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Pine mushroom (Tricholoma matsutake) is one of the most valued ectomycorrhizal fungi in Asia because of its unique pine-like aroma, however, due to exceptionally slow growth of its mycelia in artificial conditions, its cultivation has been largely deemed as not possible. Previous studies have shown that some bacteria and a few Trichoderma species associated with pine mushroom promoted the growth of T. matsutake isolate, but this effect is relatively unexplored. In this study, we investigated the diversity of microfungi in the fairy ring of T. matsutake and their effect on the growth of T. matsutake isolate. From 184 fungal isolates, 28 species were identified based on suitable molecular markers. Penicillium was most frequently observed (16 species), followed by Trichoderma (4 species). Five Zygomycota species showed a high promoting effect on the growth of T. matsutake while the effects of ascomycetes were mixed. The microfungi that promote the growth of T. matsutake can be useful for forest nursery and artificial cultivation of T. matsutake.

Succession is defined as variation in ecological communities caused by environmental changes. Environmental succession can be caused by rapid environmental changes, but in many cases, it is slowly caused by climate change or constant low-intensity disturbances. Odaesan National Park is a well-preserved forest located in the Taebaek mountain range in South Korea. The forest in this national park is progressing from a mixed-wood forest to a broad-leaved forest. In this study, microbial community composition was investigated using 454 sequencing of soil samples collected from 13 different locations in Odaesan National Park. We assessed whether microbial communities are affected by changes in environmental factors such as water content (WC), nutrient availability (total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN)) and pH caused by forest succession. WC, TC, TN and pH significantly differed between the successional stages of the forest. The WC, TC and TN of the forest soils tended to increase as succession progressed, while pH tended to decrease. In both successional stages, the bacterial genus Pseudolabrys was the most abundant, followed by Afipia and Bradyrhizobium. In addition, the fungal genus Saitozyma showed the highest abundance in the forest soils. Microbial community composition changed according to forest successional stage and soil properties (WC, TC, TN, and pH). Furthermore, network analysis of both bacterial and fungal taxa revealed strong relationships of the microbial community depending on the soil properties affected by forest succession.

Microorganisms are regarded as a sustainable source of biologically active molecules. Among them, Trichoderma spp. have been an attractive source of biological compounds. However, the study of marine-derived Trichoderma has developed slowly because of the difficulty in isolating the fungi. In our study, 30 strains of marine-derived Trichoderma were identified through the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1&alpha, ) sequences, and their biological activities, such as antioxidant activity by ABTS and DPPH assays, antifungal activity against Asteromyces cruciatus and Lindra thalassiae, and tyrosinase inhibition activity, were investigated. As a result, the 30 marine Trichoderma species were classified into 21 taxa, including three new species candidates. Three strains of T. asperellum showed the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity and antifungal activity. T. bissettii SFC20170821-M05 and T. guizhouense SFC20180619-M23 showed notable DPPH radical scavenging activity and tyrosinase inhibition activity, respectively. This study showed the potential of marine-derived Trichoderma as a source of bioactive compounds.

Wood-decay fungi (WDF) play a significant role in recycling nutrients, using enzymatic and mechanical processes to degrade wood. Designated as a biodiversity hot spot, Central Siberia is a geographically important region for understanding the spatial distribution and the evolutionary processes shaping biodiversity. There have been several studies of WDF diversity in Central Siberia, but identification of species was based on morphological characteristics, lacking detailed descriptions and molecular data. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify WDF in Central Siberia, regarding the degradation of host trees based on both morphological and molecular analyses. We collected 106 WDF samples from Krasnoyarsk and the Republic of Khakassia in 2014 and 2017, and identified a total of 52 fungal species from six main host tree genera. In order to assess the host preference of the WDF, we examined previous literature, and data from this study. We confirmed a division in host preference of WDF between gymnosperms and angiosperms. DNA-based identification and host preference assessment of the WDF provide preliminary data on WDF diversity and their role in nutrient cycles in the ecosystem of Central Siberia. To fully understand WDF diversity in Central Siberia, continuous long-term surveys, including DNA sequence data, are needed.