Grassland associated microfungi in Yunnan province, China

Abstract

This study investigated microfungi associated with grassland vegetation in Yunnan Province, China. Various fungal taxa were isolated, representing diverse classes including Dothideomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Lecanoromycetes, Leotiomycetes, Pucciniomycetes, and Sordariomycetes. Detailed morphological descriptions, illustrations, and multigene phylogenetic analyses of these fungi are presented to clarify their taxonomic placements. The present work introduces several novelties, including 270 fungal collections obtained. These collections are distributed in 6 Classes, 24 Orders, 63 families, and 112 genera. And included the documentation of two new genera, 56 new species, 54 new records, four new combinations, and 70 species that are neither new nor new records. Among them, Dematiomelanomma and Keisslerielloides are introduced as new genera. Albotricha zhaotongensis, Apiospora poacearum, Camarosporioides kunmingensis, Coccinonectria yunnanensis, Dematiomelanomma yunnanense, Dinemasporium poacearum, Dothidea kunmingensis, Epicoccum kunmingense, Glomerobolus poacearum, Helicogermslita kunmingensis, Heterosporicola qujingensis, Keissleriella graminicola, K. lolii, K. zhaotongensis, Leptosphaeria chinensis, L. yunnanensis, L. zhaotongensis, Massarina yunnanensis, Melanconiella yunnanensis, Microdochium graminearum, M. shilinense, Neoascochyta zhaotongensis, Neomassaria yunnanensis, Neosetophoma dactylidis, Nigrospora dactylidis, Occultitheca yunnanensis, Ophiobolopsis dipsaci, O. poacearum, Ostropomyces yunnanensis, Paraophiobolus bidentis, Paraleptosphaeria kunmingensis, Parastagonospora yunnanensis, P. zhaotongensis, Periconia poacearum, P. todei, Phaeoseptoriella poaceicola, Phaeosphaeria kunmingensis, Ph. lolii, Phlyctema yunnanensis, Plenodomus zhaotongensis, Pseudocyclothyriella lolii, Ps. yunnanensis, Pseudolophiostoma kunmingense, Puccinia caricis-scaposae, Pu. kunmingensis, Roussoella chinensis, Schizothecium dactylidis, Septoriella graminearum, S. longispora, S. yunnanensis, S. zhaotongensis, Setophoma dactylidis, Stagonospora dactylidis, Stilbocrea yunnanensis, Trichomerium yunnanense, Zeloasperisporium spartii are introduced as new species. The new combinations are Keisslerielloides bambusicola (= Keissleriella bambusicola), K. caraganae (= Keissleriella caraganae), K. yonaguniensis (= Keissleriella yonaguniensis), and K. yunnanensis (= Keissleriella yunnanensis). We also introduce new records for Allocryptovalsa rabenhorstii, Apiospora arundinis, A. locuta-pollinis, A. rasikravindrae, Aplosporella javeedii, Astrocystis sublimbata, Catenuliconidia uniseptata, Comoclathris sedi, Cytospora tamaricicola, Cucurbitaria lijiangensis, Dinemasporium americanum, Discosia macrozamiae, Dothiorella plurivora, Epicoccum dendrobii, E. mackenziei, E. viciae-villosae, Floricola sulcata, Keissleriella gloeospora, Keissleriella poagena, Keisslerielloides yunnanensis, Letendraea helminthicola, Lophiopoacea paramacrostoma, Microdochium bolley, Montagnula shangrilana, Neoascochyta humicola, Neoleptosporella camporesiana, Neoleptosporella fusiformispora, Neoostropa castaneae, Nothophoma quercina, Occultibambusa jonesii, Ophiosphaerella aquatica, Paraphaeosphaeria michotii, Periconia cortaderiae, P. wurfbainiae, Phaeosphaeria septata, Ph. tabebuiae, Phaeosphaeriopsis aloes, Phaeosphaeriopsis grevilleae, Plenodomus artemisiae, Pl. sinensis, Praeclarispora herbicola, Proliferodiscus alboviridis, Pseudopithomyces chartarum, Ps. rosae, Sclerostagonospora rosae, Septoriella paradactylidis, S. tridentina, Septoriella vagans, Stagonospora poaceicola, Torula chromolaenae, T. fici, Tremateia arundicola, Truncatella angustata, Xylaria xylarioides. The new sexual/asexual links are reported in Keissleriella gloeospora, Neoascochyta humicola, Paraphaeosphaeria michotii, Phaeosphaeriopsis grevilleae, Praeclarispora herbicola, Pseudocyclothyriella lolii, and Stagonospora poaceicola. This study enhances the understanding of microfungal diversity in grassland ecosystems and highlights the rich, yet understudied, fungal biodiversity of Yunnan Province. This study also investigated the endophytic fungi associated with three grassland types, viz., non-degraded, moderately degraded, and heavily degraded in the Zhaotong region of Yunnan, China. Endophytic fungi were isolated from 52 plant species representing 19 families. A total of 549 fungal strains were obtained. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, including the intervening 5.8S nrRNA gene, was conducted for DNA-based identification. Sequence analysis identified 97 genera belonging to three phyla (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota), distributed across 9 classes, 26 orders, and 68 families. Sordariomycetes (41%) and Dothideomycetes (39%) were the most prevalent classes, with Fusarium spp. and Alternaria spp. identified as dominant genera. Fungal isolation frequencies varied among plant tissues: roots (31%), stems (27%), leaves (24%), and flowers (18%). Diversity and abundance of fungal species were notably lower in heavily degraded grasslands compared to non-degraded sites. These findings highlight the reciprocal relationship between grassland degradation and fungal diversity, providing valuable insights for the future management and restoration of degraded grassland ecosystems. These findings collectively provide a comprehensive overview of microfungi associated with grassland vegetation in Yunnan Province, integrating classical taxonomy with molecular approaches. By accounting for numerous taxa and ecological associations, this study significantly contributes to fungal systematics and biogeography. The outcomes of this research offer valuable foundations for future taxonomic, ecological, and conservation-focused studies in grassland ecosystems of subtropical Asia.