Background: Fusarium species, a group of economically destructive phytopathogens, are poorly studied in Mauritius where agriculture holds much significance. Furthermore, the increasing popularity of ...organic farming has prompted interest in alternatives to chemical fungicides. Methods: After gaining an overview of Fusarium prevalence in Mauritius fields through a survey, the pathogen was isolated from infected crops and identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics. Methanol and water extracts were then prepared from Melia azedarach, Ocimum gratissimum, cinnamon and cloves before determining their phytochemical profiles. Additionally, the antioxidant and antifungal effects of different concentrations of aqueous extracts were assessed. Results: The isolate was confirmed as Fusarium oxysporum, and cloves inhibited its growth by up to 100%, especially at 60 and 90 g/L, with the results being significantly higher than those of the synthetic fungicide mancozeb. Over 50% inhibition was also noted for cinnamon and Ocimum gratissimum, and these effects could be linked to the flavonoids, phenols and terpenoids in the extracts. Conclusion: This study presented the aqueous extracts of cloves, cinnamon and Ocimum gratissimum as potential alternatives to chemical fungicides. It also confirmed the prevalence of Fusarium infection in Mauritius fields, thereby highlighting the need for additional studies on the pathogen.
Compared to the higher fungi (Dikarya), taxonomic and evolutionary studies on the basal clades of fungi are fewer in number. Thus, the generic boundaries and higher ranks in the basal clades of fungi ...are poorly known. Recent DNA based taxonomic studies have provided reliable and accurate information. It is therefore necessary to compile all available information since basal clades genera lack updated checklists or outlines. Recently, Tedersoo et al. (MycoKeys 13:1–20,
2016
) accepted
Aphelidiomycota
and
Rozellomycota
in Fungal clade. Thus, we regard both these phyla as members in Kingdom Fungi. We accept 16 phyla in basal clades
viz
.
Aphelidiomycota
,
Basidiobolomycota
,
Blastocladiomycota
,
Calcarisporiellomycota
,
Caulochytriomycota
,
Chytridiomycota
,
Entomophthoromycota
,
Glomeromycota
,
Kickxellomycota
,
Monoblepharomycota
,
Mortierellomycota
,
Mucoromycota
,
Neocallimastigomycota
,
Olpidiomycota
,
Rozellomycota
and
Zoopagomycota
. Thus, 611 genera in 153 families, 43 orders and 18 classes are provided with details of classification, synonyms, life modes, distribution, recent literature and genomic data. Moreover,
Catenariaceae
Couch is proposed to be conserved,
Cladochytriales
Mozl.-Standr. is emended and the family
Nephridiophagaceae
is introduced.
This study introduces a new
Penicillium
species isolated from soil in Yavatmal, India.
Penicillium sanjayi sp. nov.
is classified in
Penicillium
section
Citrina
. The new species is delimited using ...phenotypic characters and sequences of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA regions, partial beta-tubulin (
BenA
), calmodulin (
CaM
), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (
RPB2
) region. Phylogenetic analyses consistently resolved the new species in a well-delineated clade with its close relative
P. vascosobrinhoanum
(originally published as
P. vascosobrinhous
), distinct from all other series of section
Citrina
. As a result, we introduce the series
Vascosobrinhoana
for this unique lineage. Key distinguishing characteristics such as greyish ruby to ruby centre of colonies (obverse) on malt extract agar (MEA), presence of cream colour sclerotia on oatmeal agar (OA), growth rates on standardised media, growth at 30 °C but lack of growth at 37 °C, additional microscopic characters such as solitary or rarely with a subterminal branch other than predominant monoverticillate penicilli, and conspicuously roughened to verruculose conidial ornamentation distinguish the new species
P. sanjayi
from other monoverticillate section Citrina species
.
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•A new species of Metarhizium pathogenic to leafhopper infesting Garcinia is reported.•The fungus infecting the leafhopper was distinctly different from its related ...species.•Morphological features and multi-gene analyses confirmed the fungus as a new species.•The fungus was named Metarhizium indicum indicating its Indian origin.
A new species of entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium indicum, which derives its species epithet after its Indian origin is reported here. The fungus was found to cause natural epizootics in leafhopper (Busoniomimus manjunathi) infesting Garcinia gummi-gutta (Malabar tamarind), an evergreen spice tree native to South and Southeast Asia, known for its use as a culinary flavourant, dietary supplement and traditional remedy for various human ailments. The fungus was found to cause more than 60% mortality in field collected insects. The identity of the new species was established based on its distinct morphological characteristics and multi-gene sequence data analyses. Phylogenetic analyses using internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), DNA lyase (APN2) and a concatenated set of four marker genes translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF), β-tubulin (BTUB), RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB1) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) along with marked differences in nucleotide composition and genetic distance unambiguously support our claim that the present fungus infecting Garcinia leafhopper is a new addition to the genus Metarhizium.
The circumscription of
Beltraniaceae
has thus far been based on the unique morphological characters of its genera, although these assumptions have never been tested phylogenetically because of a lack ...of DNA sequence data. The Indian Western Ghats is rich with diverse strains of
Beltrania
and similar genera, and therefore an attempt was made to re-collect as many species as possible, to study their taxonomy, and to resolve their phylogeny based on LSU and ITS nrDNA sequences. This study provides the first phylogenetic placement of genera
Beltraniella
,
Porobeltraniella, Pseudobeltrania
and
Hemibeltrania
in the
Beltraniaceae
based on fresh specimens, type studies and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Furthermore,
Subramaniomyces
appears to be phylogenetically related to beltranioid genera, and is therefore included in
Beltraniaceae
. However, the phylogenies of the hyphomycete genus
Parapleurotheciopsis
and the perithecial genus
Pidoplitchkoviella
appear to change with data selection and phylogenetic analytical method used, and remain unresolved.
A new
Talaromyces
species,
T.amyrossmaniae
, isolated from decaying fruit and litter of
Terminalia bellerica
, is described and illustrated. On the natural substrate, the new species produces ...determinate synnemata, with a well-defined, vivid orange red to orange red cylindrical stipe, and a greyish green capitulum. Conidiophores are typically biverticillate, or sometimes have subterminal branches, with acerose phialides that produce globose to subglobose, smooth to slightly roughened conidia. Multigene phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), and partial sequences of β-tubulin (
BenA
), calmodulin (
CaM
), and DNA directed RNA polymerase second large subunit (
RPB2
) genes, along with morphological characterization, revealed that these isolates are distinct and form a unique lineage of Talaromyces in section Trachyspermi, closely allied to
T.aerius
,
T.albobiverticillius
,
T.heiheensis
,
T.erythromellis
, and
T.solicola
. The new species
T.amyrossmaniae
is the first species in section Trachyspermi with determinate synnemata.
A new
species,
, isolated from decaying fruit and litter of
, is described and illustrated. On the natural substrate, the new species produces determinate synnemata, with a well-defined, vivid orange ...red to orange red cylindrical stipe, and a greyish green capitulum. Conidiophores are typically biverticillate, or sometimes have subterminal branches, with acerose phialides that produce globose to subglobose, smooth to slightly roughened conidia. Multigene phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), and partial sequences of β-tubulin (
), calmodulin (
), and DNA directed RNA polymerase second large subunit (
) genes, along with morphological characterization, revealed that these isolates are distinct and form a unique lineage of Talaromyces in section Trachyspermi, closely allied to
,
,
,
, and
. The new species
is the first species in section Trachyspermi with determinate synnemata.
Manoharachariella indica is described as a new species from India, differing from M. lignicola, the only other described species of the genus, by larger conidia, longer conidiophores, and additional ...conidiophore septa.
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