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Vol 59, No 5 (2025)
БИОРАЗНООБРАЗИЕ, СИСТЕМАТИКА, ЭКОЛОГИЯ
Fungi on hazels (Corylus spp.) in the Rostov region, Russia
Abstract
As a result of the long-term research, 63 fungal species belonging to 52 genera, 37 families, 16 orders, 5 classes, and 2 divisions (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) of the kingdom Fungi were recorded on three hazel (Corylus) species in the Rostov region. Agaricomycetes (24), Sordariomycetes (17), and Dothideomycetes (12) were the three classes with the highest number of species. Lachnella alboviolascens and Trimmatostroma betulinum can be considered as first recorded on hazels in Russia and in the world; Chaetosphaeria ovoidea, Melanomma campylosporum and Sillia ferruginea are first found in the Rostov region. The greatest numbers of fungal species were observed on branches (23) and trunks (21), while the smaller numbers were recorded on twigs (12), leaves (10), and nut kernels (9). The majority of the recorded fungi (41, 60.1%) were plant parasites (pathogens of plants), including two obligate parasites (powdery mildews), 10 facultative saprotrophs (other phytopathogens), and 29 facultative parasites (opportunistic phytopathogens); only 22 species were saprotrophs (non-pathogenic). Of the 63 fungal species found on hazels in the Rostov region, 53 (84.1%) were also recorded on many other woody plants, while only 10 species were found exclusively on plants belonging to the Corylus genus or the Betulaceae family. The largest number of fungi was recorded in the semi-abandoned hazel plantations in Donskoye forestry (59) and in the hazel collections of the Botanical Garden of the Southern Federal University in Rostov-on-Don (36), much less in urban plantings (18) and private gardens (15). Only 15 species, mostly plant pathogens, were found in all types of habitats, and only five fungi were common or widespread species and are the main fungal pathogens of hazels: Phyllactinia guttata and Erysiphe corylacearum (powdery mildews), Pezicula cinnamomea (twig and branch dying), Chondrostereum purpureum, and Stereum hirsutum (trunk rot). The research of powdery mildews revealed that the invasive Erysiphe corylacearum, which has become common in the Rostov region since the first record in 2017, is more harmful than the native Phyllactinia guttata s.str. due to its early seasonal growth and damage to young shoots and leaves. However, due to the annual phenopause in powdery mildew growth caused by summer heat in July and August, the harm inflicted by Erysiphe corylacearum was minimal and not crucial for the viability and productivity of hazel. The comparison of the ascomycete species composition of the Rostov region and the seven regions/countries by the Kulczynski binary index (modified by S. P. Zhukov) revealed the highest similarity between the Rostov region and the Crimean peninsula because of the similar semi-arid regional climates and geographical proximity, the lower similarity with the neighboring Krasnodar region and with the former regions of Eastern Ukraine, much lower similarity with more distant regions of Russia (Moscow and Northwest Russia), and minimal similarity with other countries (Georgia and Poland).
Mycology and Phytopathology. 2025;59(5):359-376
359-376
New And Noteworthy Records Of Fungi Associated With Woody Plants In Taimyr District Of Krasnoyarsk Krai (Arctic Siberia, Russia)
Abstract
There are 42 species of fungi (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota) collected for the first time in Taimyr district of Krasnoyarsk Krai, and 13 species are the second – fourth finds. 25 species were collected on driftwood along the shores of lakes and rivers, and 11 species on firewood at the mountain base. 23 species develop in anthropogenic habitats on alien substrate, building structures, firewood and lumber. Four species were identified in anthropogenic conditions, which are first reported in the Russian Arctic (Cytospora chrysosperma, Didymella pomorum, Pleurotus abieticola, Sporocadus lichenicola).
Mycology and Phytopathology. 2025;59(5):403-407
403-407
New and noteworthy records of fungi from the Polistovsky State Nature Reserve in the Pskov region
Abstract
New data on 56 fungal species (including basidiomycetes and ascomycetes) recorded for the first time in the Polistovsky State Nature Reserve (Pskov Region, Russia) and adjacent territory is provided. 24 of them proved to be first findings for the Pskov Region and two species (Cyathicula furva and Diplocarpa bloxamii) are new for the whole country. Also, several noteworthy species were discussed: Baeospora myriadophylla, concerned as vulnerable species at the global level; rarely registered species Amanita olivaceogrisea, Camaropella pugillus, Cryptosphaeria subcutanea, Galerina stordalii, Exobasidium savilei, Exobasidium sundstroemii and Hericium coralloides, included in Red data book of Pskov Region. Also, Baeospora myriadophylla, Bulgaria inquinans and Holwaya mucida are recommended to the next edition of Red data book of the Pskov Region.
Mycology and Phytopathology. 2025;59(5):395-402
395-402
First record of Entyloma guaraniticum (Entylomatales, Ustilaginomycotina) from Vietnam
Abstract
Entyloma guaraniticum was discovered on Bidens pilosa in the Ta Dung Nature Reserve in Vietnam in 2022. This record is new to Vietnam. The record is supported by morphological and molecular data. A description of the species and information on its distribution are provided.
Mycology and Phytopathology. 2025;59(5):386-394
386-394
New data on aphyllophoroid fungi of the Bryanskiy Les State Nature Reserve (Bryansk Oblast, Russia)
Abstract
An annotated list of 103 aphyllophoroid fungi species (Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota) revealed in the forest ecosystems of the Bryanskiy Les State Nature Reserve (European Russia) is presented. Among them 53 fungal species are recorded for the first time for the Reserve territory, including 38 species new to Bryansk Oblast. All records are listed with data on wood substrates, habitats, localities, and dates of collection. Microscopically studied specimens are deposited in the LE mycological herbarium (St. Petersburg, Russia). The teleomorph of Botryobasidium rubiginosum is registered for the first time in Russia. Hyphoderma nemorale is found for the second time in the European part of Russia. New findings of little-collected species Gloeocystidiellum clavuligerum, Hyphoderma litschaueri, Rhizochaete radicata, Sistotrema coronilla, and Woldmaria filicina are discussed. Data on rare and regionally protected fungal species Favolus pseudobetulinus, Hericium coralloides, Hydnocristella himantia, Junghuhnia pseudozilingiana, included in the Red data book of Bryansk Oblast (2016), is presented.
Mycology and Phytopathology. 2025;59(5):377-385
377-385
PHYTOPATHOGENIC FUNGI
Integrated approach to early detection of cotton disease resistance
Abstract
The functional features of the implementation of cotton protective reactions to the most dangerous pathogens, Verticillium dahliae and Fusarium oxysporum, Xanthomonas malvacearum and Rhizoctonia solani – were studied. The hypersensitivity reaction of cotton tissues infected with pathogens was controlled by methods of observing the movement and size of the zone of fluorescent substances and determining the amount of toxic compounds for pathogens – phytoalexins. Infection of cotton with Verticillium dahliae and Fusarium oxysporum already in the first days of incubation led to a bright blue fluorescence that spread upwards towards the growth point of the experimental plants. In cotton infected with Xanthomonas malvacearum and Rhizoctonia solani the color of the fluorescent zones was less intense. The rate of spread through plant tissues, especially at the initial stages of the latent period, was significantly lower. In addition, the content of post-infection inhibitors in the tissues of xylem vessels of cotton infected with gummosis and root rot was recorded at a significantly lower level compared to the experimental plants infected with Fusarium and Verticillium wilt. On the 20th day of incubation, a significant increase in the total content of phytoalexins was noted in experimental cotton plants infected with root rot and gummosis, but the amount of the main phytoalexin – isohemigossypol in the tissues of these plants reached only 50% of the level of samples infected with Fusarium and Verticillium wilt. A comparative analysis of the effect of the studied pathogens on the intensity of the hypersensitivity reaction and the parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence induction indicate the possibility of using these methods at the initial stages of the incubation period in infected plant tissues for early detection of cotton disease resistance. The establishment of a positive correlation between the results of fluorescent analysis and the indicators of the effectiveness of the hypersensitivity reaction indicate the advisability of an integrated approach to assessing the resistance of cotton to pathogens.
Mycology and Phytopathology. 2025;59(5):408-415
408-415
RESPONSES OF BARLEY OF TWO GENOTYPES TO Fusarium culmorum INFECTION
Abstract
Fusarium culmorum is a hemibiotrophic phytopathogenic fungus that causes Fusarium head blight, Fusarium root rot and Fusarium crown rot of barley and wheat. These diseases result in reductions in yield as well as in grain contamination with mycotoxins which are dangerous to human and animal health. In this work, the early stages of the interactions between F. culmorum and barley with different resistance to root rot were studied. Barley responses were assessed by the intensity of expression of the genes PR1, PR4, LOX, PAL, NPR1, WRKY33, WRKY34 associated with pathogenesis. The state of F. culmorum in barley roots was determined by the amount of its DNA and the intensity of expression of the TRI13 gene encoding the production of trichothecene toxins by the fungus. As a result, differences in the responses of barley of two genotypes to F. culmorum colonization were established. In medium-resistant barley, in response to the pathogen attack, the PR1, PR4, and LOX genes were induced earlier than in susceptible barley. In medium-resistant barley, the expression of protective genes was increased more often than in susceptible barley compared to the control. An increase in the amount of F. culmorum DNA and the level of toxins produced by it was accompanied by suppression of the expression of the PR4, PAL, WRKY33, and WRKY34 genes in susceptible barley. In medium-resistant barley during this period, there was no suppression of protective genes; on the contrary, compared with the control, the expression of the PR1, PR4, LOX, PAL, and NPR1 genes was increased. The involvement of the studied genes in the interactions between barley of two genotypes and F. culmorum has been determined. The results obtained expand the knowledge about the molecular interactions between the parasite and the host plant in the barley – Fusarium culmorum pathosystem.
Mycology and Phytopathology. 2025;59(5):427-442
427-442
Fungi associated with potato and tomato plants with symptoms of fungal diseases in the Republic of Mali
Abstract
The work investigated fungal strains isolated from diseased potato tubers and green tomato fruits from irrigated fields of small farms located in the Bamako district and in the Koulikoro and Segou regions (southwest Mali). A total of 22 isolates from potato tubers and 5 from tomato fruits were analyzed. Determination of their species affiliation showed that strains of the genus Fusarium predominate on potatoes and tomatoes. In addition to Fusarium, strains of Clonostachys rosea and Geotrichum candidum were found on tubers, and Colletotrichum truncatum and large-spore Alternaria solani s. l. were found on tomato fruits. The strains of the genus Fusarium from potatoes belonged to 9 species from 5 species complexes: Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC) – F. glycines, F. nirenbergiae, F. triseptatum; F. solani species complex (FSSC) – F. solani, F. falciforme; F. sambucinum species complex (FSamSC) – F. culmorum; Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC) – F. caatingaense, F. duofalcatisporum; F. tricinctum species complex (FTrSC) – F. flocciferum. All strains from tomatoes belonged to the FIESC complex, within which 2 species were identified: F. duofalcatisporum and F. incarnatum. Pathogenicity analysis on slices of potato tubers and tomato fruits showed that all the studied strains were able to grow on living tissues of the tested plants. Fungicide resistance assessment showed that all strains tested were susceptible to difenoconazole. Analysis of susceptibility to thiabendazole revealed highly resistant strains belonging to the species Geotrichum candidum and Alternaria solani s. l. The remaining strains, including Fusarium spp., were susceptible to thiabendazole. The presence of resistant strains is important to consider when selecting preparations and developing effective plant protection strategies.
Mycology and Phytopathology. 2025;59(5):416-426
416-426
Comparison of the population of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici on bread wheat in the Krasnoyarsk Krai with some domestic populations of the pathogen by virulence and polymorphism of microsatellite loci
Abstract
Updated notes on the genetic structure of the East Siberian population of the wheat stem rust is not available in the modern literature. The aim of the study was to identify the races of the fungus found on bread wheat in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, and to compare data on virulence and DNA polymorphism of microsatellite repeats in the pathogen samples from neighboring regions. Race diversity of the Krasnoyarsk samples was low: out of 48 single pustule isolates of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, only four races were identified. Local races differ in one-two virulence genes, but more than 5 genes from races from the Omsk and Novosibirsk regions and the Altai Krai identified at the same time in samples. The tested samples of Eastern Siberian were 100% avirulence to the wide list of wheat resistance genes: Sr7b, Sr9d, Sr9e, Sr17, Sr21, Sr24, Sr30, Sr31, Sr38, SrTmp. Accordingly, these resistance genes can be considered for introduction into the wheat breeding program for immunity in Eastern Siberia, individually or as part of genetic pyramids. A diagnostic panel of primers previously adopted by us for microsatellite repeats of the stem rust genome was used for genotyping material from the Krasnoyarsk Krai and cluster comparative analysis with P. graminis f. sp. tritici isolates from other regions of Russia. On the dendrogram of the genetic distances between different populations, isolates from Eastern Siberia were maximally isolated either from all samples from Western Siberia or both samples from the Volga region and the Central region. As a result of the study, the population of P. graminis f. sp. tritici on bread wheat in the Krasnoyarsk Krai can be characterized as genetically isolated and low virulent with local source of infection. After detecting an outbreak of the disease in the region, regular monitoring of the phytopathological situation with wheat crops in the Krasnoyarsk Krai is necessary.
Mycology and Phytopathology. 2025;59(5):443-452
443-452
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
Rare and little-known species of fungi in the “herbarium of epixylic fungi, algae and lichens of the St. Petersburg State Forest Engineering University named after S. M. Kirov” (SPFUE). 1. Melanconis alni, Illosporiopsis christiansenii, Puccinia phragmitis
Abstract
This article offers an in-depth exploration of the rare and little-known fungal species recently added to the collections of the “Herbarium of epixylic fungi, algae and lichens of the Saint Petersburg State Forest Technical University named after S. M. Kirov” (SPFUE). The acquisitions, made in 2025, contribute significantly to the herbarium’s growing repository of materials. Duplicate specimens were also transferred to the mycological herbarium of the Komarov Botanical Institute (LE F). The herbarium itself was founded in October 2024 with the objective of organizing materials that have been accumulated since the mid-20th century. Central to this foundation are the works and collections of prominent phytopathologists such as A. T. Vakin (1903–1966), I. I. Minkevich (1931–2017), and G. I. Zarudnaya. Covering a distinct thematic niche, the herbarium primarily focuses on fungi and lichens associated with the bark of living trees as well as unfallen and freshly fallen terminal branches. While the herbarium also includes powdery mildew fungi and leaf-spot-causing species on one hand, and tinder fungi on the other, these are less prominently represented. Beyond fungi, the collection houses epiphytic lichens and aerophytic algae, adding further depth to its biological diversity. Highlighting exceptional acquisitions from 2025, the article delves into detailed ecological, morphological, and distributional notes on three noteworthy species: Melanconis alni, Illosporiopsis christiansenii (Ascomycota), and Puccinia phragmitis (Basidiomycota). Additionally, insights into herbarium specimens stored at both LE F and SPFUE are provided, enhancing understanding of their scientific significance.
Mycology and Phytopathology. 2025;59(5):453-458
453-458