青檀叶片内生和附生真菌组成及生态分布

对我国古老特有植物青檀叶片进行内生和附生真菌的研究,以了解青檀叶片内生和附生真菌的组成特点和探讨内生和附生真菌菌群之间的可能联系,为研究真菌资源多样性、植物附生和内生真菌的相互演化关系及真菌与宿主植物协同进化等提供有益参考资料。研究结果表明,从健康的青檀叶片获得可培养内生真菌839株,附生真菌1857株,共计2696株,鉴定其分属于4目,5科,43属。在目的分类水平上,内生和附生真菌均以丛梗孢目Moniliales为优势菌群,分别占90.23%和92.51%;在科的水平上,内生真菌以暗梗孢科Dematiaceae和丛梗孢科Moniliaceae为优势菌群,分别占47.56%和42.67%,附生真菌以丛梗孢科Moniliaceae和暗梗孢科Dematiaceae为优势菌群,分别占67.04%和25.47%;在属的水平上,内生真菌以黑团孢属Periconia和青霉属Penicillium为优势菌群,分别占31.47%和10.73%,附生真菌以小球霉属Glomerularia、膝葡孢属Gonatobotrys和青霉属Penicillium为优势菌群,分别占20.03%、13.95%和12.22%。青檀叶片内生真菌和附生真菌均存在的菌群数量达到23个属,占53.49%。内生真菌特有的属有6个,共分离19株,占0.70%,附生真菌特有的属有14个,共分离120株,占4.45%。内生真菌的Shannon-Wiener index(H')多样性指数(2.44)和Margalef index(R)丰富度指数(2.88)分别小于附生真菌ShannonWiener index(H')多样性指数(2.57)和Margalef index(R)丰富度指数(3.32),但两者的Evenness index(E)均匀度指数几乎相等。青檀叶片内生和附生真菌菌群组成具有较高的相似性,相似性系数达0.70。通过Fisher's exact test分析表明青檀叶片内生和附生真菌菌群组成无明显差异(P=0.072)。     

广陈皮外源真菌的组成及产毒真菌分析

[背景]广陈皮为药食同源中药材,在高温、高湿且贮存不当的条件下容易发霉,从而产生毒素,严重威胁陈皮的质量安全.[目的]分析广陈皮表面外源真菌的组成及其产生毒素的真菌.[方法]采用平板稀释法分离广陈皮表面外源真菌,利用分生孢子形态特征及DNA序列分析进行真菌鉴定,采用高效液相色谱-三重串联四极杆质谱联用技术对青霉属和曲霉...     

Diversity of mycorrhizal fungi of terrestrial orchids: compatibility webs, brief encounters, lasting relationships and alien invasions

The diversity of mycorrhizal fungi associated with an introduced weed-like South African orchid (Disa bracteata) and a disturbance-intolerant, widespread, native West Australian orchid (Pyrorchis nigricans) were compared by molecular identification of the fungi isolated from single pelotons. Molecular identification revealed both orchids were associated with fungi from diverse groups in the Rhizoctonia complex with worldwide distribution. Symbiotic germination assays confirmed the majority of fungi isolated from pelotons were mycorrhizal and a factorial experiment uncovered complex webs of compatibility between six terrestrial orchids and 12 fungi from Australia and South Africa. Two weed-like (disturbance-tolerant rapidly spreading) orchids — D. bracteata and the indigenous Australian Microtis media, had the broadest webs of mycorrhizal fungi. In contrast, other native orchids had relatively small webs of fungi (Diuris magnifica and Thelymitra crinita), or germinated exclusively with their own fungus (Caladenia falcata and Pterostylis sanguinea). Orchids, such as D. bracteata and M. media, which form relationships with diverse webs of fungi, had apparent specificity that decreased with time, as some fungi had brief encounters with orchids that supported protocorm formation but not subsequent seedling growth. The interactions between orchid mycorrhizal fungi and their hosts are discussed.     

三种红树林植物健康与非健康叶片中真菌的比较

红树林叶片感染真菌后可能会向非健康状态变化,为了比较三种红树林植物海漆、秋茄和桐花树健康与非健康叶片真菌类群,明确其中真菌类群的差异,该研究从广西茅尾海红树林自然保护区采集海漆、秋茄和桐花树健康与非健康叶片,对叶片中真菌分离纯化并进行形态学鉴定,提取真菌的DNA,采用RAPD多样性、ITS序列对真菌进行分子鉴定。经过初步分析,从海漆、秋茄和桐花树中共分离到157株真菌,经过形态学和RAPD分析,可能为19种不同的真菌。采用真菌ITS序列对19种真菌代表性菌株进行分析,结果表明:19种真菌都属于子囊菌门,有15株与已有的真菌ITS序列相似性在97%以上;有4株相似性低于95%,可能为新种。海漆健康和非健康叶片分别分离到真菌7种和5种,健康叶片含了非健康叶片中所有真菌;秋茄健康和非健康叶片分离到真菌1种和9种,且健康叶片中分离到的内生真菌Dothiorella aegiceri也包含于非健康叶片分离的真菌中;桐花树健康和非健康叶片分离到真菌1种和3种,且桐花树分离的内生真菌也是Dothiorella aegiceri,其包含于非健康叶片中分离到的真菌。该研究证明,海漆内生真菌同时也可能是植物病原菌,内生真菌与植物病原菌没有明显界限;另一方面,该研究发现秋茄和桐花树叶片的病变是由外部的病原真菌感染引起,感染的原因可能是昆虫叮咬红树林植物后留下了创口,这些创口有利于真菌的感染。     

野生建兰根系共生真菌群落结构及生物学功能

[目的] 为探究建兰Cymbidium ensifolium根系共生真菌群落结构及生物学功能。[方法] 利用高通量测序技术和FunGulid数据库,对来自湖南省（HN）、福建省（FJ）、贵州省（GZ）和云南省（YN）的4个样品的野生建兰根围土壤、根表和根内3个生态位的共生真菌种群结构与功能进行鉴定和预测。[结果] 建兰根系共生真菌分布在12门44纲103目241科432属中,优势门类为担子菌门Basidiomycota（49.51%）、子囊菌门Ascomycota（27.39%）和被孢霉门Mortierellomycota（20.22%）,在属水平上,被孢霉属（Mortierella）（11.75%）、Saitozyma（11.45%）和Papiliotrema （7.93%）为优势属。不同建兰样品的真菌营养类型相差较大,但每个样品在根围土壤和根表间的真菌营养类型相似度高,根内菌均以腐生型为绝对优势类型（50.11%–85.98%）,其中FJ样品较为特殊,3个生态位均以腐生营养型占绝对优势（85.98%–94.76%）。根围土壤和根表都以病理-腐生-共生混合型真菌为主,除此之外GZ样品的共生营养型,YN样品的腐生型、共生型,HN样品的腐生型也均为各自的优势营养类型。[结论] 建兰根系共生真菌种类多样性丰富,各样品和各生态位点间的共生真菌群落结构均存在极显著差异。建兰根系共生真菌存在的潜在有益真菌包括被孢霉属、红菇属（Russula）、Saitozyma、Papiliotrema、Cladophialophora等。该研究为揭示建兰根部与真菌的共生关系,以及为建兰共生真菌的开发利用提供了理论基础。     

Isolation and characterization of endophytic taxol-producing fungi from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Taxus chinensis</Emphasis>

This study investigated the endophytic fungi diversity of Taxus chinensis and screened the taxol-producing fungi in the host. A total of 115 endophytic fungi isolates obtained from bark segments of T. chinensis were grouped into 23 genera based on the morphological traits and sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2), indicating endophytic fungi in T. chinensis are diverse and abundant. Diaporthe, Phomopsis (anamorph of Diaporthe), Acremonium, and Pezicula were the dominant genera, whereas the remaining genera were infrequent groups. The 13 representative species of the distinct genera were capable of producing taxol verified by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Among the taxol-producing fungi, the yield of taxol produced by the Metarhizium anisopliae, H-27 was 846.1 μg l⁻¹ in reformative potato dextrose liquid medium, and the fungal taxol was further validated by mass spectrometry (MS). The taxol-producing fungi (92.3%) were infrequent communities, suggesting that infrequent fungi associated with T. chinensis might be a fascinating reservoir of taxol-generating fungi.     

Endophytic fungi from a pharmaceutical plant, Camptotheca acuminata: isolation, identification and bioactivity

About 174 endophytic fungi were isolated from the pharmaceutical plant, Camptotheca acuminata. Of the 18 taxa obtained, non-sporulating fungi (48.9%), Alternaria (12.6%), Phomopsis (6.9%), Sporidesmium (6.3%), Paecilomyces (4.6%) and Fusarium (4.6%) were dominant. ITS rDNA assay indicated that most of the non-sporulating fungi belonged to the Pyrenomycetes and Loculoascomycetes ascomycetes or their anamorph Coelomycetes. The results of the bioactivity test showed that 27.6% of the endophytic fungi displayed inhibition against more than one indicator microorganism. 4.0% and 2.3% of the endophytic fungi showed cytotoxicity and protease inhibition, respectively. The endophytic fungi with bioactivities were distributed in more than 12 taxa including non-sporulating fungi, which are reliable sources for bioactive agents.     

Diversity of fungi associated with plants growing in geothermal ecosystems and evaluation of their capacities to enhance thermotolerance of host plants

Diversity and heat-adaptation of endophytic fungi (EF) and rhizospheric fungi associated with plants growing in geothermal ecosystems, Southwest China, as well as their benefit in improving host plant thermotolerances were investigated. A total of 1589 culturable fungi belonging to 38 taxa were isolated, in which Curvularia, Acrophialophora, Penicillium, and Aspergillus were the dominant genera. The Shannon indices of EF and rhizospheric fungi ranged from 1.80 to 2.56 and 0.73 to 2.11, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the EF have a close relationship with rhizospheric fungi. However, some fungi exhibited apparently species-specific habitat distribution patterns. Growth temperature tests indicated that 60.22% of the tested isolates were thermotolerant fungi and only 39.78% were mesophiles, and the number of heat-adapted fungi increased with increasing environmental temperatures. The strain G1-29, which was isolated from the roots of Hedyotis diffusa and identified as Curvularia crepinii, significantly improved host plant thermotolerance under laboratory conditions: the death rate of endophyte-infected plants was significantly lower than that of endophyte-free plants (t-test, p?=?.0158, df?=?4). Our results suggested that the EF and rhizospheric fungi associated with plants growing in geothermal ecosystems are diverse, and many of them have adapted to the high environmental temperatures. Some fungi have come to be the dominant endemic inhabitants of specific niches, and some played an important role in improving host plant thermotolerances.     

云南三个地区马铃薯内生真菌多样性研究

为研究云南马铃薯(Solanum tuberosum)内生真菌的多样性,该文以采自云南省德宏芒市、大理喜洲和临沧双江3个地区的马铃薯植株为研究对象,采用组织块分离法、尖端菌丝挑取法对马铃薯根、茎及块茎中的内生真菌进行分离纯化,并采用形态学鉴定方法和ITS序列分析法对分离得到的内生真菌进行鉴定,对内生真菌的定殖率、分离率及多样性指数进行计算和分析。结果表明:(1)共分离得到内生真菌98株,其中从德宏芒市的样品中获得40株,从大理喜洲的样品中获得27株,从临沧双江的样品中获得31株。(2)经鉴定,分离得到的马铃薯内生真菌共涵盖10目10科13属,大多为子囊菌门和担子菌门,优势菌为镰刀菌属(Fusarium)和青霉属(Penicillium),褶皱裸孢壳(Emericella rugulosa)、接骨木镰刀菌(Fusarium sambucinum)、毛韧革菌(Stereum hirsutum)、Psathyrella sulcatotuberculosa和Epicoccum catenisporum 5种真菌均为首次从马铃薯植株中分离得到。(3)马铃薯块茎内生真菌的定殖率最高,根部内生真菌定殖率最低; 内生真菌的分离率以马铃薯根部为最高,而茎部最低; 不同组织中内生真菌的多样性指数趋势均为根>块茎>茎。从综合来看,云南马铃薯植株中的内生真菌具有较高的多样性,不同地区的马铃薯样品中内生真菌优势菌不同,马铃薯根部具有最丰富的内生真菌种群和最高的分离率,是最适合进行内生真菌分离的材料。该研究结果为后期探究马铃薯内生真菌对病原菌的拮抗作用奠定了基础,也为马铃薯内生真菌多样性研究提供了参考数据。     

AM真菌影响入侵植物黄顶菊与本土物种狗尾草竞争生长的机理研究

该研究以入侵植物黄顶菊[Flaveria bidentis(L.)Kunt]和本土伴生植物狗尾草为材料,通过筛选出黄顶菊单一优势群落AM真菌,于温室盆栽条件下,采用2物种单播、混播以及接种AM真菌和不接种共6个处理,分析AM真菌对黄顶菊和狗尾草的根系侵染率、相对竞争强度、植株氮磷钾光合利用率、以及丙二醛含量和保护酶活性的影响,探讨AM真菌对黄顶菊与狗尾草竞争生长的机理。结果显示:(1)黄顶菊根际土壤AM真菌共包括4属10种,其中优势种为Glomus constrictum、Glomus perpusillum、Glomus reticulatum;盆栽接种AM真菌后,黄顶菊的根系侵染率显著高于本土伴生植物狗尾草,但接种AM真菌后黄顶菊相对竞争强度显著降低了29.57%,却对狗尾草相对竞争强度无显著影响。(2)接种AM真菌使黄顶菊植株光合氮、磷、钾利用率显著升高,但对伴生植物狗尾草的光合氮、磷、钾利用率均无显著影响。(3)接种AM真菌对黄顶菊植株POD和CAT活性以及MDA含量无显著影响,但显著增加了SOD和APX活性,而伴对生植物狗尾草的POD、CAT和APX活性均显著降低,MDA含量显著提高。研究表明,AM真菌对黄顶菊和狗尾草具有不同的选择性,AM真菌的定植促进了黄顶菊的竞争生长,增加了植株N、P含量、光合养分利用率以及抗氧化酶活性;但显著降低了本土伴生植物狗尾草的N、P吸收以及抗氧化酶活性。因此,AM真菌在竞争生长中对黄顶菊产生了偏利反馈,有助于黄顶菊的入侵。     

黄花倒水莲内生真菌生物活性评价及HNLF-44菌株鉴定

为充分开发黄花倒水莲(Polygala fallax)的内生真菌资源，获得具有抗植物病原真菌、抗氧化活性的内生真菌，该文以黄花倒水莲内生真菌为研究对象，使用平板对峙法检测内生真菌对6种植物病原真菌的抑菌活性，测定内生真菌发酵液的DPPH清除自由基能力和总还原能力，评价内生真菌的抗氧化活性，并对具有强抑菌活性和抗氧化活性的菌株进行形态和ITS鉴定。结果表明：(1)黄花倒水莲内生真菌中有2株内生真菌对香蕉专化尖孢镰刀菌、柑橘树脂病菌、叶点霉菌、香蕉具条叶斑病菌、茄病镰刀菌、三七根腐病菌具有明显的抑菌活性，抑菌率在50.3%～91.4%之间，其中HNLF-5对柑橘树脂病菌的抑菌率为73.2%,HNLF-44对香蕉专化尖孢镰刀菌抑菌率为91.4%。(2)内生真菌发酵液具有良好的抗氧化活性，DPPH清除率均在80%以上，总还原能力吸光值范围为0.279 2～0.748 8。(3)HNLF-44菌株为链格孢属真菌。该研究表明，药用植物黄花倒水莲内生真菌具有较好的生物活性，为后续从黄花倒水莲内生真菌中挖掘潜在新型抑菌活性和抗氧化活性物质奠定了基础。     

Combination of the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and the nematode-trapping fungi Dactylaria brochopaga and Arthrobotrys conoides for controlling Meloidogyne incognita in tomato fields

Abstract

Effects of combining an entomopathogenic nematode (EPNs) and nematode-trapping fungi to control root-knot nematode were studied in the laboratory and in a tomato field. Bioassay effects of EPNs (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora) on growth of the two nematode-trapping fungi (Dactylaria brochopaga and Arthrobotrys conoides) attacking J2 of Meloidogyne incognita were studied in the laboratory. A field experiment was conducted in a tomato field. The mortality percentages were higher in combining EPNs and trapping fungi than either by trapping fungi or EPNs alone. Combining EPNs with A. comcaides fungi caused mortality higher than application by EPNs and trapping fungi D. brochopaga. The highest mortality percentage of combined EPNs and trapping fungi on larvae, root galls and egg-masses of M. incognita in tomato field were in the treatment of combined EPNs and D. brochopaga several times and the treatment of combined EPNs and A. comcaides several times, followed by the treatment of combined EPNs and D. brochopaga one time, and treatment of combined EPNs and A. comcaides one time. In the third stage came the treatment of D. brochopaga alone, and the treatment of A. comcaides alone, finally came effects of the treatment of EPNs alone. The highest tomato yield was recorded in treatments of combined EPNs and D. brochopaga or A. comcaides compared to the separate treatments and control. Thus, we recommend farmers to use combination of EPNs and trapping fungi for increasing the mortality of M. incognita in tomato fields.     

Interactions among ammonia fungi on MY agar medium with varying pH

Five early-phase ammonia fungi (EP fungi) – Amblyosporium botrytis, Ascobolus denudatus, Peziza moravecii, Pseudombrophila petrakii, Coprinopsis phlyctidospora, and Tephrocybe tesquorum, and one late-phase ammonia fungus (LP fungus), Hebeloma vinosophyllum – were co-cultured on malt extract-yeast extract agar media at pH 5.5, 7.0, 8.0, and 9.0. The co-cultures among the early-stage EP fungi Amblyosporium botrytis, Ascobolus denudatus, Peziza moravecii, and Pseudombrophila petrakii, generally did not inhibit or accelerate the reproductive structure formation of the opposed fungi. Among the EP fungi, Am. botrytis, As. denudatus, and Pe. moravecii intermingled with each other. The late-stage EP fungus T. tesquorum inhibited the growth of other EP fungi. Another late-stage EP fungus, C. phlyctidospora, showed ability to invade other EP fungi, but it did not deeply invade into the territories of early-stage EP fungi. The LP fungus H. vinosophyllum tended to accelerate basidioma formation of C. phlyctidospora at pH 5.5 and 9.0. H. vinosophyllum formed the highest numbers of basidomata at pH 5.5. These results show that successive occurrence of ammonia fungi is caused by the interspecific interactions among ammonia fungi as well as by the physiological characteristic of each fungus associated with conditions of its inhabiting soils, such as pH and nitrogen concentration.     

Mycorrhizal status of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eucalyptus</Emphasis> plantations in south China and implications for management

The aim of this study is to assess the mycorrhizal status of Eucalyptus plantations in south China and to determine the need for inoculation. In four provinces in south China, 155 plantations were sampled for sporocarps of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and mycorrhizas over 2 years. This study revealed a low above-ground diversity of ECM fungi consisting of 15 taxa fruiting beneath Eucalyptus plantations. The most common ECM genera were Scleroderma and Pisolithus, but they were infrequent. A total of 21 AM fungi, mostly Glomus species, were recognized from spores collected from eucalypt plantations. Four Glomus species were frequently present in soils, but spore density and relative abundance of AM fungi were generally low. Eucalypt roots from all plantation sites were poorly colonized by either ECM fungi or AM fungi. A bioassay with E. urophylla as a bait host, using soils collected from 11 eucalypt plantations, confirmed low levels of inoculum of both ECM and AM fungi in field soil. This is the first integrated study on the mycorrhizal status of eucalypt plantations in China. Findings from this research can be used to encourage adoption of mycorrhizal technology by eucalypt nurseries in the region. The potential of using spores of compatible ECM fungi or collections for forest nurseries is discussed.     

Enzymes Associated with Defence against Toxic Oxygen Species in PCNB-Tolerant and Sensitive Soil Fungi

The specific activities of enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPOX) and glutathione reductase (GR), which are involved in protection against toxic species of oxygen, were determined in mycelia extracts of pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB)-tolerant and susceptible soil fungi. The organisms assayed were the highly PCNB-sensitive Rhizoctonia solani and Rhizopus arrhizus; Sclerotium rolfsii and Trichoderma harzianum, which are moderately susceptible to PCNB, and the fungicide-tolerant Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis and Pythium aphanidermatum. No GPOX activity was detected in the six examined fungi. Significant differences in the specific activities of the other enzyme systems among the fungi were evident. Remarkably low levels of CAT activities were measured in R. solani. Except for T. harzianum, no meaningful differences regarding SOD, CAT and GR activities with age of the fungi cultures were observed. The electrophoretic patterns of SOD and CAT displayed dissimilarities among the fungi under study. P. aphanidermatum is more polymorphic with respect to both SOD and CAT enzyme systems as compared to the other fungi. The SOD of F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis, R. arrhizus and T. harzianum is a cuprozinc enzyme, while the mangano-SOD species was detected in S. rolfsii, R. solani and T. harzianum.     

Mycorrhiza and root-associated fungi in Spitsbergen

Summary Roots of 76 plant species collected in West Spitsbergen (Svalbard), in the middle-northern Arctic zone, were examined for mycorrhiza and root-associated fungi. Dryas octopetala, Pedicularis dasyantha and Salix polaris were ectomycorrhizal and Cassiope tetragona and Empetrum hermaphroditum ericoid mycorrhizal. Pedicularis dasyantha was only slightly infected. Structures resembling vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi were not found in the roots, and soil samples screened for VAM fungi contained only one spore. Root endophytic fungi commonly occurred in Spits-bergen, but only Olpidium brassicae, Pleospora herbarum, Papulaspora, Microdochium bolleyi and Rhizoctonia solani were identified with reasonable certainty. A sterile endophytic dark-septate fungus (DSF) was in 39.5% of the flowering-plant species examined, especially in the Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Saxifragaceae and Poaceae. DSF were categorized into four slightly overlapping groups. Sterile endophytic hyaline septate fungi were rare. In the literature it is suggested that at least some of the DSF species or the hyaline septate fungi are functionally mutualistic rather than saprophytic or pathogenic. The literature on ectomycorrhizal fungi and plants in Spitsbergen is reviewed, including about 50 species, mainly of the genera Cortinarius, Hebeloma, Inocybe, Laccaria, Lactarius and Russula. These are symbiotic with the above-mentioned ectomycorrhizal plants. Four further ectomycorrhizal plants (Betula nana, Salix spp.) are very rare in the area.     

The effect of copper on the growth of wood-rotting fungi and a blue-stain fungus

The effect of copper (II) ions on the growth of three brown-rot fungi, six white-rot fungi and one blue-stain fungus in solid medium was evaluated. The fungi were grown in malt extract agar with different concentrations of copper added, and the radial growth rate was determined. At the end of the incubation period, the mycelial biomass and the media pH were determined. The white-rot and blue-stain fungus grew up to 3 mM and 6 mM copper, respectively and the brown-rot fungi were the only ones that grew up to 10 mM, with higher growth rates than those shown by the other fungi. In general, the brown-rot fungi produced greater acidification in the culture media than the white-rot fungi and blue-stain fungus, and the acidification increased when the amount of copper was increased. The biomass production for the different species, in the absence or presence of copper, was not related to the radial growth rate, and the fungal species that produced the greatest biomass amounts did not correspond to those that presented the highest growth rates. The brown-rot fungi Wolfiporia cocos and Laetiporus sulfureus and blue-stain fungus Ophiostoma sp. demonstrated greater tolerance to high copper concentrations in solid medium than the white-rot fungi, determined as radial growth rate. On the other hand, the highest biomass producers in solid medium with copper added were the white-rot fungi Ganoderma australe and Trametes versicolor and the brown-rot fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum.     

Frequency of occurrence of fungi on wood in Malaysian mangroves

Over one hundred fungi have been reported on mangrove wood (Hyde and Jones, 1988; Jones and Kuthubutheen, 1989; Hyde and Jones, unpublished) from tropical and subtropical locations. A variety of factors affect the frequency of occurrence of these fungi, e.g . salinity, length of exposure of substrate, wood species and location within the mangrove. Two aspects are addressed in this paper: a) Comparison of the fungi present at three mangroves in Malaysia (Morib, Kuala Selangor, Port Dickson); and b) The fungi colonising specific mangrove wood, e.g. Avecennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza. Species diversity was greatest at Port Dickson with 63 fungi recorded while species composition varied from site to site. Common fungi at Morib and Kuala Selangor were Halocyphina villosa and Leptosphaeria australiensis along with Kallichroma tethys and Lulworthia grandispora at the latter site. None of these were common at Port Dickson, the dominant species at this site were Hypoxylon oceanicum and Massarina ramunculicola. A comparison of the fungi occurring on Avicennia marina and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza indicated that Halocyphina villosa was common on both timbers. Species diversity and abundance were greatest on Avicennia with the following fungi listed as common: Eutypa sp., Kallichroma tethys, Marinosphaera mangrovei, Phoma sp. and Julelia avicenniae.     

Occurrence and colonization of nematophagous fungi in different substrates,agricultural soils and root galls

Seventeen species of nematophagous fungi were recorded, three species were endoparasitic and fourteen species were predacious fungi. Among the predacious fungi Arthrobotrys oligospora, Dactylaria brochopaga and Monacrosporium eudermatum were very frequent, whereas others were recorded at lower frequency. Twelve species of nematophagous fungi from compost as well as cow dung manure, 15 species from leaf litter and only eight species from agricultural soils were recorded. In general, substrate colonization by nematophagous fungi was higher in leaf litter, compost and cow dung manure. The agricultural soil amended with FYM (farm yard manure) recorded nine species of nematophagous fungi while unamended soil recorded only seven species. Thirteen species of nematophagous fungi were recorded from soils under banyan tree. Of all these fungi unidentified net-forming fungus, M. eudermatum, A. cladodes, D. brochopaga, S. hadra, A. oligospora and A. dactyloides had higher percentage of soil colonization. In soil collected under pipal tree only eight species were recorded, of which A. oligospora, A. cladode and an unidentified fungus were more predominant as their percentage colonized in soil samples was higher. Few studies have examined root galls as a substratum for colonization of nematophagous fungi. Of all the root gall samples, okra root galls recorded maximum colonization by predacious fungi. Maximum percentage of root gall colonization was recorded for M. eudermatum followed by A. oligospora and M. ellipsosporum. M. eudermatum was also most predominant colonizer of balsam, brinjal and rice root galls.     

Occurrence of keratinophilic fungi on Indian birds

Keratinophilic fungi were isolated from feathers of most common Indian birds,viz. domestic chicken (Gallus domesticus), domestic pigeon (Columba livia), house sparrow (Passer domesticus), house crow (Corvus splendens), duck (Anas sp.), rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri). Out of 87 birds, 58 yielded 4 keratinophilic fungal genera representing 13 fungal species and one sterile mycelium. The isolated fungi were cultured on Sabouraud's dextrose agar at 28±2°C.Chrysosporium species were isolated on most of the birds.Chrysosporium lucknowense andChrysosporium tropicum were the most common fungal species associated with these Indian birds. Maximum occurrence of fungi (47%) was recorded on domestic chickens and the least number of keratinophilic fungi was isolated from the domestic pigeon and duck. The average number of fungi per bird was found to be the 0.44.