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Two micromycete species from Trichoderma sect. Longibrachiatum: T. citrinoviride and T. longibrachiatum were detected for the first time in Lithuania. Distribution of these species, their colonial peculiarities on various media, at different temperatures, pH influence on growth and toxicity of extracellular metabolites are presented in this study. Microscopic characteristics of T. citrinoviride and T. longibrachiatum are described and illustrations are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cellulolytic potential of the wild-type strain of Trichoderma reesei was compared to other members of Trichoderma sect. Longibrachiatum and Hypocrea spp. that have anamorphs referable to that section. There was high diversity even within the same species (as defined by morphological and macromolecular characters). Differences, where notable, were more pronounced for carboxymethyl-cellulase activity than for filter paper activity. High cellulase activities were observed for several strains of T. longibrachiatum and T. citrinoviride, whereas T. parceramosum formed only low levels of activity. Among the corresponding teleomorphs, most strains of H. schweinitzii were comparatively poor producers, whereas the highest percentage of high producers was found among H. jecorina isolates, and many strains were even more active than the parent T. reesei QM 6a. Immunoblot analysis of corresponding culture filtrates of various H. jecorina strains showed that the three major cellulase proteins (cellobiohydrolase I, cellobiohydrolase II, and endoglucanase I) were present in culture filtrates and their M(r) was identical to that of the respective T. reesei proteins. ELISA analysis demonstrated that these enzymes were also present in the same relative proportions in culture filtrates from H. jecorina and T. reesei. With the aid of primers, corresponding to conserved sequences in the cellobiohydrolase I-encoding gene cbh1, a fragment of this gene was amplified from selected strains of H. jecorina, T. reesei, T. longibrachiatum, T. citrinoviride, and H. schweinitzii. The fragments had the same size in all fungi. Cleavage of this fragment with Hhal produced a RFLP pattern which was identical in H. jecorina and T. reesei, but different in the other species. In the latter, the RFLP pattern was also species specific. These results provide support for a close genetic similarity of T. reesei and H. jecorina cellulases. In the latter, an ascomycetous model system for cellulase biosynthesis is now available. The results further indicate that other anamorphs of Trichoderma section Longibrachiatum are promising sources of high cellulase production.

Background: Hazardous synthetic dye wastes have become a growing threat to the environment and public health. Fungal enzymes are eco-friendly, compatible and cost-effective approach for diversity of applications. Therefore, this study aimed to screen, optimize fermentation conditions, and characterize laccase from fungal endophyte with elucidating its ability to decolorize several wastewater dyes. Results: A new fungal endophyte capable of laccase-producing was firstly isolated from cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica and identified as T. harzianum AUMC14897 using ITS-rRNA sequencing analysis. Furthermore, the response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized to optimize several fermentation parameters that increase laccase production. The isolated laccase was purified to 13.79-fold. GFC, SDS-PAGE revealed laccase molecular weight at 72 kDa and zymogram analysis elucidated a single band without any isozymes. The peak activity of the pure laccase was detected at 50 °C, pH 4.5, with thermal stability up to 50 °C and half life span for 4 h even after 24 h retained 30% of its activity. The Km and Vmax values were 0.1 mM, 22.22 µmol/min and activation energy (Ea) equal to 5.71 kcal/mol. Furthermore, the purified laccase effectively decolorized various synthetic and real wastewater dyes. Conclusion: Subsequently, the new endophytic strain produces high laccase activity that possesses a unique characteristic, it could be an appealing candidate for both environmental and industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Trichoderma holds economic significance due to its widespread distribution and diverse applications, including biological control, enzyme production, and various biotechnological uses. The accurate identification of Trichoderma species is crucial given their close association with human activities. Despite previous efforts in classification, a comprehensive analysis combining morphological and molecular approaches is necessary. This study focuses on the isolation of four Trichoderma species from industrial wastewater in Pakistan, expanding on the known diversity in the region; isolation involved collecting samples from industrial wastewater effluents at specific sites in Punjab, Pakistan. Trichoderma strains were cultured and purified on solid media, with subsequent biomass production for bisorptional activity. Morphological characterization included colony features and microscopic examinations. DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region were conducted for molecular analysis. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using the Maximum Likelihood Algorithm. The study identified three Trichoderma species, viz. T. citrinoviride, T. erinaceum, and T. longibrachiatum. Each species was characterized morphologically and supported by molecular–phylogenetic analysis. Illustrations of microscopic features and a phylogenetic tree based on the ITS-nrDNA region were recorded. T. citrinoviride and T. longibrachiatum, isolated from steel mill and tanneries wastewater, respectively, were differentiated based on morphological characteristics such as phialides and conidia. The combination of morphological and molecular techniques enhances the accuracy of species identification. The study highlights the significance of Trichoderma in industrial wastewater environments and underscores the need for continued research in this area. Future research should focus on exploring the ecological roles and potential applications of the newly identified Trichoderma species. Additionally, further investigations into the biotechnological potential of these species, including enzyme production and bioremediation capabilities, would contribute to their practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endosymbiotic bacteria (ESB) have important effects on their hosts, contributing to its growth, reproduction and biological functions. Although the effects of exogenous bacteria on the trap formation of nematode-trapping fungi (NTF) have been revealed, the effects of ESB on NTF remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the species diversity of ESB in the NTF Arthrobotrys musiformis using high-throughput sequencing and culture-dependent approaches, and compared bacterial profiles to assess the effects of strain source and culture media on A. musiformis. PICRUSt2 and FAPROTAX were used to predict bacterial function. Our study revealed that bacterial communities in A. musiformis displayed high diversity and heterogeneity, with Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria as the dominant phyla. The ESB between A. musiformis groups isolated from different habitats and cultured in the same medium were more similar to each other than the other groups isolated from the same habitat but cultured in different media. Function analysis predicted a broad and diverse functional repertoire of ESB in A. musiformis, and unveiled that ESB have the potential to function in five modules of the nitrogen metabolism. We isolated nitrogen-fixing and denitrifying bacteria from the ESB and demonstrated their effects on trap formation of A. musiformis. Among seven bacteria that we tested, three bacterial species Bacillus licheniformis, Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were found to be efficient in inducing trap formation. In conclusion, this study revealed extensive ESB diversity within NTF and demonstrated that these bacteria likely play important roles in nitrogen cycling, including nematode trap formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to clarify the cause of the deterioration of the colorfully painted murals that adorn the inner walls of the small stone chambers in the Takamatsuzuka and Kitora Tumuli in Japan, we enumerated the fungi that were isolated from moldy spots on the plaster walls collected between May 2004 and April 2005. The 262 fungal isolates from 79 samples of both tumuli were identified as approximately 100 species based on their phenotypic characters. Fusarium, Trichoderma, and Penicillium species were the predominant colonizers in the stone chamber interior and adjacent areas of both tumuli. In addition to the 28S phylogeny, neighbor-joining and Bayesian phylogenies of partial EF-1-alpha gene sequences revealed 24 genetically diverse fusaria in the Takamatsuzuka and Kitora Tumuli. Most of the fusaria were nested in clade 3 of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC); however, a few isolates were members of the F. oxysporum species complex (FOSC) clade or the F. avenaceum/F. tricinctum species complex clade. The FSSC isolates were compared with those detected in the Lascaux cave in France. In addition, a partial EF-1α gene phylogeny indicated that 13 Trichoderma isolates clustered in the Harzianum-Virens clade and 5 isolates in the Viride clade or Trichoderma sect. Longibrachiatum. Our analyses suggest that most of the fungi recovered from both tumuli are typically soil dwellers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Trichoderma is a hyperdiverse genus that comprises species showing a wide range of applications. In this study, we have found an isolate of the genus Trichoderma from a soil sample collected from Vetal Hill, Pune, Maharashtra State, India. The isolate was found to be morphologically distinct compared to other isolates of the Longibrachiatum clade showing longer phialides and shorter conidia. Moreover, a phylogenetic analysis based on combined sequence data of the second-largest nuclear RNA polymerase subunit (rpb2), and the translation elongation factor 1-a (tef1-a) confirmed the uniqueness of the present isolate, showing an independent branch supported by strong bootstrap values (SH-like approximate likelihood ratio and ultrafast). The comprehensive morphology and multigene phylogeny confirmed the identity of the novel isolate as Trichoderma indica belonging to the clade Longibrachiatum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of hazard by chemical fungicides has necessitated the development of safe and eco-friendly bio-fungicides. Trichoderma asperellum is one of the potent biocontrol agents and for its cost-effectiveness large scale production on several agricultural and industrial wastes has been tested so far. Forest fire due to highly inflammable pine needles and invasion of weeds are considered as a major cause of biodiversity loss in forests of NW Himalaya. Therefore, in the present work, the potential of forest wastes like needles of five conifer species and foliage of three noxious weeds along with some commonly used substrates were evaluated for the mass production of T. asperellum. Amongst all the screened substrates, the highest spore count was recorded on Pinus roxburghii needle powder supplemented with yeast extract and potato dextrose broth. Therefore, authors recommend the use of P. roxburghii needles for the mass multiplication of Trichoderma species as a replacement for useful agro-wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of Didymellaceae have a wide geographical distribution throughout different ecosystems, and most species are associated with fruit, leaf, stem and root diseases of land plants. However, species that occur in aquatic plants are not clearly known. During a survey of the diversity of endophytes in aquatic plants in Yunnan, Sichuan, and Guizhou provinces, we obtained 51 isolates belonging to Didymellaceae based on internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) sequences. Further, the phylogenetic positions of these isolates were determined by combined sequences composed of ITS, partial large subunit nrRNA gene (28S nrDNA; LSU), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) and partial beta-tubulin gene (tub2). Combining morphological characteristics and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses, two new varieties belong to Boeremia and 12 new species distributed into seven genera were recognized from 51 isolates, i.e., Cumuliphoma, Didymella, Dimorphoma, Ectophoma, Leptosphaerulina, Remotididymella, and Stagonosporopsis. Among these species, only one species of Stagonosporopsis and two species of Leptosphaerulina show teleomorphic stages on OA, but have no anamorphic state. Each new species is described in detail, and the differences between new species and their phylogenetically related species are discussed here. The high frequency of new species indicates that aquatic plants may be a special ecological niche which highly promotes species differentiation. At the same time, the frequent occurrence of new species may indicate the need for extensive investigation of fungal resources in those aquatic environments where fungal diversity may be underestimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi belonging to the genus Trichoderma have been widely recognized as efficient controllers of plant diseases. Although the majority of isolates currently deployed, thus far, have been isolated from soil, endophytic Trichoderma spp. is considered to be a promising option for application in biocontrol. In this study, 30 endophytic Trichoderma isolates--obtained from the leaves, stems, and roots of wild Hevea spp. in the Brazilian Amazon--were analyzed using specific DNA barcodes: sequences of internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 of rDNA (ITS region), genes encoding translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α), and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2). The genealogical concordance phylogenetic species recognition (GCPSR) concept was used for species delimitation. A phylogenetic analysis showed the occurrence of Trichoderma species, such as T. erinaceum, T. ovalisporum, T. koningiopsis, T. sparsum, T. lentiforme, T. virens, and T. spirale. Molecular and morphological features resulted in the discovery of four new species, such as T. acreanum sp. nov., T. ararianum sp. nov., T. heveae sp. nov., and T. brasiliensis sp. nov. The BI and ML analyses shared a similar topology, providing high support to the final trees. The phylograms show three distinct subclades, namely, T. acreanum and T. ararianum being paraphyletic with T. koningiopsis; T. heveae with T. subviride; and T. brasiliensis with T. brevicompactum. This study adds to our knowledge of the diversity of endophytic Trichoderma species in Neotropical forests and reveals new potential biocontrol agents for the management of plant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phallus rubrovolvatus is a unique mushroom used for medicinal and dietary purposes in China. In recent years, however, the rot disease of P. rubrovolvatus has seriously affected its yield and quality, becoming an economically important threat. In this study, samples of symptomatic tissues were collected, isolated, and identified from five major P. rubrovolvatus production regions in Guizhou Province, China. Based on combined analyses of phylogenies (ITS and EF1-α), morphological characteristics and Koch's postulates, Trichoderma koningiopsis and Trichoderma koningii were identified as the pathogenic fungal species. Among these, T. koningii exhibited stronger pathogenicity than the other strains; thus, T. koningii was used as the test strain in the follow-up experiments. Upon co-culturing T. koningii with P. rubrovolvatus, the hyphae of the two species were intertwined, and the color of the P. rubrovolvatus hyphae changed from white to red. Moreover, T. koningii hyphae were wrapped around P. rubrovolvatus hyphae, leading to their shortening and convolution and ultimately inhibiting their growth due to wrinkling; T. koningii penetrated the entire basidiocarp tissue of P. rubrovolvatus, causing serious damage to the host basidiocarp cells. Further analyses revealed that T. koningii infection resulted in the swelling of basidiocarps and significantly enhanced the activity of defense-related enzymes, such as malondialdehyde, manganese peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase. These findings offer theoretical support for further research on the infection mechanisms of pathogenic fungi and the prevention of diseases caused by them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichoderma is an important biocontrol agent for managing plant diseases. Trichoderma species are members of the fungal genus hyphomycetes, which is widely distributed in soil. It can function as a biocontrol agent as well as a growth promoter. Trichoderma species are now frequently used as biological control agents (BCAs) to combat a wide range of plant diseases. Major plant diseases have been successfully managed due to their application. Trichoderma spp. is being extensively researched in order to enhance its effectiveness as a top biocontrol agent. The activation of numerous regulatory mechanisms is the major factor in Trichoderma ability to manage plant diseases. Trichoderma-based biocontrol methods include nutrient competition, mycoparasitism, the synthesis of antibiotic and hydrolytic enzymes, and induced plant resistance. Trichoderma species may synthesize a variety of secondary metabolites that can successfully inhibit the activity of numerous plant diseases. GPCRs (G protein-coupled receptors) are membrane-bound receptors that sense and transmit environmental inputs that affect fungal secondary metabolism. Related intracellular signalling pathways also play a role in this process. Secondary metabolites produced by Trichoderma can activate disease-fighting mechanisms within plants and protect against pathogens. β- Glucuronidase (GUS), green fluorescent protein (gfp), hygromycin B phosphotransferase (hygB), and producing genes are examples of exogenous markers that could be used to identify and track specific Trichoderma isolates in agro-ecosystems. More than sixty percent of the biofungicides now on the market are derived from Trichoderma species. These fungi protect plants from harmful plant diseases by developing resistance. Additionally, they can solubilize plant nutrients to boost plant growth and bioremediate environmental contaminants through mechanisms, including mycoparasitism and antibiosis. Enzymes produced by the genus Trichoderma are frequently used in industry. This review article intends to provide an overview update (from 1975 to 2022) of the Trichoderma biocontrol fungi, as well as information on key secondary metabolites, genes, and interactions with plant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi of the genus Trichoderma have been marketed for the management of diseases of crops. However, some Trichoderma species may produce toxic secondary metabolites and it should receive due attention to ensure human safety. In this study, we investigated the in vitro antagonistic potential of T. asperellum AU131 and T. longibrachiatum AU158 as microbial biocontrol agents (MBCAs) against Fusarium xylarioides and the associated antagonistic mechanism with bioactive substances. Swiss albino mice were used to evaluate the in vivo toxicity and pathogenicity of T. asperellum AU131 and T. longibrachiatum AU158 methanolic extracts and spore suspensions, respectively, in a preliminary safety assessment for use as biofungicides. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to profile volatile organic metabolites (VOCs) present in the methanolic extracts. The agar diffusion assay of the methanolic extracts from both T. asperellum AU131 and T. longibrachiatum AU158 were effective at a concentration of 200 μg/mL (1×107 spores/mL), causing 62.5%, and 74.3% inhibition, respectively. A GC-MS analysis of methanolic extracts from both bioagents identified 23 VOCs which classified as alcohols, acids, sesquiterpenes, ketones and aromatic compounds. The oral administration of methanolic extracts and spore suspensions of each Trichoderma species to female Swiss albino mice over 14 days did not show any significant signs of toxicity, mortality or changes to body weight. It can be concluded that the tested spore suspensions and methanolic extracts were not pathogenic or toxic, respectively, when administered to Swiss albino mice at various doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clubroot, a soil-infective disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, is a serious disease affecting cruciferous plants around the world. There is no effective control measure to completely remove this pathogen from fields after infection. Here, we screened and identified two strains (Hz36, Trichoderma guizhouense; Hk37, Trichoderma koningiopsis) of Trichoderma from the gall of clubroot in rapeseed fields with biocontrol potential for clubroot. The fermentation broth of Hz36 could significantly inhibit the germination of resting spores of P. brassicae, and promote the seed germination and root growth of rapeseed. The biocontrol efficiency of Hz36 strain on clubroot for rapeseed and Arabidopsis thaliana was 44.29% and 52.18%, respectively. The qPCR results revealed that strain Hz36 treatment could significantly reduce the content of P. brassicae in root cells, and paraffin section analysis revealed that it could delay the development of P. brassicae. Strain Hk37 showed similar effects to strain Hz36, whose biocontrol efficiency of clubroot could reach 57.30% in rapeseed and 68.01% in A. thaliana. These results indicate that strains Hz36 and Hk37 have the potential for the biocontrol of clubroot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a survey of soil fungal diversity in a rocky desertification area in Yunnan Province, China, a new dematiaceous hyphomycete, Cordana yunnanensis was identified. Morphologically, this species is characterized by macronematous, mononematous conidiophores with discrete, polyblastic conidiogenous cells arranged in a whorl at the apices. Phylogenetic analysis of the combined sequences of the internal transcribed spacer and the large nuclear ribosomal RNA subunit confirmed the phylogenetic position of C. yunnanensis within the genus Cordana, in Cordanaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During an investigation of the diversity of aquatic hyphomycetes from southern China, two interesting isolates were collected. These two isolates were cultured and sequenced, and a BLAST search of their LSU sequences against data in GenBank revealed that the closest related taxa were in the genus Microthyrium. Phylogenetic analyses, based on the combined sequence data from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large nuclear subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU), revealed that our isolates belong to the Microthyriaceae. Combined morphological characters allowed us to describe our isolates as two new genera and species in Microthyriaceae, named as: Keqinzhangia aquatica and Pseudocoronospora hainanense. The full descriptions, illustrations, and a phylogenetic tree showing the position of the two new genera were provided in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship of the important cellulase producing asexual fungus Trichoderma reesei to its putative teleomorphic (sexual) ancestor Hypocrea jecorina and other species of the Trichoderma sect. Longibrachiatum was studied by PCR-fingerprinting and sequence analyses of the nuclear ribosomal DNA region containing the internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) and the 5.8S rRNA gene. The differences in the corresponding ITS sequences allowed a grouping of anamorphic (asexual) species of Trichoderma sect. Longibrachiatum into Trichoderma longibrachiatum, Trichoderma pseudokoningii, and Trichoderma reesei. The sexual species Hypocrea schweinitzii and H. jecorina were also clearly separated from each other. H. jecorina and T. reesei exhibited identical sequences, suggesting close relatedness or even species identity. Intraspecific and interspecific variation in the PCR-fingerprinting patterns supported the differentiation of species based on ITS sequences, the grouping of the strains, and the assignment of these strains to individual species. The variations between T. reesei and H. jecorina were at the same order of magnitude as found between all strains of H. jecorina, but much lower than the observed interspecific variations. Identical ITS sequences and the high similarity of PCR-fingerprinting patterns indicate a very close relationship between T. reesei and H. jecorina, whereas differences of the ITS sequences and the PCR-fingerprinting patterns show a clear phylogenetic distance between T. reesei/H. jecorina and T. longibrachiatum. T. reesei is considered to be an asexual, clonal line derived from a population of the tropical ascomycete H. jecorina.

Chitinase-producing Trichoderma species have been recognized long ago against the phytopathogenic fungi. In this study, we evaluated the production of chitinase enzyme for seventeen isolates of Trichoderma isolated from onion growing districts of Punjab and assessed their bio-efficacy against damping-off in onion. In vitro, these Trichoderma isolates were screened for their antagonistic activity against the damping-off pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cepae by dual culture assay. These isolates were also screened for their chitinase enzyme activity; it was found that isolates T5 and T8 are showing higher antagonistic activity on Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cepae and also produced large amounts of chitinase enzymes in the presence of commercial colloidal chitin. The selected chitinolytic isolates were used in field studies to confirm the feasibility of their biological control efficacy against onion damping-off. In the field experiment, the seed+soil treatment of chitinolytic isolate (T8) showed a critical decrease of damping-off in onion by 88.75% over control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey for species of the genus Trichoderma occurring as endophytes of Coffea, and as mycoparasites of coffee rusts (Hemileia), was undertaken in Africa; concentrating on Cameroon and Ethiopia. Ninety-four isolates of Trichoderma were obtained during this study: 76 as endophytes of healthy leaves, stems and berries and, 18 directly from colonized rust pustules. A phylogenetic analysis of all isolates used a combination of three genes: translation elongation factor-1α (tef1), rpb2 and cal for selected isolates. GCPSR criteria were used for the recognition of species; supported by morphological and cultural characters. The results reveal a previously unrecorded diversity of Trichoderma species endophytic in both wild and cultivated Coffea, and mycoparasitic on Hemileia rusts. Sixteen species were delimited, including four novel taxa which are described herein: T. botryosum, T. caeruloviride, T. lentissimum and T. pseudopyramidale. Two of these new species, T. botryosum and T. pseudopyramidale, constituted over 60% of the total isolations, predominantly from wild C. arabica in Ethiopian cloud forest. In sharp contrast, not a single isolate of Trichoderma was obtained using the same isolation protocol during a survey of coffee in four Brazilian states, suggesting the existence of a 'Trichoderma void' in the endophyte mycobiota of coffee outside of Africa. The potential use of these African Trichoderma isolates in classical biological control, either as endophytic bodyguards—to protect coffee plants from Hemileia vastatrix, the fungus causing coffee leaf rust (CLR)—or to reduce its impact through mycoparasitism, is discussed, with reference to the on-going CLR crisis in Central America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cumin wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini is one of the most destructive diseases responsible for causing even up to 60 per cent yield losses in cumin belt of India. Due to the soil inhabiting and seed borne nature with aggressive sporulation ability of the pathogen, sustainable and effective management of this disease using cultural practices and chemical methods is tedious. However, the uses of resistant varieties as well as novel biocontrol agents offer more economic and environmental friendly method of management which can be integrated with regulated chemical methods to achieve maximum disease suppression. Therefore, in the present study Trichoderma spp. isolated from banana rhizosphere of wilt suppressive and salt affected soils of Uttar Pradesh were characterized using morphological and molecular methods. The isolates were evaluated for their antagonistic potential against the pathogen F. oxysporum f. sp. cumini through dual culture assay. Out of 21 Trichoderma isolates screened, three isolates viz., CSR-T-2, CSR-T-3 and CSR-T-4 showed significant inhibition of F. oxysporum f. sp. cumini with 62.65, 79.85 and 84.31 per cent inhibition, respectively. The three promising isolates were characterized morphologically on the basis of their colony characters on different culture media as well as microconidia size, setae, colour, hyphae, chlamydospores etc. The molecular identification for confirmation of. sp.cies status of these isolates were done by sequencing ribosomal RNA using ITS1 and ITS4 universal primers. The 3 isolates viz., CSR-T-2, CSR-T-3 and CSR-T-4 were identified as T. koningiopsis (KJ812401), T. reesei (MH997668) and T. asperellum (MN227242), respectively. In the present study the isolate CSR-T-4 identified as T. asperellum was found to be best in inhibiting the mycelia growth of cumin wilt pathogen under in-vitro conditions and thus can be further exploited for the biological management of cumin wilt under field conditions in form of bioformulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the structural diversity and bioactivity of peptaibol compounds produced by species from the phylogenetically separated Longibrachiatum Clade of the filamentous fungal genus Trichoderma , which contains several biotechnologically, agriculturally and clinically important species. HPLC-ESI-MS investigations of crude extracts from 17 species of the Longibrachiatum Clade (T. aethiopicum, T. andinense, T. capillare, T. citrinoviride, T. effusum, T. flagellatum, T. ghanense, T. konilangbra, T. longibrachiatum, T. novae-zelandiae, T. pinnatum, T. parareesei, T. pseudokoningii, T. reesei, T. saturnisporum, T. sinensis , and T. orientale) revealed several new and recurrent 20-residue peptaibols related to trichobrachins, paracelsins, suzukacillins, saturnisporins, trichoaureocins, trichocellins, longibrachins, hyporientalins, trichokonins, trilongins, metanicins, trichosporins, gliodeliquescins, alamethicins and hypophellins, as well as eight 19-residue sequences from a new subfamily of peptaibols named brevicelsins. Non-ribosomal peptide synthetase genes were mined from the available genome sequences of the Longibrachiatum Clade. Their annotation and product prediction were performed in silico and revealed full agreement in 11 out of 20 positions regarding the amino acids predicted based on the signature sequences and the detected amino acids incorporated. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed for structural characterization of four selected peptaibol sequences: paracelsins B, H and their 19-residue counterparts brevicelsins I and IV. Loss of position R6 in brevicelsins resulted in smaller helical structures with higher atomic fluctuation for every residue than the structures formed by paracelsins. We observed the formation of highly bent, almost hairpin-like, helical structures throughout the trajectory, along with linear conformation. Bioactivity tests were performed on the purified peptaibol extract of T. reesei on clinically and phytopathologically important filamentous fungi, mammalian cells, and Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. Porcine kidney cells and boar spermatozoa proved to be sensitive to the purified peptaibol extract. Peptaibol concentrations ≥0.3 mg ml−1 deterred the growth of A. thaliana. However, negative effects to plants were not detected at concentrations below 0.1 mg ml−1, which could still inhibit plant pathogenic filamentous fungi, suggesting that those peptaibols reported here may have applications for plant protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White root disease caused by Rigidoporus microporus is the most devastating disease in majority of the rubber growing countries, including Malaysia. This study aimed to screen and decipher the mechanisms involved in the biocontrol agents responsible for the inhibition of R. microporus. Among 16 fungal isolates, Trichoderma spp. showed promising results with the highest percent of inhibition shown by Trichoderma asperellum (80.54%). Scanning electron microscopy study revealed coiling of hyphae by Trichoderma species against R. microporus. T. asperellum has demonstrated a maximum inhibition in both volatile and non-volatile metabolite tests with its 75% culture filtrate on PDA plate was observed to cause abnormal morphological character in R. microporus. All Trichoderma species were shown to produce hydrolytic enzymes (chitinase, cellulase and β-1,3-glucanase) and they were active siderophore producers. Present study demonstrated the possible mechanisms involved and responsible for successful inhibition of R. microporus under in vitro condition especially by T. asperellum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of the genus Verruconis, V. hainanensis and V. pseudotricladiata, were described using combined morphological and DNA sequence data. The DNA sequences of respective strains including nuclear ribosomal DNA genes (nuSSU, ITS, nuLSU) and fragments of three protein-coding genes (ACT1, BT2, TEF1) were sequenced and compared with those from closely-related species to genera Ochroconis and Verruconis (Family Sympoventuriaceae, Order Venturiales). Morphologically, both species showed typical ampulliform conidiophores and conidiogenous cells, features not seen in other species of Verruconis. The conidia of V. hainanensis are fusiform and those of V. pseudotricladiata are Y or T shaped, similar to old members of a closely-related genus Scolecobasidium. The addition of these two new species provides a new perspective on the heterogeneity of Scolecobasidium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review presents an update on the current knowledge of the secondary metabolite potential of the major fungal species used in industrial biotechnology, i.e., Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, and Trichoderma reesei. These species have a long history of safe use for enzyme production. Like most microorganisms that exist in a challenging environment in nature, these fungi can produce a large variety and number of secondary metabolites. Many of these compounds present several properties that make them attractive for different industrial and medical applications. A description of all known secondary metabolites produced by these species is presented here. Mycotoxins are a very limited group of secondary metabolites that can be produced by fungi and that pose health hazards in humans and other vertebrates when ingested in small amounts. Some mycotoxins are species-specific. Here, we present scientific basis for (1) the definition of mycotoxins including an update on their toxicity and (2) the clarity on misclassification of species and their mycotoxin potential reported in literature, e.g., A. oryzae has been wrongly reported as an aflatoxin producer, due to misclassification of Aspergillus flavus strains. It is therefore of paramount importance to accurately describe the mycotoxins that can potentially be produced by a fungal species that is to be used as a production organism and to ensure that production strains are not capable of producing mycotoxins during enzyme production. This review is intended as a reference paper for authorities, companies, and researchers dealing with secondary metabolite assessment, risk evaluation for food or feed enzyme production, or considerations on the use of these species as production hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fourteen Trichoderma (Hypocreales) species were identified during a survey of the genus in South Africa. These include T. afroharzianum, T. asperelloides, T. asperellum, T. atrobrunneum, T. atroviride, T. camerunense, T. gamsii, T. hamatum, T. koningii, T. koningiopsis, T. saturnisporum, T. spirale, T. virens, and T. viride. Ten of these species were not known to occur in South Africa prior to this investigation. Five additional species were novel and are described here as T. beinartii, T. caeruleimontis, T. chetii, T. restrictum, and T. undulatum. These novel Trichoderma species display morphological traits that are typical of the genus. Based on molecular identification using calmodulin, endochitinase, nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2), RNA polymerase II subunit B, and translation elongation factor 1-α gene sequence data, T. beinartii, T. caeruleimontis, and T. chetii were found to belong to the Longibrachiatum clade, whereas T. restrictum is a member of the Hamatum clade. Trichoderma undulatum occupies a distinct lineage distantly related to other Trichoderma species. Strains of T. beinartii and T. chetii were isolated previously in Hawaii and Israel; however, T. caeruleimontis, T. restrictum, and T. undulatum are so far known only from South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Optimization of Ornamental & Garden Plant Assortment, Technologies & Environment is the property of Kauno Kolegija, University of Applied Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Mycosystema is the property of Mycosystema Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present study was conducted to screen a laccase-producing fungal endophyte, optimize fermentation conditions, and evaluate the decolorization ability of the laccase. A new fungal endophyte capable of laccase-producing was firstly isolated from pigeon pea and identified as Myrothecium verrucaria based on a ITS-rRNA sequences analysis. Meanwhile, various fermentation parameters on the laccase production were optimized via response surface methodology (RSM). The optimal fermentation conditions were a fermentation time of five days, temperature 30 °C and pH 6.22. Laccase activity reached 16.52 ± 0.18 U/mL under the above conditions. Furthermore, the laccase showed effective decolorization capability toward synthetic dyes (Congo red, Methyl orange, Methyl red, and Crystal violet) in the presence of the redox mediator ABTS, with more than 70% of dyes decolorizing after 24 h of incubation. Additionally, the activity of laccase was relatively stable with pH (4.5-6.5) and a temperature range of 35-55 °C. Therefore, the high laccase production of the strain and the new fungal laccase could provide a promising alterative approach for industrial and environmental applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first comprehensive survey of the species diversity of Trichoderma for a region within the temperate Southern Hemisphere. New Zealand makes an ideal target for such a survey because of the extensive historical collections of this genus from both native and human-modified ecosystems. From the 320 Trichoderma strains sequenced for the translation elongation factor-1α ( tef1α) gene, in addition to the names associated with voucher specimens at the New Zealand Fungarium (PDD, Landcare Research), we recognise 71 Trichoderma species as present in New Zealand. Thirty-two species are reported for the first time from New Zealand and 14 of these appear to represent undescribed taxa. The New Zealand species are positioned across most Trichoderma clades, with terminal lineages related to T. viride, T. koningii and T. harzianum well represented. Of the 14 undescribed species, Trichoderma sp . 'atroviride B', a sister species to T. atroviride s.s., was the most commonly recovered species. Records of several species known only from fungarium specimens could not be confirmed by DNA analysis. Populations of Trichoderma in New Zealand are likely to represent a mixture of ancient indigenous lineages, more recent natural introductions, and species introduced as a result of human-mediated dispersal. Twenty-three Trichoderma species have been reported only from New Zealand or other Southern Hemisphere locations. The diversity of Trichoderma species in New Zealand, their phylogenetic relationships, distribution, ecology, and possible origins are discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sorbicillinoids are a family of complex cyclic polyketides produced by only a small number of distantly related ascomycete fungi such as Trichoderma (Sordariomycetes) and Penicillium (Eurotiomycetes). In T. reesei, they are synthesized by a gene cluster consisting of eight genes including two polyketide synthases (PKS). To reconstruct the evolutionary origin of this gene cluster, we examined the occurrence of these eight genes in ascomycetes. Results: A cluster comprising at least six of them was only found in Hypocreales (Acremonium chrysogenum, Ustilaginoidea virens, Trichoderma species from section Longibrachiatum) and in Penicillium rubens (Eurotiales). In addition, Colletotrichum graminicola contained the two pks (sor1 and sor2), but not the other sor genes. A. chrysogenum was the evolutionary eldest species in which sor1, sor2, sor3, sor4 and sor6 were present. Sor5 was gained by lateral gene transfer (LGT) from P. rubens. In the younger Hypocreales (U. virens, Trichoderma spp.), the cluster evolved by vertical transfer, but sor2 was lost and regained by LGT from C. graminicola. SorB (=sor2) and sorD (=sor4) were symplesiomorphic in P. rubens, whereas sorA, sorC and sorF were obtained by LGT from A. chrysogenum, and sorE by LGT from Pestalotiopsis fici (Xylariales). The sorbicillinoid gene cluster in Trichoderma section Longibrachiatum is under strong purifying selection. The T. reesei sor genes are expressed during fast vegetative growth, during antagonism of other fungi and regulated by the secondary metabolism regulator LAE1. Conclusions: Our findings pinpoint the evolution of the fungal sorbicillinoid biosynthesis gene cluster. The core cluster arose in early Hypocreales, and was complemented by LGT. During further speciation in the Hypocreales, it became subject to birth and death evolution in selected lineages. In P. rubrens (Eurotiales), two cluster genes were symplesiomorphic, and the whole cluster formed by LGT from at least two different fungal donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collections of Trichoderma producing hyaline ascospores from central China were examined. Four new species, Trichoderma asterineum, T. henanense, T. odoratum and T. pseudobritdaniae, were discovered, described and illustrated. Their phylogenetic positions were explored based on sequence analyses of the combined RNA polymerase II subunit b ( rpb2) and translation elongation factor 1 alpha ( tef1) genes. As a sister of T. leguminosarum, T. asterineum can be easily recognised by its pale yellow stromata, ochre to brown ostiolar dots surrounded by stellate cracks, green conidia and slow growth. Trichoderma henanense is distinctive in pulvinate or discoid, dirty yellow to brownish yellow stromata, brown to dark brown ostiolar dots, small monomorphic ascospores in relatively short asci and white colonies with dense aerial hyphae in cultures. Trichoderma odoratum forms an independent lineage as a sister of T. henanense and is characterised by yellow to greyish yellow, pulvinate stromata with dark brown or reddish brown projecting ostiolar dots, slow growth, trichoderma- to verticillium-like conidiophores, hyaline conidia and producing a mushroom-like odour in culture. Trichoderma pseudobritdaniae is closely associated with but easily separated from T. britdaniae in pulvinate, brownish yellow or greyish yellow stromata with dark brown or grey black ostiolar dots, relatively large perithecia, monomorphic ascospores, somewhat low growth rate, trichoderma- to verticillium-like conidiophores and hyaline conidia. Morphological distinctions and sequence divergences between the new species and their close relatives are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, potential and effective strain of Trichoderma (T. harzianum Th. Azad) has been investigated and their effect of pre sowing seed treatment on germination, seedling establishment, seedling dry weight and vigour in chickpea genotype (Radhey) was observed. The different pre sowing seed treatments showed different responses against all eight tested quality parameters. Chickpea seeds were treated with Trichoderma bioformulation and metabolite preparation. As a result, the percentage of seed germination was found to be higher in Trichoderma harzianum (Th. azad) metabolite treated seeds as compared to the Trichoderma bioformulation. Various attributes with their observations include seed germination (61% and 55%), root length (110.4 and 106.112 cm) shoot length (15.47 and 15.2 cm) seedling length (25.48 and 24.94 cm), dry weight (.80 and .77 cm), vigour index I (1554.2 and 1371.7 ) and vigour index II (48.0 and 42.35). Protein content was also high in metabolite treated seeds (1.10 and 1.12) which suggests that metabolite treatment induces some Pr protein encoding genes. Among all treatments, control showed the poorest performance for all eight tested attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Biocontrol agents ( BCAs) could be a viable alternative to chemicals in the management of fungal crop diseases. Screening for potential biocontrol and plant growth promoter isolates from a soil in Cádiz (Spain) was conducted. Several isolates showed antagonism in in vitro tests to several plant pathogens. RESULTS Two isolates of Trichoderma saturnisporum (Ascomycetes, Hypocreales) were identified by sequencing of the rDNA region. One isolate was selected for further in vivo plant growth promotion and biological control assays. Results indicate that substrate application of T. saturnisporum improved plant quality and showed biological control activity against Phytophthora capsici and Phytophthora parasitica (Peronosporales, Peronosporaceae) . CONCLUSION There are a few references to T. saturnisporum isolated from different media but not its ability to promote plant growth or biocontrol. This is the first report of T. saturnisporum as a seedling growth promoter and as biological control agent. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strain identification in situ is an important factor in the monitoring of microorganisms used in the field. In this study, we demonstrated the use of sequencecharacterized amplified region (SCAR) markers to detect genomic DNA from Trichoderma harzianum Th azad from soil. Two primers (SCAR A1/SCAR A1c) were tested against DNA of 49 isolates of Trichoderma spp. and amplified a 900-bp fragment from T. atroviride 11 and a 1.5-kb fragment from T. harzianum Th azad, using an annealing temperature of 68°C. These fragments showed no significant homology to any sequence deposited in the databases. The primer pair, BR1 and BR2, was designed to the 1.5-kb fragment amplified from T. harzianum Th azad, generating a SCAR marker. To test the specificity of these primers, experiments were conducted using the DNA from 49 Trichoderma spp. strains and 22 field soil samples obtained from different agrogeographical condition of UP. PCR results showed that BR1 and BR2 amplified an 830-bp fragment unique to T. harzianum Th azad. Assays in which total DNA was extracted from sterile and nonsterile soil samples, inoculated with spore or mycelium combinations of Trichoderma spp. strains, indicated that the BR1 and BR2 primers could specifically detect T. harzianum Th azad in a pool of mixed DNA. No other soil-microorganisms containing these sequences were amplified using these primers. To test whether the 830- bp SCAR marker of T. harzianum Th azad could be used in real-time PCR experiments, new primers (CSA-Th azadf and CSA-Th azad) conjugated with a TaqMan fluorogenic probe were designed. Real- time PCR assays were applied using DNA from sterile and nonsterile soil samples inoculated with a known quantity of spores of Trichoderma spp. strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten species of Trichoderma were isolated from the rhizospheric soil, collected from the different locations of U.P. Both morphological and molecular characterization of the isolated species was done. All the ten isolated species were screened for chitinase enzyme production on solid agar medium using bromocresol purple for developing the clear zone around colonies, and characterized due to its antagonistic effect against mycelia growth of pathogenic fungi. The nucleotide sequences (submitted and retrieved from NCBI) of all ten Trichoderma species are analyzed through TrichOKEY 2 program for their validation post molecular identification. This has confirmed the selected sequences as specific strains of Trichoderma species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A list of 254 names of species and two names of varieties in Trichoderma with name or names against which they are to be protected, following the ICN (Melbourne Code, Art. 14.13), is presented for consideration by the General Committee established by the Congress, which then will refer them to the Nomenclature Committee for Fungi (NCF). This list includes 252 species, one variety and one form. Two new names are proposed: T. neocrassum Samuel (syn. Hypocrea crassa P. Chaverri & Samuels), T. patellotropicum Samuels (syn. Hypocrea patella f. tropica Yoshim. Doi). The following new combinations in Trichoderma are proposed: T. brevipes (Mont.) Samuels, T. cerebriforme (Berk.) Samuels, T. latizonatum (Peck) Samuels, and T. poronioideum (A. Möller) Samuels. The following species are lectotypified: T. americanum (Canham) Jaklitsch & Voglmayr, Gliocladium flavofuscum J.H. Miller, Giddens & A.A. Foster, T. inhamatum Veerkamp & W. Gams, T. konilangbra Samuels, O. Petrini & C.P. Kubicek, T. koningii Oudem., T. pezizoides (Berk. & Broome) Jaklitsch & Voglmayr, T. sulphureum (Schwein.) Jaklitsch & Voglmayr and T. virens (J.H. Miller, Giddens & A.A. Foster) Arx. Epitypes are proposed for the following species: T. albocorneum (Yoshim. Doi) Jaklitsch & Voglmayr, T. albofulvum (Berk. & Broome) Jaklitsch & Voglmayr, T. atrogelatinosum (Dingley) Jaklitsch & Voglmayr, T. corneum (Pat.) Jaklitsch & Voglmayr, T. cornu-damae (Pat.) Z.X. Zhu & W.Y. Zhuang, T. flaviconidium (P. Chaverri, Druzhinina & Samuels) Jaklitsch & Voglmayr, T. hamatum (Bonord.) Bain., T. hunua (Dingley) Jaklitsch & Voglmayr, T. patella (Cooke & Peck) Jaklitsch & Voglmayr, Hypocrea patella f. tropica Yoshim. Doi, T. polysporum (Link) Rifai, T. poronioideum (A. Möller) Samuels T. semiorbis (Berk.) Jaklitsch & Voglmayr, T. sulphureum (Schwein.) Jaklitsch & Voglmayr, and T. tropicosinense (P.G. Liu) P.G. Liu, Z.X. Zhu & W.Y. Zhuang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]