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The yield and quality of cultivated food crops are frequently compromised by the prevalent threat from fungal pathogens that can cause widespread damage in both the pre-harvest and post-harvest stages. This paper investigates the challenges posed by fungal pathogens to the sustainability and yield of essential food crops, leading to significant economic and food security repercussions. The paper critiques the long-standing reliance on synthetic fungicides, emphasizing the environmental and health concerns arising from their widespread and occasionally inappropriate use. In response, the paper explores the potential of biological control agents, specifically endophytic fungi in advancing sustainable agricultural practices. Through their diverse symbiotic relationships with host plants, these fungi exhibit strong antagonistic capabilities against phytopathogenic fungi by producing various bioactive compounds and promoting plant growth. The review elaborates on the direct and indirect mechanisms of endophytic antagonism, such as antibiosis, mycoparasitism, induction of host resistance, and competition for resources, which collectively contribute to inhibiting pathogenic fungal growth. This paper consolidates the crucial role of endophytic fungi, i.e., Acremonium , Alternaria , Arthrinium , Aspergillus , Botryosphaeria , Chaetomium , Cladosporium , Cevidencealdinia , Epicoccum , Fusarium , Gliocladium , Muscodor , Nigrospora , Paecilomyces , Penicillium , Phomopsis , Pichia , Pochonia , Pythium , Ramichloridium , Rosellinia , Talaromyces , Trichoderma , Verticillium , Wickerhamomyces , and Xylaria , in biological control, supported by the evidence drawn from more than 200 research publications. The paper pays particular attention to Muscodor , Penicillium , and Trichoderma as prominent antagonists. It also emphasizes the need for future genetic-level research to enhance the application of endophytes in biocontrol strategies aiming to highlight the importance of endophytic fungi in facilitating the transition towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural systems.

The family Phaeosphaeriaceae is a diverse group of ascomycetous fungi that are commonly found in terrestrial habitats worldwide. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the biodiversity of Phaeosphaeriaceae in China, particularly in Sichuan Province, which has not been fully explored for its high fungal diversity. In our study, we conducted extensive surveys in Sichuan Province to identify and describe new species of Ascomycota with diverse habitats. Here, we present a taxonomic revision of Phaeosphaeriaceae with taxonomic novelties from terrestrial habitats in Sichuan Province based on a multi-gene phylogenetic approach. Our study focuses on the description of four new species of Phaeosphaeriaceae , representing novel additions to the diversity of this fungal family. Using a combination of morphological and molecular data, we provide detailed descriptions of the new taxa and their placement within the family. Additionally, we discuss the phylogenetic relationships of these new taxa with other members of Phaeosphaeriaceae , providing insights into the correct taxonomic classification of the family. Our taxonomic revision contributes to understanding fungal diversity in China and provides a foundation for future studies investigating the taxonomy and ecological roles of Phaeosphaeriaceae fungi. Furthermore, our multi-gene phylogenetic approach provides increased resolution and accuracy in the delimitation of species boundaries within the family. Our study highlights the importance of continued exploration and taxonomic revision in order to fully understand the diversity and distribution of fungal species in China and beyond. New species: Paraloratospora sichuanensis , Phaeosphaeria chengduensis , P. sichuanensis , and Septoriella shoemakeri . New combinations: Paraloratospora breonadiae , P. fructigena , Septoriella ammophilicola , S. asparagicola , S. festucae , S. luzulae , and S. verrucispora . New names: Septoriella paradactylidis , and S. neomuriformis .

The South China Botanical Garden (SCBG), one of the largest and oldest botanical gardens in China, conserves important plant germplasms of endangered species. Therefore, ensuring tree health and studying the associated mycobiome of the phyllosphere is essential to maintaining its visual aesthetics. During a survey of plant-associated microfungal species in SCBG, we collected several coelomycetous taxa. Phylogenetic relationships were evaluated based on the analyses of ITS, LSU, RPB2, and β - tubulin loci. The morphological features of the new collections were compared with those of existing species, emphasizing close phylogenetic affinities. Based on the morphological comparisons and multi-locus phylogeny, we introduce three new species. These are Ectophoma phoenicis sp. nov., Remotididymella fici - microcarpae sp. nov., and Stagonosporopsis pedicularis - striatae sp. nov. In addition, we describe a new host record for Allophoma tropica in the Didymellaceae . Detailed descriptions and illustrations are provided along with notes comparing allied species.

Microdochium species are frequently reported as phytopathogens on various plants and also as saprobic and soil-inhabiting organisms. As a pathogen, they mainly affect grasses and cereals, causing severe disease in economically valuable crops, resulting in reduced yield and, thus, economic loss. Numerous asexual Microdochium species have been described and reported as hyphomycetous. However, the sexual morph is not often found. The main purpose of this study was to describe and illustrate two new species and a new record of Microdochium based on morphological characterization and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses. Surveys of both asexual and sexual morph specimens were conducted from March to June 2021 in Yunnan Province, China. Here, we introduce Microdochium graminearum and M. shilinense, from dead herbaceous stems of grasses and report M. bolleyi as an endophyte of Setaria parviflora leaves. This study improves the understanding of Microdochium species on monocotyledonous flowering plants in East Asia. A summary of the morphological characteristics of the genus and detailed references are provided for use in future research.

China and Thailand are rich in fungal diversity with abundant freshwater resources that are favorable for numerous fungal encounters. Resulting from this, the majority of the Dictyosporiaceae species reported were from these two countries. During the investigation on the diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi in the Greater Mekong Subregion, eleven collections of cheirosporous species on submerged wood were collected from lentic and lotic habitats in China and Thailand. Phylogenetic analysis that combined nuclear small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU), internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU) and translation elongation factor 1α ( tef 1-α ) loci revealed six new species: Dictyocheirospora chiangmaiensis , D. multiappendiculata , D. suae , Digitodesmium aquaticum , Vikalpa grandispora and V. sphaerica. In addition, four known species were also identified and reported based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. The detailed descriptions and illustrations of these taxa are provided with an updated phylogenetic tree of Dictyosporiaceae .

Mycocaliciales comprise non-lichenized either saprotrophic or lichenicolous fungi which occur in temperate and tropical regions. The mazaediate, saprotrophic and monospecific genus, Pyrgidium , is currently assigned to this order, yet the phylogenetic placement of the genus has remained uncertain due to the absence of molecular data. In order to investigate the systematic position of Pyrgidium , two specimens collected in Brazil and Thailand, respectively, were used to generate mtSSU, SSU, LSU and ITS sequences. However, given that most other representatives of this order only have LSU and ITS sequences available, the phylogenetic reconstruction was limited to these two markers. The phylogenetic analyses confirmed placement of the genus within Mycocaliciales , the genus possessing a sister group relationship with the lichenicolous genus Sphinctrina . Detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations are provided, including those for type specimens of the various synonyms subsumed under the hitherto only accepted species, Pyrgidium montellicum (Beltr.) Tibell. The ascospore morphology was investigated using compound and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed for the ascospore size using PC-ORD 7. The molecular data and re-examination of the type specimens support the monospecific nature of this genus.

Calonectria species are important plant pathogens on a wide range of hosts, causing significant losses to plant production worldwide. During our survey on phytopathogenic fungi from 2019 to 2021, diseased samples were collected from various hosts in Guangdong Province, China. In total, 16 Calonectria isolates were obtained from leaf spots, stem blights and root rots of species of Arachis, Cassia, Callistemon, Eucalyptus, Heliconia, Melaleuca and Strelitzia plants. Isolates were identified morphologically, and a multigene phylogenetic analysis of combined partial sequences of calmodulin (cmdA), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-α) and beta-tubulin (β-tubulin) was performed. These sixteen isolates were further identified as nine Calonectria species, with five new species: Ca. cassiae, Ca. guangdongensis, Ca. melaleucae, Ca. shaoguanensis and Ca. strelitziae, as well as four new records: Ca. aconidialis from Arachis hypogaea, Ca. auriculiformis from Eucalyptus sp., Ca. eucalypti from Callistemon rigidus, and Ca. hongkongensis from Eucalyptus gunnii. Moreover, we provide updated phylogenetic trees for four Calonectria species complexes viz. Ca. colhounii, Ca. cylindrospora, Ca. kyotensis and Ca. reteaudii. Our study is the first comprehensive study on Calonectria species associated with various hosts from subtropical regions in China. Results from the present study will be an addition to the biodiversity of microfungi in South China.

In the course of investigating the systematics of woody litter micromycete associates in Yunnan Province, China, we found one new species in Phaeoseptaceae , one new genus and three new species in Sulcatisporaceae from 16 specimens collected (ten collections of ascomycetous teleomorphs, four collections of hyphomycetous and two collections of coelomycetes anamorphs) from Ailaoshan, Chuxiong, Diqing, Honghe, Kunming, Lancang, Mengla and Yuxi in Yunnan Province. These taxonomic novelties were recognized with the aid of morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analyses of multiple gene sequences (non-translated loci and protein-coding regions). Pleopunctum menglaense sp. nov. is accommodated in Phaeoseptaceae ( Pleosporales ) based on its hyphomycetous anamorph, which is characterized by superficial sporodochia on the host surface, macronematous, mononematous, cylindrical, unbranched, aseptate, hyaline and smooth-walled conidiophores, monoblastic, terminal, hyaline conidiogenous cells, hyaline, muriform α conidia, and brown, muriform β conidia with tri-lobed wing like basal cells. Kazuakitanaka gen. nov. (type: K . yuxiensis ) is introduced in Sulcatisporaceae ( Massarineae , Pleosporales ) for a saprobic ascomycete with teleomorphic and anamorphic (coelomycetous) features. The teleomorph possesses globose to subglobose ascomata with acentric ostiole, a peridial wall of textura angularis to textura prismatica, cylindric-clavate, pedicellate asci with an ocular chamber, and 1-2-septate, hyaline, fusiform, guttulate ascospores with a distinct mucilaginous sheath. The anamorph features pycnidial conidiomata, phialidic, ampulliform to cylindrical, hyaline conidiogenous cells and ampulliform to cylindrical, one-to-three-septate, hyaline, guttulate conidia. Loculosulcatispora was known only from its anamorph of L . thailandica . We observed the teleomorph of Loculosulcatispora hongheensis sp. nov. and amended the generic description of Loculosulcatispora accordingly. Loculosulcatispora hongheensis is characterized by globose to subglobose ascomata with a central ostiole, a peridial wall of textura angularis to globosa, branched, septate, pseudoparaphyses, clavate asci with a short pedicel and a minute ocular chamber and hyaline, fusiform, 1-septate ascospores with a thick irregular mucilaginous sheath. This study provides some insights into the diversity of fungi on dead woody litter in terrestrial habitats.

Stictidaceae comprises taxa with diverse lifestyles. Many species in this family are drought resistant and important for studying fungal adaptation and evolution. Stictidaceae comprises 32 genera, but many of them have been neglected for decades due to the lack of field collections and molecular data. In this study, we introduce a new species Fitzroyomyces hyaloseptisporus and a new combination Fitzroyomyces pandanicola . We also provide additional morphological and molecular data for Ostropomyces pruinosellus and O. thailandicus based on new collections isolated from an unidentified woody dicotyledonous host in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Taxonomic conclusions are made with the aid of morphological evidence and phylogenetic analysis of combined LSU, ITS and mtSSU sequence data. Characteristics such as the shape and septation of ascospores and conidia as well as lifestyles among genera of Stictidaceae are discussed.

This study led to the discovery of three entomopathogenic fungi associated with Kuwanaspis howardi , a scale insect on Phyllostachys heteroclada (fishscale bamboo) and Pleioblastus amarus (bitter bamboo) in China. Two of these species belong to Podonectria : P. kuwanaspidis X.L. Xu & C.L. Yang sp. nov. and P . novae-zelandiae Dingley. The new species P. kuwanaspidis has wider and thicker setae, longer and wider asci, longer ascospores, and more septa as compared with similar Podonectria species. The morphs of extant species P. novae-zelandiae is confirmed based on sexual and asexual morphologies. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses of ITS, LSU, SSU, tef1-α , and rpb2 sequence data provide further evidence for the validity of the two species and their placement in Podonectriaceae (Pleosporales). The second new species, Microcera kuwanaspidis X.L. Xu & C.L. Yang sp. nov., is established based on DNA sequence data from ITS, LSU, SSU, tef1-α , rpb1 , rpb2 , acl1 , act , cmdA , and his3 gene regions, and it is characterized by morphological differences in septum numbers and single conidial mass.

Members of Dodonaea are broadly distributed across subtropical and tropical areas of southwest and southern China. This host provides multiple substrates that can be richly colonized by numerous undescribed fungal species. There is a severe lack of microfungal studies on Dodonaea in China, and consequently, the diversity, phylogeny and taxonomy of these microorganisms are all largely unknown. This paper presents two new genera and four new species in three orders of Dothideomycetes gathered from dead twigs of Dodonaea viscosa in Honghe, China. All new collections were made within a selected area in Honghe from a single Dodonaea sp. This suggests high fungal diversity in the region and the existence of numerous species awaiting discovery. Multiple gene sequences (non-translated loci and protein-coding regions) were analysed with maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses. Results from the phylogenetic analyses supported placing Haniomyces dodonaeae gen. et sp. in the Teratosphaeriaceae family. Analysis of Rhytidhysteron sequences resulted in Rhytidhysteron hongheense sp. nov., while analysed Lophiostomataceae sequences revealed Lophiomurispora hongheensis gen. et sp. nov. Finally, phylogeny based on a combined dataset of pyrenochaeta-like sequences demonstrates strong statistical support for placing Quixadomyces hongheensis sp. nov. in Parapyrenochaetaceae. Morphological and updated phylogenetic circumscriptions of the new discoveries are also discussed.

Ostropales sensu lato is a large group comprising both lichenized and non-lichenized fungi, with several lineages expressing optional lichenization where individuals of the same fungal species exhibit either saprotrophic or lichenized lifestyles depending on the substrate (bark or wood). Greatly variable phenotypic characteristics and large-scale phylogenies have led to frequent changes in the taxonomic circumscription of this order. Ostropales sensu lato is currently split into Graphidales, Gyalectales, Odontotrematales, Ostropales sensu stricto , and Thelenellales. Ostropales sensu stricto is now confined to the family Stictidaceae, which includes a large number of species that are poorly known, since they usually have small fruiting bodies that are rarely collected, and thus, their taxonomy remains partly unresolved. Here, we introduce a new genus Ostropomyces to accommodate a novel lineage related to Ostropa , which is composed of two new species, as well as a new species of Sphaeropezia , S. shangrilaensis . Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses of mitochondrial small subunit spacers (mtSSU), large subunit nuclear rDNA (LSU), and internal transcribed spacers (ITS) sequence data, together with phenotypic data documented by detailed morphological and anatomical analyses, support the taxonomic affinity of the new taxa in Stictidaceae. Ancestral character state analysis did not resolve the ancestral nutritional status of Stictidaceae with confidence using Bayes traits, but a saprotrophic ancestor was indicated as most likely in a Bayesian binary Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling (MCMC) approach. Frequent switching in nutritional modes between lineages suggests that lifestyle transition played an important role in the evolution of this family.