidopsis and onion in laboratory and greenhouse experiments, respectively. Plant disease symptoms were not found in any treatment of fungal inoculation and control. All selected fungal strains significantly increased the leaf number, leaf length, dried biomass of shoot and root, chlorophyll content, and cellular inorganic phosphate content in both Arabidopsis and onion plants under supplementation with insoluble mineral phosphate. Additionally, the inoculation of selected fungal strains also improved the yield and quercetin content of onion bulb. Thus, the selected strains reveal the potential in plant growth promotion agents that can be applied as a biofertilizer in the future.

Apophysomycesthailandensis (Mucorales, Mucoromycota), a new species isolated from soil in northern Thailand and its solubilization of non-soluble minerals.

A new species of soil fungi, described herein as Apophysomycesthailandensis, was isolated from soil in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. Morphologically, this species was distinguished from previously described Apophysomyces species by its narrower trapezoidal sporangiospores. A physiological determination showed that A.thailandensis differs from other Apophysomyces species by its assimilation of D-turanose, D-tagatose, D-fucose, L-fucose, and nitrite. A phylogenetic analysis, performed using combined internal transcribed spacers (ITS), the large subunit (LSU) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) regions, and a part of the histone 3 (H3) gene, lends support to our the finding that A.thailandensis is distinct from other Apophysomyces species. The genetic distance analysis of the ITS sequence supports A.thailandensis as a new fungal species. A full description, illustrations, phylogenetic tree, and taxonomic key to the new species are provided. Its metal minerals solubilization ability is reported.