Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for JoF Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Diversity of Microscopic Fungi

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
Published Papers

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fungal Evolution, Biodiversity and Systematics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 6150

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Miloś Č. Stupar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: aerobiology; biodeterioration; biological activity; fungal ecology; microfungi

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microscopic fungi, which encompass molds, yeasts, mildews and microcolonial fungi, exhibit high levels of genetic variability, which allows them to adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions and ecological niches. Microfungi can colonize a variety of substrata and can be isolated from different environments, such as air, soil, water, plant and animal material, food, built environments and industrial settings. They are also present in extreme environments such as deserts, caves, polar regions or hot springs. In various ecosystems, microfungi play a crucial role. They are decomposers of organic matter and mutualistic partners of plants or animals, but they are also parasites and predators and causative agents of plant/animal and human diseases. This diversity of microfungi is crucial for ecosystem functioning, human health, and various industrial applications.

Novel molecular methods, especially metabagenomics, have revolutionized the study of microfungal diversity by allowing researchers to identify and characterize fungi. As research methods continue to advance, our understanding of microfungal diversity and its implications is likely to grow significantly.

Dr. Miloś Č. Stupar
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

fungi
microfungi
pathogens
saprobes
symbionts
yeasts

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (9 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

15 pages, 21648 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fungal Pathogens of Peach Palm Leaf Spot in Thailand and Their Fungicide Sensitivity

by Prisana Wonglom, Nakarin Suwannarach, Jaturong Kumla and Anurag Sunpapao

J. Fungi 2025, 11(4), 318; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11040318 - 17 Apr 2025

Viewed by 87

Abstract

Peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) is a long-lived tropical palm valued for its edible, nutritious fruits. The cultivation area of peach palm, which was introduced to Thailand for fruit production, has been steadily expanding. Small brown spots that expanded into irregular lesions with dark margins were first observed on B. gasipaes seedlings in commercial nurseries in Phetchaburi Province, southern Thailand. To identify the causal pathogens, ten fungal isolates were obtained from symptomatic leaves and subjected to pathogenicity tests, confirming their ability to cause the disease. Morphological and molecular analyses identified five isolates as Colletotrichum fructicola (BGC02.2, BGC03) and C. theobromicola (BGC01, BGC02.1, BGC04) and five isolates as Fusarium pernambucanum (BGF01, BGF02, BGF03, BGF04.1, BGF04.2). Phylogenetic analysis was based on act, cal, gapdh, ITS, and tub2 regions for Colletotrichum spp. and cal, rpb2, and tef1-α for Fusarium spp. In vitro fungicide assays revealed that C. fructicola and C. theobromicola were the most sensitive to carbendazim, mancozeb, and prochloraz, while F. pernambucanum was effectively inhibited by mancozeb and prochloraz. This study represents the first report of C. fructicola, C. theobromicola, and F. pernambucanum causing leaf spot disease on B. gasipaes in Thailand, providing essential insights for disease management strategies in the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity of Microscopic Fungi)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 2953 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Heterogeneity of Ornamental Plants in Nurseries Increases the Chance of Finding New Hosts for Phytophthora

by Alejandro Soto-Plancarte, Marlene Díaz-Celaya, Gerardo Rodríguez-Alvarado, Yolanda Leticia Fernández-Pavía, Hilda Victoria Silva-Rojas, Martha Elena Pedraza-Santos, Rafael Salgado-Garciglia, Tyler Baldwin Bourret and Sylvia Patricia Fernández-Pavía

J. Fungi 2025, 11(3), 187; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11030187 - 27 Feb 2025

Viewed by 450

Abstract

The production of ornamental plants in Mexico represents a job-generating activity that has grown in recent years; however, it is adversely affected by phytosanitary issues, notably those induced by Phytophthora. Studies of Phytophthora in ornamental nurseries are scarce in Mexico. The aim in this study was to identify Phytophthora species from selected ornamental plant nurseries in Mexico as potential new hosts. Samples of 13 genera diseased plant tissue and soil were collected from eight nurseries in Mexico during 2009–2010. Based on morphology and sequences of ITS rDNA, the 19 isolates obtained were identified as P. cactorum, P. capsici, P. cinnamomi, P. drechsleri, P. kelmanii, P. nicotianae, and P. tropicalis. Additional loci were sequenced to support species determinations within the P. capsici species complex; some of these isolates could not be confirmed as belonging to any described species, and one appeared to be an interspecific hybrid. This is the first report of P. kelmanii in Mexico; this is noteworthy due to being a broad host range, similar to most of the other species encountered. Evidence of nursery-grown plants serving as a Phytophthora vector to a home garden has been reported for the first time in Mexico. Cestrum nocturnum and Solanum ovigerum are new hosts for Phytophthora worldwide. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity of Microscopic Fungi)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 4005 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fungi That Live Within Animals: Application of Cell Cytometry to Examine Fungal Colonization of Ambrosia Beetle (Xyleborus sp.) Mycangia

by Ross A. Joseph, Kamaldeep Bansal, Jane Nguyen, Michael Bielanski, Esther Tirmizi, Abolfazl Masoudi and Nemat O. Keyhani

J. Fungi 2025, 11(3), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11030184 - 26 Feb 2025

Viewed by 475

Abstract

Ambrosia beetles bore into trees, excavating galleries where they farm fungi as their sole source of nutrition. These mutualistic fungi typically do not cause significant damage to host trees; however, since their invasion into the U.S., the beetle Xyleborus glabratus has vectored its fungal partner, Harringtonia lauricola, which has acted as a devastating plant pathogen resulting in the deaths of over 500 million trees. Here, we show differences in the mycangial colonization of the indigenous X. affinis ambrosia beetle by H. lauricola, and the native fungal species, H. aguacate and Raffaelea arxii. While X. affinis was a good host for H. lauricola, the related ambrosia beetle, X. ferrugineus, was only marginally colonized by H. lauricola. X. affinis beetles neither fed on, nor were colonized by, the distantly related fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae. Mycangial colonization was affected by the nutritional state of the fungus. A novel method for direct quantification of mycangial contents based on image cell cytometry was developed and validated. The method was used to confirm mycangial colonization and demonstrate alternating fungal partner switching, which showed significant variation and dynamic turnover. X. affinis pre-oral mycangial pouches were visualized using fluorescent and light microscopy, revealing that newly emerged pupae displayed uncolonized mycangia prior to feeding, whereas beetles fed H. lauricola contained single-celled fungi within 6 h post-feeding. Mixed populations of fungal cells were seen in the mycangia of beetles following alternating colonization. Nuclear counter-staining revealed insect cells surrounding the mycangia. These data highlight variation and specificity in ambrosia beetle–fungal pairings and provide a facile method for direct quantification of mycangial contents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity of Microscopic Fungi)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 12746 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mitochondrial Genomes from Fungal the Entomopathogenic Moelleriella Genus Reveals Evolutionary History, Intron Dynamics and Phylogeny

by Chengjie Xiong, Yongsheng Lin, Nemat O. Keyhani, Junya Shang, Yuchen Mao, Jiao Yang, Minghai Zheng, Lixia Yang, Huili Pu, Longbing Lin, Taichang Mu, Mengjia Zhu, Ziyi Wu, Zhenxing Qiu, Wen Xiong, Xiayu Guan and Junzhi Qiu

J. Fungi 2025, 11(2), 94; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11020094 - 24 Jan 2025

Viewed by 822

Abstract

Members of the genus Moelleriella (Hypocreales, Clavicipitaceae) are insect pathogens with specificity for scale insects and whiteflies. However, no mitochondrial genomes are available for these fungi. Here, we assembled seven mitogenomes from M. zhongdongii, M. libera, M. raciborskii, M. gracilispora, M. oxystoma, Moelleriella sp. CGMCC 3.18909, and Moelleriella sp. CGMCC 3.18913, which varied in size from 40.8 to 95.7 Kb. Synteny and codon usage bias was relatively conserved, with the mitochondrial gene arrangement being completely homologous to the gene order of 21 other species within the Hypocreales. Nevertheless, significant intron polymorphism was observed between Moelleriella species. Evolutionary analyses revealed that all 15 core protein–coding genes had ka/ks < 1, indicating purifying selection pressure. Sequence variation within the mitochondrial ATP synthase F0 subunit 6 (atp6) gene showed the largest genetic distance, with the ATP synthase F0 subunit 9 (atp9) gene showing the smallest. Comparative analyses of mitogenomes revealed that introns were the primary factor contributing to the size variation in Moelleriella and, more broadly, within Hypocreales mitogenomes. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the seven Moelleriella species examined form a well–supported clade, most closely related to Metarhizium. These data present the first mitogenomes from Moelleriella and further advance research into the taxonomy, origin, evolution, and genomics of Moelleriella. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity of Microscopic Fungi)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

94 pages, 17473 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Diversity and Ecological Dynamics of Palm Leaf Spotting Fungi—A Case Study on Ornamental Palms in Portugal

by Diana S. Pereira and Alan J. L. Phillips

J. Fungi 2025, 11(1), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11010043 - 7 Jan 2025

Viewed by 1080

Abstract

Palm trees (Arecaceae) are among the most popular ornamental plants worldwide. Despite extensive research on the fungi associated with Arecaceae, the diversity and ecological dynamics of fungi affecting ornamental palms remain poorly studied, although they have significant impact on palm health and economic value. Furthermore, while research on palm fungal diversity has traditionally focused on tropical assemblages, ornamental palms in temperate climates offer a unique opportunity to explore the diversity of palm fungi in non-native habitats. The present study conducted a preliminary assessment of the diversity and ecology of potential phytopathogenic fungi associated with foliar lesions on various ornamental palm host species in Portugal, combining morphological examination, PCR-based genomic fingerprinting, and biodiversity data analysis. The examination of 134 foliar lesions sampled from 100 palm trees resulted in a collection of 2064 palm leaf spotting fungi (PLSF), representing a diverse fungal assemblage of 320 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) across 97 genera. The overall fungal community composition revealed a distinct assemblage dominated by Neosetophoma, Alternaria, Phoma, and Cladosporium, with a profusion of infrequent and rare taxa consistent with a logseries distribution. Significantly positive co-occurrence (CO) patterns among prevalent and uncommon taxa suggest potential synergistic interactions enhancing fungal colonisation, persistence, and pathogenicity. The taxonomic structures of the PLSF contrasted markedly from tropical palm fungi, especially in the prevalence of pleosporalean coelomycetes of the Didymellaceae and Phaeosphaeriaceae, including recently introduced or not previously documented genera on Arecaceae. This novel assemblage suggests that climatic constraints shape the structure of palm fungal communities, resulting in distinctive temperate and tropical assemblages. In addition, the fungal assemblages varied significantly across palm host species, with temperate-native palms hosting more diverse, coelomycete-enriched communities. The present findings highlight foliar lesions as hyperdiverse microhabitats harbouring fungal communities with intricate interactions and a complex interplay of climatic, host, and ecological factors. With climate change altering environmental conditions, the identification of fungi thriving in or inhabiting these microhabitats becomes crucial for predicting shifts in pathogen dynamics and mitigating future fungal disease outbreaks. Understanding these complex ecological dynamics is essential for identifying potential phytopathogenic threats and developing effective management strategies for the health and sustainability of ornamental plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity of Microscopic Fungi)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 14079 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molecular Phylogenetics and Estimation of Evolutionary Divergence and Biogeography of the Family Cordycipitaceae (Ascomycota, Hypocreales)

by Huili Pu, Jiao Yang, Nemat O. Keyhani, Lixia Yang, Minhai Zheng, Chenghao Qiu, Yuchen Mao, Junya Shang, Yongsheng Lin, Chengjie Xiong, Longbing Lin, Pengyu Lai, Yanbin Huang, Xin Yuan, Huiling Liang, Longfei Fan, Xiaoli Ma, Chunjin Qiu and Junzhi Qiu

J. Fungi 2025, 11(1), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11010028 - 2 Jan 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1044

Abstract

The Cordycipitaceae family of insecticidal fungi is widely distributed in nature, is the most complex in the order Hypocreales (Ascomycota), with members displaying a diversity of morphological characteristics and insect host ranges. Based on Bayesian evolutionary analysis of five genomic loci(the small subunit of ribosomal RNA (SSU) gene, the large subunit of ribosomal RNA (LSU) gene, the translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α) gene, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb1), and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2), we inferred the divergence times for members of the Cordycipitaceae, improving the internal phylogeny of this fungal family. Molecular clock analyses indicate that the ancestor of Akanthomyces sensu lato occurred in the Paleogene period (34.57 Mya, 95% HPD: 31.41–37.67 Mya), and that most species appeared in the Neogene period. The historical biogeography of Akanthomyces sensu lato was reconstructed using reconstructing ancestral state in phylogenies (RASP) analysis, indicating that it most likely originated in Asia. Combined morphological characterization and phylogenetic analyses were used to identify and taxonomically place five species within Cordycipitaceae. These include the following: (i) two new species, namely Akanthomyces baishanensis sp. nov. and Samsoniella sanmingense sp. nov., (ii) a new record species isolated from infected Lepidopteran host, Blackwellomyces lateris, (iii) a new record species in the genus Niveomyces, with sporothrix-like asexual morphs, namely N. multisynnematus, isolated from dipteran insects (flies), and (iv) a known species of the (hyper-) mycoparasite, Liangia sinensis, isolated from the fungus Ophiocordyceps globiceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae) growing on a dipteran host. Our data provide a significant addition to the diversity, ecology, and evolutionary aspects of the Cordycipitaceae. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity of Microscopic Fungi)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 20591 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Species of Diaporthales (Ascomycota) from Diseased Leaves in Fujian Province, China

by Xiayu Guan, Taichang Mu, Nemat O. Keyhani, Junya Shang, Yuchen Mao, Jiao Yang, Minhai Zheng, Lixia Yang, Huili Pu, Yongsheng Lin, Mengjia Zhu, Huajun Lv, Zhiang Heng, Huiling Liang, Longfei Fan, Xiaoli Ma, Haixia Ma, Zhenxing Qiu and Junzhi Qiu

J. Fungi 2025, 11(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11010008 - 26 Dec 2024

Viewed by 720

Abstract

Fungal biota represents important constituents of phyllosphere microorganisms. It is taxonomically highly diverse and influences plant physiology, metabolism and health. Members of the order Diaporthales are distributed worldwide and include devastating plant pathogens as well as endophytes and saprophytes. However, many phyllosphere Diaporthales species remain uncharacterized, with studies examining their diversity needed. Here, we report on the identification of several diaporthalean taxa samples collected from diseased leaves of Cinnamomum camphora (Lauraceae), Castanopsis fordii (Fagaceae) and Schima superba (Theaceae) in Fujian province, China. Based on morphological features coupled to multigene phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA (LSU), the partial beta-tubulin (tub2), histone H3 (his3), DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit (rpb2), translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1) and calmodulin (cal) genes, three new species of Diaporthales are introduced, namely, Diaporthe wuyishanensis, Gnomoniopsis wuyishanensis and Paratubakia schimae. This study contributes to our understanding on the biodiversity of diaporthalean fungi that are inhabitants of the phyllosphere of trees native to Asia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity of Microscopic Fungi)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

34 pages, 50154 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recticladiella inexpectata gen. et sp. nov. (Nectriaceae) Pathogenic to Native Cinnamomum camphora (Lauraceae) Trees in Southeastern China

by Fangying Han and Shuaifei Chen

J. Fungi 2024, 10(12), 894; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10120894 - 23 Dec 2024

Viewed by 583

Abstract

The ascomycete family Nectriaceae includes soil-borne saprobes, plant pathogens and human pathogens, biodegraders, and biocontrol agents for industrial and commercial applications. Cinnamomum camphora is a native tree species that is widely planted in southern China for landscaping purposes. During a routine survey of Eucalyptus diseases in southern China, disease spots were frequently observed on the leaves of Ci. camphora trees planted close to Eucalyptus. The asexual fungal structures on the leaf spots presented morphological characteristics typical of the Nectriaceae. The aim of this study is to identify these fungi and determine their pathogenic effect on Ci. camphora. Of the isolates obtained from 13 sites in the Fujian and Guangdong Provinces, 54 isolates were identified based on the DNA phylogeny of the tef1, tub2, cmdA, and his3 regions and morphological features. Two isolates were identified as Calonectria crousiana, and fifty-two isolates were described as a new genus, including a single species. These fungi were named Recticladiella inexpectata gen. et sp. nov. The identification of the new genus was based on strong DNA base differences in each of the four sequenced gene regions. The conidiophores of this fungus had several avesiculate stipe extensions tapering toward a straight, occasionally slightly curved terminal cell, distinguishing it from other phylogenetically close Nectriaceae genera. The results indicate that R. inexpectata is distributed in wide geographic regions in southern China. Inoculation showed that R. inexpectata and Ca. crousiana caused lesions on the leaves of Ci. camphora seedlings within 6 days of inoculation, indicating that they are pathogenic to native Ci. camphora in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity of Microscopic Fungi)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

24 pages, 5857 KiB

Open AccessReview

Unveiling the Subterranean Symphony: A Comprehensive Study of Cave Fungi Revealed Through National Center for Biotechnology Sequences

by Željko Savković, Slađana Popović and Miloš Stupar

J. Fungi 2025, 11(4), 286; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11040286 - 5 Apr 2025

Viewed by 276

Abstract

Caves can be regarded as extreme environments, and fungi are known as omnipresent and highly adaptable organisms that can easily colonize such environments. The primary objective of this study was to use the statistical analysis of sequences stored in the NCBI database, together with related metadata, to find and uncover statistically significant distribution patterns of fungi occupying different substrata inside the caves. The obtained list included a total of 1447 sequences corresponding to fungi isolated from various substrata within cave environments around the world, which corresponds to 445 fungal species, members of the 394 genera. Ascomycota was the most dominant phylum and Eurotiomycetes the dominant class of fungal dwellers in these environments. The highest species richness is detected for the genus Penicillium (57), followed by Aspergillus (51). On the other hand, the most frequently documented single species was Pseudogymnoascus destructans, isolated mostly from hibernating bats and guano, followed by Penicillium chrysogenum. Because caves have stable, nutrient-limited, low-competition microhabitats that support unusual or cryptic species, many new fungal taxa have been reported as well (such as Aspergillus, Apiotrichum, and Cephalotrichum species). Finally, cutting-edge molecular technologies and better sampling methods are revealing hitherto undiscovered fungal diversity in caves worldwide. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity of Microscopic Fungi)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Diversity of Microscopic Fungi

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (9 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI