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Truffles, belonging to the genus Tuber, are ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi that form underground ascocarps and primarily establish symbiosis with oaks and hazels. The cultivation of Tuber spp. involves transplanting inoculated seedlings that have formed ectomycorrhiza with Tuber species, with mulching being effective for truffle cultivation. In this study, we investigated the effects of mulching on the mycelial growth of four Tuber species (T. himalayense, T. koreanum, T. melanosporum, and T. borchii) in the Korean natural environment, highlighting the potential for Korea as a truffle cultivation site. We developed and tested species-specific primers for quantifying the soil mycelial biomass of Tuber spp. by qRT-PCR, determined the superior mulch color for mycelial growth, and identified the Tuber species exhibiting the highest growth rate in the Korean field environment. Our results demonstrated that white mulch significantly enhanced mycelial growth in Tuber species than black mulch, likely owing to its ability to maintain low soil temperatures, control weeds, and improve host plant growth. Among the Tuber species, T. himalayense showed the greatest growth potential in the Korean natural environment. Additionally, a significant and positive correlation was observed between the mycelial biomass of Tuber species and the growth of inoculated seedlings, as measured by the total stem length and the number of leaves, thereby indicating the importance of symbiosis between ECM fungi and host plants. This study provides valuable insights into truffle cultivation in Korea and highlights the potential of using white mulch to promote mycelial growth, thereby contributing essential data for understanding the appropriate environmental conditions for Tuber spp. cultivation in Korea. Further study is needed to assess the long-term impact of mulching and to explore the effectiveness of other mulching materials.

In the present study, we isolated endophytic fungi from different tissues of two plants, Pseudosasa japonica and Quercus serrata from Taean-gun, Korea. Morphological characteristics of the isolated fungal strains were observed. We identified the fungi based on the phylogenetic analysis using DNA sequences from the region of internal transcribed spacer, large subunit rDNA, β-tubulin, and translation elongation factor 1-α DNA. Three endophytic fungi that were not previously recorded in Korea, namely Geomyces asperulatus, Leptoxyphium fumago, and Tubakia oblongispora were identified. Here, we describe the morphological characteristics of these unrecorded fungi and present the results of the phylogenetic analysis.

AbstractThe aim of this study was to characterize a new fungal species, Acremonium conglutinatum, isolated from air samples collected in Wando, South Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on the internal transcribed spacer and large subunit regions revealed its unique position within the genus Acremonium. The isolated strain displayed distinct morphological characteristics, including ellipsoid or bent-ellipsoid conidia formed in clusters on the phialides. These features differentiate the new species from closely related species within the genus. This study describes the morphological and molecular characteristics of A. conglutinatum and emphasizes its phylogenetic relationships with other Acremonium spp. The identification of this novel species contributes to our understanding of the diversity and ecological role of Acremonium.

We report the first discovery of Penicillium mexicanum in Korea. Fungal strains were isolated from air samples collected in Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea. The strain was identified based on its morphological characteristics, as well as molecular phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), β-tubulin (BenA), and calmodulin (CaM) regions. This strain exhibited a high sequence similarity to the reference sequences of P. mexicanum. These findings enhance our understanding of fungal biodiversity in Korea and underscore the importance of continuous monitoring of fungal species.

In this study, we examined the ectomycorrhiza (ECM) formed by a species of the genus Tuber, T. koreanum, with two indigenous Korean oak species, Quercus acutissima and Q. dentata. T. koreanum showed a high colonization rate for both oak species, with a higher mean colonization rate observed for Q. acutissima. The mycorrhizal characteristics of T. koreanum were described, revealing distinct morphological and anatomical differences between the ECM formed with the two host plants. This study is significant because it is the first to elucidate ECM formations of T. koreanum in indigenous oak trees. However, further studies are required to differentiate the ECM associations formed by T. koreanum from those of other Tuber species.

AbstractThis study examined the effects of myristate on an asymbiotic culture of Rhizoglomus intraradices, a species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF; Glomeromycota). Mycelial growth and sporulation in a modified medium containing myristate were observed. The findings demonstrated that myristate induced R. intraradices spore formation, with daughter spores having a smaller diameter than the parent spores. This observation is consistent with previous studies on other Rhizoglomus species. Further studies are needed to investigate the potential for continuous culture, mass production using daughter spores, and the application of AMF colonization techniques in plants.

Endophytic fungal strains were isolated from the leaves of two conifer species (Juniperus rigida and Pinus densiflora) in Korea and identified on the basis of their morphological and molecular characteristics. Internal transcribed spacer and large subunit regions of rDNA were used for the phylogenetic analysis, and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) genes were analyzed depending on the species. Two fungal species that were previously unrecorded in Korea were identified: Acrodontium burrowsianum and Pestalotiopsis humicola. Their morphological and phylogenetic characteristics are described herein.

AbstractIn this study, the roots and rhizosphere soil of Abies koreana and Taxus cuspidata were collected from sites at two different altitudes on Mt. Halla. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) were identified by Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The proportion of EMF from the roots was 89% in A. koreana and 69% in T. cuspidata. Among EMF in rhizosphere soils, the genus Russula was the most abundant in roots of A. koreana (p

AbstractEndophytic fungi occupy inner plant tissues, which results in various interactions between the fungus and host. Studies on endophytic fungi have been conducted in Korea for over 30 years. This paper summarizes the published results of those studies. The endophytic fungi of approximately 132 plant species in Korea have been studied since the 1990s, resulting in over 118 publications. The host plants featured in these studies comprised 3 species of mosses, 34 species of woody plants, and 95 species of herbaceous plants. At the family level, the most studied plants were members of the Poaceae family, covering 18 species. Regionally, these studies were conducted throughout Korea, but over half of the studies were conducted in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gangwon-do, and Chungcheongnam-do. Relatively few studies have been conducted in a metropolis such as Seoul. We confirmed 5 phyla, 16 classes, 49 orders, 135 families, 305 genera, and 855 taxa of endophytic fungi, excluding Incertae sedis, whose relationship with others are unknown. Most of the endophytic fungi belonged to Ascomycota (93.2%), and a few belonged to Basidiomycota (3.6%). Since the diversity of endophytic fungi differs depending on the host plant, plant tissue, and distribution region, future studies should be conducted on multiple host plants and in various regions. Future studies on endophytic fungi are expected to broaden, including genomics and taxonomic and ecological studies of secondary metabolites.

Endophytic fungi were isolated from needle leaves of two conifer species in Korea. The fungal isolates were identified based on their morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of their internal transcribed spacer and large-subunit rDNA regions. Three species of endophytic fungi, namely Celosporium laricicola, Neocatenulostroma germanicum, and Phaeophleospora eucalypticola were the first records in Korea. In this study, we reported the morphological and phylogenetic characteristics of these fungi.

AbstractEndophytic fungi occupy various ecological niches, which reinforces their diversity. As few studies have investigated the endophytic fungi of alpine conifers, we focused on four species of alpine conifers in this study—Abies nephrolepis, Pinus pumila, Taxus cuspidata var. nana, and Thuja koraiensis—and examined them for endophytic fungi. A total of 108 endophytic fungi were isolated. There were four taxa in A. nephrolepis, 12 in P. pumila, 18 in T. cuspidata var. nana, and 17 in T. koraiensis; these were divided into five classes: Agaricomycetes (3.2%), Dothideomycetes (29.0%), Leotiomycetes (15.0%), Sordariomycetes (41.9%), and Orbiliomycetes (1.6%). The most prevalent fungi were Sydowia polyspora (22.7%) and Xylariaceae sp. (22.7%) in P. pumila, Phomopsis juglandina (16.1%) in T. cuspidata var. nana, and Thuja-endophytes sp. 1 (70.0%) in T. koraiensis. However, there was no dominant species growing in A. nephrolepis. Some host plants were analyzed using next-generation sequencing. We obtained 4618 reads for A. nephrolepis and 2268 reads for T. koraiensis. At the genus level, the top three endophytic fungi were Ophiostomataceae_uc (64.6%), Nectriaceae_uc (15.5%), and unclassified organism (18.0%) in A. nephrolepis and Nectriaceae_uc (41.9%), Ophiostomataceae_uc (41.8%), and Magnaporthaceae_uc (9.2%) in T. koraiensis. Our results show that there are different communities of endophytic fungi among different host plants, even if the host plants are in the same region. Such ecological niches are important in terms of the ecological restoration of alpine conifers.

Members of the genus Tuber are ectomycorrhizal fungi; this genus includes more than 180 species worldwide. In the present study, the optimal pH, temperature, and medium suitable for the mycelial growth of the Korean truffle, Tuber koreanum, were determined. Mycelium of T. koreanum, isolated from fruiting bodies collected in Korea, was used to investigate the effects of these environmental factors. The results showed that malt extract agar and potato dextrose agar were the most suitable for the mycelial growth of T. koreanum when cultured at a pH of 6.0 at 25 °C for 30 days.

Fungi of the genus Tuber are ectomycorrhizal fungi that form a symbiotic relationship mainly with oak and hazel trees. Tuber spp. exhibit a highly selective host plant preference; thus, for cultivation purposes it is important to select an appropriate host plant for successful mycorrhization. In addition, as mycorrhizal characteristics differ according to Tuber spp., it is necessary to understand the differences in mycorrhizae according to the fungal species. Tuber huidongense and Tuber himalayense were recently discovered in Korea; therefore, we used spore suspensions from these two species to inoculate two species of oak trees, Quercus acutissima and Quercus dentata, to compare colonization rates and morphologies of the mycorrhizae. The colonization rates demonstrated that the different Tuber spp. favored different host plant species. In addition, unique morphological and anatomical characteristics were observed for T. huidongense and T. himalayense depending on the host species. These findings can lead to new economically important agricultural activities related to truffle cultivation in Korea.

New species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomeromycota), Acaulospora jejuensis, was isolated from rhizosphere soils of Miscanthus sinensis in the grassland in Jeju Island of Korea. The species was identified using the morphological characteristics of the spores and the molecular phylogenetic analysis using partial DNA sequences from small subunit rDNA (SSU), internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and large subunit rDNA (LSU). Phylogenetic analysis placed the fungal species in a distinct clade within genus Acaulospora. Also, the species exhibited the morphological characteristics distinct from the other members of the genus. Therefore, Acaulospora jejuensis was described as a novel species from Korea.

Endophytic fungal strains were isolated from leaves, stems, and roots of Angelica gigas. The fungal strains were identified based on their morphological characteristics and molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS). A total 35 species of endophytic fungi were identified. The diversity between the endophytic fungal communities differed depending on the tissues of A. gigas. The isolated endophytic fungi were screened for antifungal activity against a pathogenic fungus, Phoma sp. Y11, using a dual culture method. Fourteen species of endophytic fungi showed the standout inhibition effect against the Y11 strain. The results suggest that the endophytic fungi isolated from A. gigas could be used as a biological control agent against leaf spot disease of A. gigas.

Red pepper seedlings were inoculated either alone or with a mixture of all five species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). After 10 weeks of growth in the greenhouse, the seedlings were transplanted into fields and cultivated without chemical fertilizers and pesticides for 10 weeks. The results showed that plant growth was significantly increased under both greenhouse and field conditions, suggesting that AMF inoculation has a positive effect on the growth of Capsicum annuum and improves the physical properties of the soil by increasing the concentration of glomalin. The application of AMF can positively contribute to sustainable agriculture by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers while increasing crop growth.

The truffle and ectomycorrhizal roots formed by Tuber sp. were collected from the rhizosphere of Quercus aliena in Korea. The morphological characteristics of the ascoma, and molecular phylogenetic analysis using sequences from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) of ribosomal DNA, translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF), and RNA polymerase second largest subunit (RPB2) regions confirmed the distinct morphology of the truffle. This truffle belongs to a monophyletic clade among the other Tuber species in the phylogeny. This study describes the truffle, Tuber koreanum, as a new species reported from Korea.

In this study, endophytic fungi were isolated from the leaves of evergreen woody plants in Hansando Island in South Korea. The fungal isolates were identified based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer and the large subunit regions of rDNA. It was confirmed that two endophytic fungal species, Muyocopron lithocarpi and Didymocyrtis cladoniicola, isolated in this study have not previously been reported in South Korea.

We collected the ascomata of Tuber species from the rhizosphere of Quercus dentata in Danyang, Korea. We observed the morphological characteristics of ectomycorrhizal roots and ascomata, and identified the species based on the results of the phylogenetic analysis conducted using the DNA sequences of an internal transcribed spacer, a large-subunit rDNA, translation elongation factor 1-α DNA (TEF1), and MAT. Finally, we identified the fungal species as Tuber himalayense B.C. Zhang & Minter, which has not been recorded previously in Korea. We evaluated the morphological characteristics and conducted phylogenetic analysis of the ascoma and mycorrhiza (associated with Q. dentata) of T. himalayense.

In this study, we analyzed the diversity of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal communities of Quercus spp. roots in the limestone area. We identified 45 generd of ECM using next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. Soil chemical composition analysis confirmed soil pH, substitution calcium concentration, total nitrogen content, organic phosphate, and organic matter content. Shannon’s Index was calculated according to the changes in soil chemical composition. The results of cluster analysis showed that Sebacina, Tomentella, Tuber, Densospora, Inocybe, Suillus, and Piloderma were the main genera of symbiotic ECM fungi that thrived in soil with high pH and calcium content.

We isolated endophytic fungi from Smilax china and Cryptomeria japonica. These fungal strains were identified based on their morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of their internal transcribed spacer, large subunit rDNA, and translation elongation factor 1-α DNA. Among them, we discovered two fungi belonging to the genus Phyllosticta, which have not been previously recorded in Korea. We have described these two fungal strains, Phyllosticta ericarum 19E458 and Phyllosticta philoprina 19E012 in this study.

We isolated endophytic fungi from the leaves of woody plants inhabiting the Ulleungdo Island and Yeosu in South Korea. The fungal strains were identified based on their morphological characteristics in conjunction with phylogenetic analysis, which was performed using sequences of the internal transcribed spacer, large subunit rDNA, and β-tubulin DNA. We confirmed the presence of Neofusicoccum mangiferae and Thyronectria cucurbitula, two endophytic fungal species that had not been previously recorded in Korea. In this report, we describe the morphological characteristics of these fungal strains and results of the DNA-based phylogenetic analysis.

The fruiting bodies and roots of a Tuber species were collected from the rhizosphere of Quercus dentata in Pohang, Korea. The morphological characteristics of the ascoma and ectomycorrhizal roots were studied, and phylogenetic analyses were performed using the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer, large subunit rDNA, and β-tubulin DNA. Based on the features of the fruiting bodies, the species was identified to be Tuber huidongense, which has not been reported earlier in Korea. The morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of T. huidongense are described in the present study.

The strains 17E-042, 17E-039, and NC13-171 belong to Ascomycota and were isolated from soil collected from Sancheong-gun and Yeongam-gun, Korea. The strain 17E-042 produced white mycelial colonies that developed a sienna color with a round margin on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and the reverse side developed a light sienna color. Morphologically, this strain was similar to the strains of Arthrinium phragmites and A. hydei, but the shorter conidial size of the newly identified strain (17E-042) was distinct. The strain 17E-039 produced macroconidia that were pale yellow to orange-brown, elongated-ellipsoid to oblong, round at both ends, primarily straight but sometimes slightly curved, 0-septate, thin-walled, and filled with numerous droplets, having diameters of 20.4–34.3 × 8.0–12.0 μm. And the strain NC13-171 formed hyaline to light brown chlamydospores, solitary or in a chain. Multigene phylogenetic analyses were conducted using sequence data obtained from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, 28S rDNA large subunit (LSU), β-tubulin (TUB2), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1-α), and RNA polymerase II large subunit (RPB2) genes. The results of molecular phylogeny, the detailed descriptions and illustrations of each species strongly support our proposal that these strains from soil in Korea be designated as Arthrinium minutisporum sp. nov. and two new records of Pezicula neosporulosa and Acrocalymma pterocarpi.

Endophytic fungi were isolated from the leaves of plants inhabiting the Hansando Island in Korea. We identified the fungal strains based on their morphological characteristics and on the phylogenetic analysis using DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer, small subunit rDNA, large subunit rDNA, and translation elongation factor 1- α regions. In this study, we isolated five endophytic fungi that have not been recorded in Korea, Arthrinium camelliae-sinensis, Beltraniella humicola, B. portoricensis, Microxiphium theae, and Piceomphale pinicola. Their morphological characteristics as well as the results of molecular phylogenetic analysis are reported here.

Spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (phylum Glomeromycota) were isolated from rhizosphere soil collected in Korea. We identified the morphological characteristics of the spores and performed a phylogenetic analysis using the rDNA 18S, 5.8S, and 28S regions. To the best of our knowledge, we confirm the presence of three species of glomeromycotan fungi previously not reported in Korea, namely Acaulospora delicata, Dentiscutata colliculosa, and Racocetra alborosea. We described the morphological characteristics and results of phylogenetic analysis of these species.

In this study, we isolated endophytic fungi from the conifer leaves of Pinus densiflora inhabiting Mt. Gyehwasan in Korea. We identified the isolated fungal strains based on their morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis using DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer, small subunit rDNA, large subunit rDNA, and β-tubulin region. In the process of this study, we confirmed two endophytic fungi that have not been recorded previously in Korea, Lophiostoma macrostomum and Pestalotiopsis lespedezae. In this report, we described the morphological characteristics of these fungal strains and the results of their molecular analysis.

In this study, we isolated endophytic fungal strains from the rhizoid and the leaf of Mnium heterophyllum and Hypnum plumaeforme, respectively. The isolated strains were identified based on morphological characters and molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer, large subunit rDNA, β-tubulin, and RNA polymerase II subunit regions. From the results, we confirmed two endophytic fungal species, Cercophora thailandica, and Biscogniauxia petrensis, which to the best of our knowledge, have not yet been reported in Korea. We further describe the morphological characteristics and the results of the molecular analyses of these isolated fungal strains.

In the present study, we isolated endophytic fungal strains from the rhizoids of the moss Funaria hygrometrica . The isolated strains were identified based on morphological characteristics and analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequence regions. Consequently, we confirmed the presence of two endophytic fungal species, Curvularia protuberata and Didymella anserina, which have not been reported in Korea previously. Here, we describe the morphological characteristics and molecular analysis results of these fungal species.

Endophytic fungal strains were isolated from the sterilized roots of a medicinal plant,Ligusticum chuanxiong and identified based on morphological characteristics and molecular analysis of internal transcribed spacer, large subunit rDNA, and beta-tubulin DNA regions. Our results confirmed the presence of SPithomyces chartarum and Plectosphaerella niemeijerarum in the fungal strains. To the best of our knowledge, the fungal strains have not been reported in Korea. In this report, we describe morphological characteristics and phylogenetic trees of these endophytic fungal strains.

We isolated fungal spores belonging to the phylum Glomeromycota from the rhizospheres of Smilax china, cultured in a greenhouse. We identified the isolated spores using sequence analysis of 18S partial rDNA region, internal transcribed spacer and 28S rDNA regions. We confirmed 2 unreported spores of Glomeromycota fungal species, Diversispora eburnea and Paraglomus laccatum. Here, we described the morphological characteristics and results of phylogenetic analysis of the confirmed species.

In this study, the community structures of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi in the roots of Abies koreana and Taxus cuspidata were investigated at different altitudes of Mt. Halla. We identified the collected ECM root tips based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis through sequencing of the rDNA ITS regions. From the roots of A. koreana and T. cuspidata, 11 species and 12 species were identified, respectively. The Shannon’s index and species evenness and abundance of the ECM fungi were higher in the higher than lower regions, regardless of host plant species, however, the number of ECM root tips showed the opposite pattern. The community similarity among the ECM fungi in A. koreana was significantly higher than that among the ECM fungi in T. cuspidata or than that between A. koreana and T. cuspidata (p < 0.05). These results could be useful for the conservation and management of the habitat of A. koreana, which is threatened with extinction due to increasing ambient air temperature.

A new species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomeromycota), Acaulospora koreana, was isolated from forest soils in South Korea. This novel fungus was collected from the rhizosphere of Lindera obtusiloba and Styrax obassia in forest and propagated with Sorghum bicolor in pot. Morphological characteristics of spores of A. koreana are rarely distinguished from Acaulospora mellea, which is reported as one of the most abundant mycorrhizal species in Korea. However, molecular evidence of rDNA sequence using improved primers for glomeromycotan fungal identification strongly supported that A. koreana is different from A. mellea but also any other species belonging to the genus Acaulospora. This is the first novel glomeromycatan fungus introduced in South Korea, but it suggests that there is a high possibility for discovering new arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi considering the abundance of plant species and advanced phylogenetic analysis technique.