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Pea is third most important pulse crop of the world which is being cultivated all over the globe over the land area of two million hectares. Despite of its being grown in large area, this crop is infected by numerous pathogens including rust disease. This rust is disease of pea is caused by Uromyces viciae fabae affect the pea crop all over the mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh. Therefore, the present study was conducted in mid-hill regions lies in District Mandi of Himachal Pradesh out to know the epidemiology of rust disease on pea (Pisum sativum). A survey of total thirteen study sites was carried out and effects on different plant characteristics like plant height, number of leaves, pods (number of pods and seeds per pod), leaf length and length of pods was evaluated. Results revealed that rust disease on pea crop was observed from seven study areas. Disease symptoms appeared as rust sori of aecia, uredia and telia which poses severe infection on entire plant. Variable degrees of disease severity and incidence of pea rust was observed in different study areas where infection was observed. An increase in disease severity and incidence was observed with the growth of pea crop. The disease severity (DS) was found in the range of 1.4–46.3% whereas, diseases incidence (DI) was observed in the range of 3.3–47.5%. Analysis of results revealed that infected plants showed significant decline in plant height, number of leaves, pods (number of pods and seeds per pod) and leaf length as compare to healthy plants. The plant height of infected plants was observed in the range of 17.8-16.3cm, whereas, number of leaves, pods (number of pods and seeds per pod) and leaf length were observed in the range of 87-65.6, 16-14, 11-7 and 4-3cm respectively. However, no significant difference was recorded in length of pods in infected and healthy plants. It is necessary to use suitable preventive and curative control measures to avoid heavy losses in final yield. Besides the use of chemical pesticides, the use of mycorrhizal fungi now days is proving beneficial to enhance overall growth performance of the plants for sustainable agricultural production

Severe leaf spot disease was observed on Aloe vera plants in the winters of 2011 and 2012 during a survey of various nurseries of Gwalior, India. Irregular, sunken, dark creamish brown spots having reddish brown margin were noticed on both surfaces of the leaves. The causal organism was consistently isolated from symptomatic leaves on potato dextrose agar media (PDA). A total 59 isolates of fungi were recovered from diseased A. vera leaves, and 37 isolates were identified as belonging to the genus Fusarium. On the basis of morphological characteristics and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA amplified using the primers ITS4/ITS5 the pathogen was identified as Fusarium proliferatum (Matsushima) Nirenberg and pathogenicity of the isolate was confirmed by using Koch’s postulates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf spot disease caused by Fusarium proliferatum on A. vera plants in India.

The rust genus

The rust genus Skierka belonging to the phylum Basidiomycota was described in 1900 by Raciborski with Skierka canarii as the type species. The published literature on this rust genus reveals its ambiguity in taxonomic placement. It was challenging to taxonomically delineate and precisely identify each species within this genus due to the species sharing some common characteristics. The latest studies based on morphology taxonomy and molecular characteristics, however, have solved this puzzle now and placed this genus in its new family Skierkaceae. To understand all about the genus Skierka, this compilation was carried out to unveil the general characteristics, history, diversity, distribution, ecology, morphology and molecular taxonomy of different species of Skierka. After exploring 14 species of Skierka, it was observed that this genus is distributed in seven plant families in 19 countries all over the world. The genus appears to be well-represented in Asian and South American counties. This rust has not been reported from any European countries to date. The morpho-taxonomy of all species is well studied, but molecular analyses are still required. Only two species of the genus namely S. robusta and S. diploglottidis were identified based molecular analyses. Therefore, further studies should be focused on epitypifying the taxa that are too old and updating their taxonomy based on molecular, biochemical, and physiological aspects along with morphological characteristics. Multiple analytical methods should be considered when dealing with multi-locus datasets. This will increase our understanding of the diversity, distribution, and identification of these rust fungi.

This article provides an outline of the classification of the kingdom Fungi (including fossil fungi. i.e. dispersed spores, mycelia, sporophores, mycorrhizas). We treat 19 phyla of fungi. These are Aphelidiomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Basidiomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Entorrhizomycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota. The placement of all fungal genera is provided at the class-, order- and family-level. The described number of species per genus is also given. Notes are provided of taxa for which recent changes or disagreements have been presented. Fungus-like taxa that were traditionally treated as fungi are also incorporated in this outline (i.e. Eumycetozoa, Dictyosteliomycetes, Ceratiomyxomycetes and Myxomycetes). Four new taxa are introduced: Amblyosporida ord. nov. Neopereziida ord. nov. and Ovavesiculida ord. nov. in Rozellomycota, and Protosporangiaceae fam. nov. in Dictyosteliomycetes. Two different classifications (in outline section and in discussion) are provided for Glomeromycota and Leotiomycetes based on recent studies. The phylogenetic reconstruction of a four-gene dataset (18S and 28S rRNA, RPB1, RPB2) of 433 taxa is presented, including all currently described orders of fungi., Nalin N. Wijayawardene thanks Mushroom Research Foundation and National Science Foundation of China (No. NSFC 31950410558) for financially supporting this project. Kevin D. Hyde acknowledges the Foreign Experts Bureau of Yunnan Province, Foreign Talents Program (2018; grant no. YNZ2018002), Thailand Research grants entitled Biodiversity, phylogeny and role of fungal endophytes on above parts of Rhizophora apiculata and Nypa fruticans (grant no: RSA5980068), the future of specialist fungi in a changing climate: baseline data for generalist and specialist fungi associated with ants, Rhododendron species and Dracaena species (grant no: DBG6080013), Impact of climate change on fungal diversity and biogeography in the Greater Mekong Subregion (grant no: RDG6130001). H.T. Lumbsch thanks support by the Grainger Bioinformatics Center. E. Malosso is grateful to CAPES for financial support (grant no. 88881.062172/2014-01). B.T. Goto, G.A. Silva and K. Jobim, L.C. Maia acknowledges CNPq (Brazilian Scientific Council, grants no. 465.420/2014-1, 307.129/2015-2 and 408011/2016-5) and CAPES for support. The study was partially supported by the National Science Centre, Poland, under Grants No. 2015/17/D/NZ8/00778 and 2017/25/B/NZ8/00473 to Julia Pawłowska. The research of Martin Kukwa received support from the National Science Centre (NCN) in Poland (project no 2015/17/B/NZ8/02441). Alan J.L. Phillips acknowledges the support from UID/MULTI/04046/2019 Research Unit grant from FCT, Portugal to BioISI. H. Zhang is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project ID: NSF 31500017). S. Boonmee would like to thank the Thailand Research Fund (Project No. TRG6180001). Dong-Qin Dai and Li-Zhou Tang would like to thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. NSFC 31760013, NSFC 31260087, NSFC 31460561), the Scientific Research Foundation of Yunnan Provincial Department of Education (2017ZZX186) and the Thousand Talents Plan, Youth Project of Yunnan Provinces for support. R. Phookamsak, M. Doilom, D. N. Wanasinghe, S.C. Karunarathna and J.C. Xu express sincere appreciations to Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant no. QYZDY-SSW-SMC014) for research financial support. R. Phookamsak thanks the Yunnan Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security (grant no. Y836181261), Chiang Mai University and National Science Foundation of China (NSFC) project code 31850410489 for research financial support. S.C. Kaunarathna thanks CAS President’s International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI) for funding his postdoctoral research (No. 2018PC0006) and the National Science Foundation of China (NSFC) for funding this work under the project code 31851110759. S. Tibpromma would like to thank the International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship Program (number Y9180822S1), CAS President’s International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI) (number 2020PC0009), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation and the Yunnan Human Resources, and Social Security Department Foundation for funding her postdoctoral research. Yuri S. Tokarev, Elena S. Nassonova and Irma V. Issi are indebtful to Yuliya Y. Sokolova (Institute of Cytology RAS, St. Petersbug, Russia) and Anastasia V. Simakova (Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia) for kind permission of reproduction of electron microscopy images of Metchnikovella incurvata and Crepidulospora beklemishevi, respectively. Yuri S. Tokarev and Irma V. Issi thank Russian Foundation of Basic Research, grant number 17-04-00871 (taxonomy of Rozellomycota). Elena S. Nassonova thank Russian Foundation of Basic Research, grant number 18-04-01359 (early evolution of Microsporidia, phylogeny of Metchnikovellida). Adam Flakus and Pamela Rodriguez-Flakus are greatly indebted to all staff of the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz and the SERNAP (http://sernap.gob.bo), for their generous cooperation providing permits, assistance and facilities support for scientific studies. The research of AF and PRF were financially supported by the National Science Centre (NCN) in Poland (DEC-2013/11/D/NZ8/03274). Adam Flakus and Pamela Rodriguez-Flakus received additional support under statutory funds from the W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland. The authors would like to thank Yunnan Innovation Platform for Development and Utilization of Symbiotic Fungi Resources for finance support. Li-Fang Zhang would like to thank grant-in-aid from Science and Technology Department of Yunnan Province (2018FD080) for finance support. Chun-Ying Deng thanks the Biodiversity Survey and Assessment Project of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China (2019HJ2096001006). Yingqian Kang would like to thank Guizhou Scientific Plan Project [(2019) 2873]; Excellent Youth Talent Training Project of Guizhou Province [(2017) 5639]; Guiyang Science and Technology Project [(2017) No. 5-19]; Talent Base Project of Guizhou Province, China [FCJD2018-22]; Research Fund of Education Bureau of Guizhou Province, China [(2018) 481]. D. N. Wanasinghe would like to thank the CAS President’s International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI) for funding his postdoctoral research (number 2019PC0008), the National Science Foundation of China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences for financial support under the following grants: 41761144055, 41771063 and Y4ZK111B01. Yuri K. Novozhilov and Oleg N. Shchepin acknowledge support from the Russian Foundation of Basic Research, project 18-04-01232 А. Ivana Kušan, Neven Matočec, Armin Mešić and Zdenko Tkalčec are grateful to Croatian Science Foundation for their financial support under the project grant HRZZ-IP-2018-01-1736 (ForFungiDNA). K. Tanaka would like to thank the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS 19K06802)

An updated analysis of the diversity of rust fungi in Himachal Pradesh is provided herein as a product of field surveys, of mycological analysis, and of all forms of published documentation and literature. The results of all forms of analysis revealed that Himachal Pradesh has 167 species of rust fungi belonging to the class Pucciniomycetes. The class is represented by 11 families, 23 genera with 167 species. The Pucciniaceae (96 species) followed by Phragmidiaceae (14 species) are the largest families of rust fungi reported from the state. Rest of the families were found associated with 1–10 species of rust fungi. The rust fungi (19 species) with uncertain placement are placed in incertae sedis. The rust genera reported from Himachal Pradesh so far are Aecidium, Chrysomyxa, Coleosporium, Frommea, Gymnosporangium, Kuehneola, Kweilingia, Melampsora, Monosporidium, Ochrospora, Peridermium, Phakopsora, Phragmidium, Pileolaria, Puccinia, Pucciniastrum, Pucciniostele, Ravenelia, Skierka, Uredinopsis, Uredo, Urocystis, and Uromyces.

This study aimed to determine the alterations in major biochemical contents of Aloe vera infested by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Effects of fungal pathogen C. gloeosporioides on chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, total chlorophyll, total soluble sugar, total phenols, total anthraquinones, total flavonoids, carotenoids and vitamin E were analyzed in artificially infested leaves of A. vera. While significant decrease in the contents of chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids and total soluble sugar was observed, an increased concentration of total phenolics, total anthraquinones, total flavonoid and vitamin E contents was recorded in infested leaves as compared to control. Being a medicinal plant, A. vera suffers a huge loss in its yield due to the attack of number of fungal pathogens. Moreover, changes in the concentration of its main biochemical groups were directly associated with the adverse effect of pathogens during the progression of infection on plant leaves. Therefore, control of the fungal diseases by applying appropriate management strategies is the important thrust to protect the plant of an enormous commercial value.

Uromyces is the second-largest plant pathogenic rust genus, is responsible for numerous diseases, and has major effects on both agricultural and non-agricultural plants. The genus is generally characterized by its unicellular teliospores that help to characterize it and distinguish it from another important rust genus, Puccinia. In this study, a global overview of the diversity and distribution of Uromyces is presented based on both online and offline resources. The information obtained was analyzed for numerical and graphical summaries to provide the diversity and distribution of the genus by country and continent. Besides this, broad taxonomical aspects, a brief life cycle, and other comparative aspects on diversity and distribution were also provided. In addition, a phylogenetic analysis based on the ITS and nLSU DNA sequence data available in GenBank and published literature was performed to examine the intergeneric relationships of Uromyces. The results obtained revealed that the rust genus is found distributed over 150 countries, territories, and occupancies of the world on around 647 plant genera belonging to 95 plant families. Phylogenetic studies based on LSU and ITS sequence data revealed that Uromyces species are polyphyletic and require more DNA-based analyses for a better understanding of their taxonomic placement.

A compendium of Indian smut fungi with respect to their diversity and distribution is provided in this paper. After compiling all the information available in online and offline resources, it was revealed that Indian smut fungi comprise 18 genera and 159 species belonging to five families. About 189 host plant species belonging to eight families are reportedly infected by smut fungi, Poaceae being the most infected. Similarly, Ustilago was reported with highest number of species (48) from India that accounts for 30.38 % of total number of species. Ustilago was followed by Sporisorium and Anthracocystis. Other genera recorded from India are Ahmadiago, Bambusiomyces, Cintractia, Clinoconidium, Eriocaulago, Farysia, Franzpetrakia, Macalpinomyces, Melanopsichium, Melanotaenium, Moesziomyces, Pericladium, Stollia, Tolyposporium and Tranzscheliella. Inaccessibility of literature on online platforms and ceased publications of many journals are the reasons for the dispersed literature of Indian smut fungi. This causes difficulties to researchers, especially young and emerging mycologists working on, or starting taxonomic work on smut fungi. The present paper provides a complete account of diversity and distribution of Indian smut fungi in a single-source document, for the benefit of national and international students and plant pathologists working on smut fungi.

This is a continuation of a series focused on providing a stable platform for the taxonomy of phytopathogenic fungi and fungus-like organisms. This paper focuses on one family:Erysiphaceaeand 24 phytopathogenic genera:Armillaria, Barriopsis,Cercospora,Cladosporium,Clinoconidium,Colletotrichum,Cylindrocladiella,Dothidotthia,,Fomitopsis,Ganoderma,Golovinomyces,Heterobasidium,Meliola,Mucor,Neoerysiphe,Nothophoma,Phellinus,Phytophthora,Pseudoseptoria,Pythium,Rhizopus,Stemphylium,ThyrostromaandWojnowiciella.Each genus is provided with a taxonomic background, distribution, hosts, disease symptoms, and updated backbone trees. Species confirmed with pathogenicity studies are denoted when data are available. Six of the genera are updated from previous entries as many new species have been described.

Fungi are an important and diverse component in various ecosystems. The methods to identify different fungi are an important step in any mycological study. Classical methods of fungal identification, which rely mainly on morphological characteristics and modern use of DNA based molecular techniques, have proven to be very helpful to explore their taxonomic identity. In the present compilation, we provide detailed information on estimates of fungi provided by different mycologistsover time. Along with this, a comprehensive analysis of the importance of classical and molecular methods is also presented. In orderto understand the utility of genus and species specific markers in fungal identification, a polyphasic approach to investigate various fungi is also presented in this paper. An account of the study of various fungi based on culture-based and cultureindependent methods is also provided here to understand the development and significance of both approaches. The available information on classical and modern methods compiled in this study revealed that the DNA based molecular studies are still scant, and more studies are required to achieve the accurate estimation of fungi present on earth.

Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f., an important medicinal plant suffers with a huge loss in its yield due to the attack of number of fungal pathogens. The aim of the present study was to analyze the biochemical changes in A. vera infected by Fusarium proliferatum (Matsushima) Nirenberg causing leaf spot disease in plant. Artificially infested leaves were examined to study the effect of fungal pathogen on chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, total chlorophyll, total soluble sugar, total phenols, total anthraquinones, total flavanoids and vitamin E. Results showed a significant decrease in the contents of chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, total chlorophyll and total soluble sugar in infested leaves as compared to control leaves. Whereas, total phenolics, total anthraquinones, total flavonoid and vitamin E contents were significantly increased in infested leaves as compared to control. Changes in the concentration of biochemical were directly associated with the adverse effect of pathogen during the progression of infection on A. vera leaves.

Gautam AK, Avasthi S. 2017. Short Communication: Some additions to powdery mildews (Erysiphales: Fungi) of Northwestern Himalayas. Nusantara Bioscience 9: 52-56. During the regular mycological collections, between October to December 2015 in North-West Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh, four powdery mildews parasitic on higher plants were gathered. After study they were found to be Pseudoidium cryptolepidis on Cryptolepis buchanani, Erysiphe trifoliorum on Trifolium repentis, Podosphaera xanthii on Coreopsis lanceolata and Podosphaera euphorbiae-hirtae on Euphorbia hirta. All the powdery mildew fungi are additions to Himachal Pradesh as well as north-west Himalayas.

Nanoscience is an interdisciplinary science which involves the study of phenomenon and manipulation of materials on ultra-small (nano)scale. Their nanostructure provides them an identity as key player in multidisciplinary approaches including agriculture, chemical industries, drug designing and drug delivery, electronics, fermentation technologies, and food processing industries. Specifically in medical diagnostics, chemicals and materials industry, drug and gene delivery, tissue engineering and biochemical sensors, fluorescent biological labelling, cancer treatment, bio-detection of pathogens, detection of proteins, and tissue engineering, nanoparticles are becoming very popular day by day. A number of microbes are used nowadays for the synthesis of nanoparticles; however, fungi are the prime choice because of their growth in the form of mycelial mesh, secretion of enzymes in large amounts, and easier approach to handle and manipulate them. The nanoparticles are generally generated extracellularly or intracellularly and are devoid of various impurities from the cell and can be used directly. Myconanoparticles emerge as outstanding solutions for various problems in the field of agriculture, pharmacy and other allied sciences. In agriculture, their role as pesticides, biofertilizers and in food industry is proving quite exceptional as they are eco-friendly, efficient and specific on target, easy to maintain and cost effective. Fungal agents are environmentally friendly, clean, nontoxic mediator for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles and employ both intracellular and extracellular methods. We need to broaden our horizons and start looking for real practical approaches for the main gaps that hamper our jump from laboratory research into field applications.

A severe rust infection was observed on the plantations of Oxalis corniculata (Oxalidaceae), commonly known as procumbent yellow sorrel, in Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, and on O. latifolia, known as garden pink-sorrel, in Uttarakhand in northern India. Detailed morphological examination of the diseased leaf samples was conducted, which confirmed the identity of the pathogen as Puccinia oxalidis. Rust symptoms on the host plants, along with taxonomic account of the phytopathogen are detailed in this paper. A taxonomic key of Puccinia species reported from Oxalis species is provided to facilitate its identity. In addition to understand its global host range, a worldwide host distribution of P. oxalidis is provided. The present study is the first detailed taxonomic account of P. oxalidis on Oxalis corniculata from Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh in northern India. To the best of our knowledge, this is a new record of P. oxalidis from O. latifolia from India.

A leaf spot disease caused by Phoma eupyrena Sacc. on Aloe vera was reported from Madhya Pradesh, India. Disease symptoms were observed as irregular to elongated, sunken lesion on both leaf surfaces which later turns creamish brown with maroon margin. The fungal colonies were whitish or light pale to dark grey colour. The pycnidia were glabrous and solitary, papillate, and indistinctly uniostiolate averages 100–260 μm in diameter. Conidia were ellipsoidal, 4.5–7.5 × 2.5–3.75 μm in size, with two large guttules. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of P. eupyrena causing leaf spot disease on A. vera in India.

Avasthi S, GautamAK, Bhadauria R. 2015. Occurrence of leaf spot diseases on Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. caused by Curvulariaspecies from Madhya Pradesh, India. Biodiversitas 16: 79-83. During 2010-2011, occurrence of leaf spot diseases was observed on Aloevera plants grown in various nurseries of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India. The typical disease symptoms were observed on the abaxialsurface, tips and spiny margins of leaves. Disease spots were sunken, dry, necrotic, dark maroon to dark brown in color. On the basis ofmorphological and microscopic characteristics of the fungus, two species of Curvularia i.e. Curvularia lunata and Curvularia ovoidea,were found to be associated with the leaf spot diseases. Koch’s postulate was applied to confirm the causal organisms of the diseases.According to the literature, this is the first report of leaf spot disease on A. vera caused by Curvularia lunata from Madhya Pradesh, andthe first report of Curvularia ovoidea from India.Key words: Aloe vera, Curvularia lunata, Curvularia ovoidea, leaf spot, India

A rust infection was recently observed on Grewia tiliifolia Vahl during an exploration of rust fungi in Himachal Pradesh, India, in October 2015. An examination identified the rust fungus as Puccinia tiliaefolia T. S. Ramakr. & Sundaram. This finding represents a new record for the northwestern Himalayas and the first finding of Puccinia tiliaefolia in India in the last 46 years. A geographical distribution map of P. tiliaefolia is presented.

Endophytic fungi are generally recognized for their close, asymptomatic association with the internal tissues of all higher plants. There is growing interest in the symbiotic relationship between these fungi and their plant hosts due to benefits the relationship provides to the plant in areas such as development and defense. Secondary metabolites produced by endophytic fungi are of potential interest as factors in the regulation of plant communities and the herbivores that consume them. The secondary metabolites produced by endophytic fungi have been identified as sources of bioactive compounds useful in the pharmaceutical, medical and agriculture industries. Some metabolites exhibit pesticidal activities that may be effective as biocontrol agents against various agricultural pathogens. These metabolites also contribute in plant fitness by improving their adaptivity to biotic and abiotic stresses and promoting defense mechanisms. Reports on the identification of endophytic fungi and their secondary metabolites are rapidly increasing. There are variety of bioactive compounds derived from fungal endophytes, available commercially to farmers for use in pest control. The role of fungal metabolites in plant-pathogen and plant-insect interactions is receiving increased attention because of their potential use in pest control; however, the physiology and regulation of the plant–endophyte interaction requires more research. Therefore, future studies should focus on understanding the ecology of endophytic fungi, their role in plant interactions with other microbes, and their potential as biocontrol agents against pathogenic. This chapter sets out to present general biological characteristics of fungal endophytes, their diversity, their production of secondary metabolites inside host plants, and their role as biocontrol agents. The interaction between fungal endophytes and plant pathogens is also discussed in order to understand their role in protection of plants from various pathogens. Examples of bioactive compounds isolated from fungal endophytes with potent biocontrol activity are also discussed in this chapter.

Pistacia integerrima is a deciduous tree species belonging to the family Anacardiaceae. The plant possesses numerous phytochemicals of ethno-medicinal importance. In a routine mycological survey carried out from July 2013 to June 2014, leaves of P. integerrima were found infected with fungi causing rust and blight diseases. The morphological and microscopic observations revealed three fungi, namely Skierka himalayensis, Pestalotiopsis sp., and Pileolaria pistaciae, which were found to cause rust and blight diseases. One new species of rust fungi, namely Skierka himalayensis sp. nov., and Pestalotiopsis sp. are reported for the first time from India. The detailed descriptions and illustrations of these three phytopathogenic fungi are provided in this paper.

Leaf spot disease of A. vera was observed in nurseries of Gwalior city afterthe post-rainy season. As the disease progressed, the tip of the leaf shrank, then dried and eventually broke. The causal agent was identified as Phoma betae A.B. Frank. This is the first report of leaf spot disease on Aloe vera caused by P. betae in India.

Suan Sunandha Science and Technology Journal, 4, 1

Leaf spot symptoms were observed on the leaves of Boehravia diffusa L. plants from different regions of Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, India. The symptoms initially appeared as a small light-pale coloured, circular spots enlarge gradually and ultimately leading to drying of the leaves. The disease was found to be caused by a fungus. The fungus was cultured on potato dextrose agar medium and identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. According to the literature, this is thefirst report of anthracnose disease of B. diffusa caused by C. gloeosporioides in India.

The present study describes the antifungal potential of fruit and powdered ingredients of triphala churna, i.e. Emblica officinalis (Garetn.) (Amla), Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. (Baheda) and Terminalia chebula (Retz.) (Harada), collected from the market of Gwalior (M.P.), India. Water extracts of all the fruits and powdered samples were tested (in vitro) for their antifungal activities by poisoned food technique against different Aspergillus species (A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. versicolor, A. terreus and A. niger) associated with them during storage. All extracts displayed varied levels i.e. very low to very high antifungal activities on four Aspergillus species. The aqueous extracts of fresh fruits (37.96 +/- 7.59%) was observed to be most effective than dry fruits (34.95 +/- 7.59%) and powder (25.07 +/- 6.05%). Terminalia chebula (fresh and dry) extracts were found most active against the four Aspergillus species with 49.15 and 40.8% inhibition, respectively. None of the extracts were found effective against the growth of A. niger. All fruits and powdered aqueous extracts were observed to be ineffective against the A. niger. The variability in antifungal activity of aqueous extracts in the present study may be useful to study the relationship between antifungal potential of herbal drugs and prevalence of fungal contaminant during their storage.