Phytopathogenic fungi must contend with host immune responses to successfully colonize plants. These responses include the production of heterogenous antimicrobial compounds (phytoalexins), which plants deploy to intoxicate infecting microbes. Among these host defense compounds are the coumarins, a family of aromatic lactones widely present in dicotyledonous plants (dicots). The fungal necrotroph Botrytis cinerea (gray mold) infects a plethora of dicots, causing large losses in the produce, viticulture, and ornamental flower industries. B. cinerea detoxifies numerous host defense compounds to support its virulence, including the coumarin scopoletin. However, B. cinerea coumarin detoxification factors have remained uncharacterized. Here, we employed transcriptomics in scopoletin-treated B. cinerea followed by heterologous expression of scopoletin-induced genes in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) to identify a reductase, BCIN14g01070 (Bcsaf1), which B. cinerea deploys to degrade scopoletin. Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that Bcsaf1 reduces a carbon-carbon double bond within the coumarin backbone, converting coumarins to their nontoxic melilotic acid derivatives. We further show that Bcsaf1 orthologs are present in numerous fungi of the family Sclerotiniaceae and that an ortholog from another notorious phytopathogen, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (white mold), possesses similar coumarin detoxification capacity. We constructed ΔBcsaf1 mutants that displayed compromised scopoletin degradation and increased scopoletin susceptibility. The ΔBcsaf1 mutants further displayed reduced virulence in Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco), which exerts a scopoletin defense response, whereas their virulence was only modestly compromised in Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seedlings, which produce much less scopoletin. Thus, Bcsaf1 is an important virulence factor that counters host coumarins to support B. cinerea infection. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license.
Wheat blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum (MoT), is a devastating fungal disease threatening global food security. Emergence of fungicide-resistant MoT populations necessitates safe, eco-friendly alternatives. This study evaluates the biorational potential of 3-methylpentanoic acid (3-MP), a volatile organic compound (VOC) produced by Bacillus safensis NI2B against MoT. In vitro assays demonstrated that 3-MP inhibits MoT mycelial growth, conidiogenesis, conidial germination, and appressorium formation in a dose-dependent manner, achieving complete suppression at 100-125 µM. Furthermore, detached leaf, seedling, and spike assays revealed robust preventive and curative efficacy, indicating strong translational potential for wheat blast management. Mechanistic analyses indicated reduced fungal cellular viability following 3-MP treatment, as confirmed by fluorescein diacetate staining. In silico molecular docking and dynamics simulations predicted that 3-MP putatively interacts with UDP-glucose 4-epimerase (UGE), a key enzyme in galactose metabolism and cell wall integrity. 3-MP binds stably within the NAD+-associated Rossmann fold of UGE, sterically hindering substrate access and perturbing NAD+ orientation. RT-qPCR expression analysis was consistent with this model, showing a biphasic response characterized by early induction followed by significant repression of UGE transcripts, which aligns with disrupted UDP-glucose metabolism and impaired cell wall biosynthesis. Collectively, this study establishes 3-MP as a potent biocontrol agent and provides preliminary mechanistic insights into its antifungal activity associated with UGE perturbation. These findings offer a promising molecular framework for developing VOC-based integrated pest management strategies against wheat blast.
Cercospora zeina causes gray leaf spot disease on maize in Africa. As a foliar fungal pathogen, C. zeina relies on effectors to facilitate successful infection and colonization of its host. Predicting effector function is therefore essential for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying this plant-pathogen interaction. Although effector functions are typically predicted using sequence-based analyses, many effectors are subject to strong selection pressure and exhibit high sequence diversity, reducing the accuracy of such predictions. In this study, a structural phylogenetics approach was employed to identify effector structural families in C. zeina and to assign putative functions to C. zeina candidate secreted effector proteins based on their structural clustering with functionally characterized effectors from related phytopathogens. Twenty-two effector structural families were identified, several of which contained effectors shown to induce cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana. It was therefore hypothesized that C. zeina effectors belonging to these structural families would exhibit similar functions. Three families containing cell death-inducing effectors ZtCDI1, MgNLP, VdPEVD1with high structural similarity and low sequence identity to C. zeina effectors were selected for biological validation. Transient expression of C. zeina effectors from these families induced cell death in N. benthamiana. These C. zeina structural analogs were expressed in either the latent (CDI1-like) or necrotrophic (NLP-like, PevD1-like) phase of GLS disease in maize. This work shows that structural phylogenetics can be employed to predict effector function and identify structurally related, cell death-inducing effectors with divergent amino acid sequences in C. zeina.
In this study, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference phylogenetic trees were reconstructed for Pholiotina based on the phylogenetic framework of the genus established by Song and Bau and on a concatenated dataset of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA (28S), and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-α) sequences. The phylogenetic trees resolved Pholiotina into two monophyletic clades: one containing sect. Pholiotina and the other comprising sect. Vestitae together with sect. Intermediae. The infrageneric subdivision of the genus was also reviewed, and the taxonomic issues that remain to be addressed were proposed. By further integrating morphological evidence, three new species of Pholiotina were discovered from Jilin Province and the Xizang Autonomous Region: P. constrictibasidiata (characterized by basidia with a median constriction), P. raribasidiata (notable for its rare basidia and basidiospores), and P. jilinensis (distinguished by the absence of pileocystidia and germ pores, with its type locality in Jilin City). In addition, this study provides an identification key to the new species, together with morphological descriptions and line drawings.
Pseudoplagiostoma fungi are globally widespread, encompassing plant-pathogenic, saprophytic, and endophytic fungal species associated with diverse plant hosts. Four Pseudoplagiostoma isolates were recovered from diseased leaves of Artocarpus hainanensis, Cinnamomum sp., Mallotus hookerianus, and Trachelospermum jasminoides in China. These were identified and formally described in the present study. Species boundaries were delineated using an integrative approach combining molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons with closely related taxa. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted on concatenated LSU, ITS, RPB2, TEF1-α, and TUB2 sequence datasets using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. The results demonstrated that these four isolates form well-supported, independent monophyletic lineages, clearly distinct from all previously described Pseudoplagiostoma species. Morphological characterization of colonies, conidiogenous cells, and conidia revealed stable phenotypic differences from closely related species, further corroborating their taxonomic novelty. Accordingly, four new species of Pseudoplagiostoma are proposed: Ps. artocarpi, Ps. cinnamomi, Ps. malloti, and Ps. trachelospermi.
Species of Laccaria (Hydnangiaceae, Agaricales, Basidiomycota) are an important group of ectomycorrhizal fungi with significant ecological and economic value. They are widely distributed. This study describes two new species of Laccaria based on morphological characters and molecular data. Laccaria daliensis is characterized by a pale orange to grayish orange pileus, grayish orange lamellae, and a stipe. Laccaria violaceonana is characterized by medium-sized, deep purple basidiomata and an equal stipe with an enlarged base. Phylogenetic analysis based on a combined dataset of the internal transcribed spacer ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA (nrITS), large subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nrLSU), RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (rpb2), and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α) was used to provide further evidence for species delimitation. The results showed that nine Laccaria specimens formed four well-supported clades, representing two new species, Laccaria daliensis and L. violaceonana, and two known species, L. acanthospora and L. pumila. Detailed descriptions, illustrations, and phylogenetic analysis results of these species are provided, and the new species are compared with closely related taxa.
Three new wood-inhabiting corticioid fungal species from Southwest China, Phanerochaete albomarginata , P. nigella , and Rhizochaete membranacea , are proposed based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. Phanerochaete albomarginata is characterized by membranaceous basidiomata, a monomitic hyphal system, generative hyphae with simple septa, tapering cystidia, and ellipsoid basidiospores. Phanerochaete nigella is characterized by its coriaceous basidiomata with a tuberculate hymenial surface, tubular cystidia, and ellipsoid basidiospores measuring 4.7–5.7 × 2.5–3.2 µm. Rhizochaete membranacea is characterized by membranaceous basidiomata, a monomitic hyphal system, generative hyphae encrusted with crystals, and ellipsoid basidiospores (4–5.5 × 2.7–3.1 µm). Phylogenetic analyses using Maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) were conducted based on ITS + nLSU markers. The resulting ITS + nLSU phylogram revealed that P. albomarginata formed a monophyletic lineage closely related to P. taiwaniana and P. yingjiangensis , while P. nigella formed a sister lineage to P. albida . Additionally, the phylogenetic tree of Rhizochaete inferred from the ITS + nLSU sequences showed that the new species formed a distinct branch and was sister to R. yunnanensis . This discovery enriches the known diversity of Phanerochaetaceae in subtropical Asia and further clarifies the phylogenetic relationships within the family.
In this study, using the phylogenetic framework for Conocybe from Tóth et al. and Song, along with a combined dataset of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA (28S), and translation elongation factor 1-alpha ( tef 1-α) sequences, we reconstructed a Bayesian inference Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree for sect. Conocybe . The phylogenetic trees showed that sect. Conocybe is divided into two monophyletic clades: sect. Conocybe Clade 1 is consistent with sect. Conocybe in both morphology and phylogenetic positions, whereas some species in sect. Conocybe Clade 2 have morphological characteristics that conform to sect. Mixtae . Moreover, we also discovered two new species of Conocybe in southwestern China: C. maculatostriata , which has a pileus with maculate stripes, and C. lidaensis , whose caulocystidia and pileocystidia are of a mixed type. In addition, the study provides an identification key for sect. Conocybe Clade 1 and 2, accompanied by morphological descriptions and line drawings of C. mesospora OTU 21 and the new species.
Colletotrichum species are well-known plant pathogens, and many also exist as endophytes or saprobes on diverse plant hosts. In this study, three novel Colletotrichum species were isolated from diseased leaves of Millettia rugosa, Paederia scandens, and Pleioblastus fortunei in Fujian Province, China, and taxonomically characterized using an integrative taxonomic approach. Species boundaries were delineated through combined molecular phylogenetic reconstruction and morphological comparison with closely allied taxa. Phylogenetic reconstructions were carried out based on concatenated sequence datasets of five loci (ITS, gapdh, chs-1, act, and tub2) using both maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) analytical methods. The results indicate that these three species form highly supported, independent monophyletic lineages clearly distinguishable from all previously described Colletotrichum species. Morphological assessment of colony traits, conidiogenous cells, and conidial morphology further confirms their taxonomic novelty by identifying stable phenotypic differences relative to phylogenetically close relatives. Consequently, three new species of Colletotrichum are formally proposed: C. millettii, C. pleioblasti, and C. wuyishanense. Phylogenetically, C. wuyishanense nests within the C. destructivum species complex, whereas C. millettii and C. pleioblasti represent two distinct monophyletic lineages nested within the genus without assignment to any formally described species complex. This study implies that additional undescribed Colletotrichum taxa remain to be uncovered from subtropical plant hosts across China, which will enrich genus-level species diversity and support native plant conservation and anthracnose disease management.
The Inocybe tiliae group (sect. Marginatae ) was previously known mainly from Europe. In this study, a multigene phylogeny of the group was reconstructed based on ITS, LSU, and rpb2 sequences, incorporating extensive collections from subtropical and temperate China for the first time. Four new species, I. qiongzhuensis sp. nov ., I. ravida sp. nov ., I. xihuensis sp. nov ., and I. zijinshanensis sp. nov ., are described, and three taxa, I. tiliae , I. dunensis , and the I. pallida / I. nobilis complex, are reported for the first time from China. Phylogenetic analyses recovered a fully supported major clade comprising the former core lineage, I. robertii , the Dunensis clade, and the four new Chinese species. The Pseudohiulca clade is sister to this major clade, whereas the Velata clade is sister to all the aforementioned lineages. Based on these results, the circumscription of the Tiliae group is expanded to include the major clade, the Pseudohiulca clade, and the Velata clade, comprising 12 species plus the I. pallida / I. nobilis complex and the I. pseudohiulca complex. The broad Tiliae group is defined by a combination of morphological traits: robust basidiomata, a yellowish-ochraceous to dark brown pileus, a stipe often with pinkish tones, a bulbous or marginate stipe base, a stipe that is either entirely pruinose or at least pruinose in the upper half, and often a spermatic odor.
Freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems harbor a rich diversity of fungi, many of which remain poorly explored, particularly within the order Chaetothyriales . Four hyphomycetous isolates were obtained from freshwater and terrestrial habitats in Guizhou Province, China. Their morphological characteristics were examined, and multilocus phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, LSU, SSU, and tub2 were performed to clarify their taxonomic positions. Phylogenetic reconstruction indicated that the isolates represent two distinct species within Veronaea ( Herpotrichiellaceae , Chaetothyriales ), which are herein described as V. guizhouensis and V. terrestris . Comprehensive descriptions, illustrations, and morphological comparisons with related taxa are provided. These findings expand the known diversity of Veronaea and underscore the significance of freshwater and terrestrial woody substrates as reservoirs of novel fungal taxa.
We describe Myriospora hilitzeri from the Czech Republic, Germany and Italy. It is named after the Czech lichenologist and science fiction writer Alfred C. Hilitzer (1899–1940). The species Acarospora smaragdula form macrophylla was described by Magnusson from a single collection by A. C. Hilitzer from the summit of Keprník Mountain in Jeseníky Mountains of the Czech Republic on some gneiss rocks in 1925. It has never been collected again and is possibly extinct. It is raised to the species level in this paper as Myriospora macrophylla . A world-wide key of the 15 species of Myriospora is supplied.
Xylaria nigripes and its close relatives, specialized for their associations with termite fungus combs, are capable of producing massive sclerotia within the chambers of dead termite nests. These sclerotia, traditionally referred to in Chinese medicine as “Wulingshen,” exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities. Massive Xylaria sclerotia are typically harvested from natural habitats, and their formation under laboratory conditions has rarely been reported. This study induced the formation of small sclerotia in Xylaria minima by incubating mature Macrotermes fungus combs. Sclerotium formation on the comb was characterized by an inconspicuous vegetative growth phase, rapid sclerotial development, early dormancy, and temporally delayed reproduction. Sclerotia formed more sporadically on potato dextrose agar (PDA), water agar (WA), and oat-based media. In contrast, growth on comb leachate agar (CLA) was faster, and sclerotia developed readily. The sclerotia of X. minima show strong potential for cultivation using comb materials and agricultural substrates. Exploratory chemical analyses revealed that sclerotia were enriched in crude polysaccharides, alkaloids, and terpenoids, as well as amino acids and amino acid derivatives such as L-glutamic acid and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), compared with mycelia. These findings indicate that X. minima does not exhibit strict substrate specificity for sclerotium formation and highlight its potential for future studies on cultivation and bioactive compound discovery. This study additionally highlights that the sclerotium-forming habit in comb-associated Xylaria species has likely evolved independently multiple times, occurring in both the newly reported small-sclerotium-forming X. minima and the X. nigripes species complex.
Species of Trichoderma are globally distributed across diverse ecosystems. In this study, four Trichoderma strains were isolated from Ophiocordyceps jinguangensis , two from O. sinensis , and two from Dracaena sp. To determine their taxonomic placement, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses of ITS, tef1-α , and rpb2 sequences, along with morphological examinations, were conducted. Integrating phylogenetic and morphological evidence, these strains were identified as three new species, Trichoderma diqingense , T. dracaenae , and T. yuxiense , which are distributed in three distinct clades of Trichoderma (i.e., Harzianum , Viride , and Polysporum , respectively), and two known species, T. fertile and T. paraviridescens , which are newly recorded from the substrate O. sinensis . Descriptions and illustrations of all species are provided. These findings expand the understanding of Trichoderma species and substrate diversity, providing a taxonomic basis for future studies.
Ganoderma is a group of macrofungi with significant economic and medicinal values. In this study, two new species, Ganoderma ficuum and G. fijiense , are described based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Ganoderma ficuum is characterized by imbricate and highly umbonate pilei, with relatively coarse radial sulcations, circular to angular pores (6–8 per mm), ellipsoid and distinctly truncated basidiospores, and from Guangdong, China. Ganoderma fijiense is characterized by reddish brown to dark brown pilei, with usually obtuse margins, circular pores (5–7 per mm), narrowly ellipsoid basidiospores, with the endospore wall bearing densely spinulose ornamentation, and from Nadi, Fiji. In addition, multi-gene phylogenetic analyses showed that G. fijiense and G. ficuum formed two independent lineages with well supports based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-α gene ( TEF1-α ), and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II ( RPB2 ) genes using Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) methods. The morphological descriptions and illustrations for two new species are also provided.
Cortinarius is renowned for its extraordinary species richness and cosmopolitan distribution. During a recent survey of macrofungal diversity across the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, four specimens morphologically assignable to Cortinarius were collected. Based on detailed morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analyses, these specimens are herein described as two new species within Cortinarius sect. Telamonia. Cortinarius linzhiensis, collected from mixed forests of Quercus and Picea, is characterized by a weakly hygrophanous, wrinkled pileus surface, a margin retaining spiderweb-like veil remnants, and a stipe apex occasionally exhibiting a pale violet tint. Cortinarius pallidomarginatus, collected from subtropical broadleaved forests dominated by Castanopsis, Lithocarpus, and Cyclobalanopsis, is characterized by its reddish-brown pileus with a contrasting white margin. This study provides detailed morphological descriptions, illustrations, and phylogenetic evidence supporting the recognition of these two novel taxa, along with comparisons with closely related species.
Itea is an economically and medicinally important plant, widely distributed across China, Japan and Southeast Asia, noted for producing rare sugars. Despite this, endophytic fungi associated with this plant remain poorly studied. This study focuses on the taxonomy and phylogeny of fungi isolated from healthy tissues of Itea japonica and I. riparia in Northern Thailand. By incorporating morphology, multiloci phylogenetic analyses and nucleotide polymorphism comparison, we establish two novel species, Diaporthe iteae ( Diaporthaceae , Sordariomycetes ) and Neptunomyces iteae ( Didymosphaeriaceae , Dothideomycetes ) as well as report a new host and a new geographical record for Diaporthe coracoralinae . Diaporthe iteae sp. nov . was collected from I. japonica , and is recognized within the Diaporthe siamensis species complex (section Sojae ). In addition, D. coracoralinae is reported on I. japonica in Thailand for the first time, occupying a position within section Sojae with an undetermined species complex. Neptunomyces iteae sp. nov . was collected from I. riparia and is classified within the family Didymosphaeriaceae . Updated phylogenetic trees and comprehensive morphological comparisons with closely related taxa are provided and discussed for better resolution of species delimitation. This study enhances our understanding of fungal diversity on Itea , and provides a taxonomic foundation for future biodiversity, ecological and applied studies.
Pleosporales is a highly diverse order in Dothideomycetes , with numerous taxa occupying saprobic, pathogenic and endophytic niches worldwide. During a survey of microfungi in northern Thailand, two sexual morph species were collected and examined, based on morphology and multigene phylogenetic analyses (28S, ITS, 18S, tef1-α and rpb2 ). Based on this approach, two new species were introduced. Anastomitrabeculia chiangraiensis sp. nov ., isolated from a dead stem of an unidentified woody host, forms a distinct lineage within Anastomitrabeculiaceae and can be distinguished from its sister taxon, A. didymospora , by the absence of longitudinal striations in the ascospores and high interspecies sequence divergence in the ITS, 28S and rpb2 regions. Roussoella chiangraiensis sp. nov ., collected from dead bamboo stems, is well-resolved within Roussoellaceae and differs from the closely-related R. aseptata with robust phylogenetic support (100% ML, 1.00 PP) and significant interspecies genetic distance in ITS. Morphological differentiation from R. aseptata was restricted due to the absence of a known sexual morph for that species. Our findings highlight the high, yet underexplored diversity of saprobic Pleosporales in Southeast Asia and underscores the importance of integrative morphological and phylogenetic approaches for accurate species recognition.
Coniochaeta is a cosmopolitan fungal genus found in diverse habitats worldwide. During an investigation of microfungi from rock and soil samples collected in northern Thailand between 2024 and 2025, six strains of Coniochaeta were isolated. These strains were identified based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses using sequences of the nuclear ribosomal large subunit (LSU), internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and translation elongation factor 1-alpha ( tef1-α ) regions. These six strains, representing two new species, Coniochaeta saxicola and C. terricola , are described herein. Full descriptions, illustrations, and a phylogenetic tree showing their phylogenetic positions are provided. In addition, the new taxa are compared with closely related taxa.
