Placolecis kashmirensis sp. nov. (Lichenized Ascomycota, Catillariaceae) from Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan

Placolecis kashmirensis sp. nov. is described from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. It is characterized by a yellowish-brown thallus, hyaline, broadly ellipsoid ascospores, a relatively taller hymenium and pear-shaped pycnidia. The generic position is confirmed by a phylogenetic analysis based on nrITS sequences. Description, a phylogenetic tree, and identification key for all the known Placolecis species are provided

Amanita mansehraensis, a new species in section Vaginatae from Pakistan

A new species of Amanita subgenus Amanita sect. Vaginatae is described and illustrated based on material collected in pine forests in district Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtoonkhaw, Pakistan. Amanita mansehraensis is recognized by the presence of a light brown or light greyish olive pileus with strong brown or deep brown pileus center; non-appendiculate, rimose, sulcate or plicate striate pileus margin; subglobose to ellipsoid basidiospores; and a saccate volva. The internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nrLSU) were used for the delimitation of this species based on sequence data. The evolutionary relationships of A. mansehraensis with other species of Amanita were inferred by means of Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inferences of the nrLSU dataset and concatenated ITS+nrLSU dataset. Amanita mansehraensis is most closely related to A. brunneofuliginea, A. pseudovaginata, and the recently described A. glarea

Importance of Molecular and Phylogenetic Analyses for Identification of Basidiomycetes

Fungi are considered as diverse group of eukaryotic organisms and have very important role in ecosystem. Although their expected number is more than 2.2–3.8 million, only 120,000 taxa have been identified so far. Basidiomycetes are very large group of fungi including mushrooms, toad stools, puff balls, earth stars, polypores, and rust and smut fungi. Previously, these fungi were identified only by morphological characters that have been considered as variable due to environmental factors. Literature shows that many fungi are misidentified due to phenotypic changes. Molecular methods including phylogenetics prove to be successful aids along with traditional methods for correct identification of these fungi and these have revolutionized fungal reclassification. Many fungal taxa have been shifted to other groups of fungi after their phylogenetic analysis. So, many DNA markers can be used to solve such problems

New Ectomycorrhizas in association with Poplar from Himalayan moist forests of Pakistan

Populinirrhiza pinnata and populinirrhiza khanspurensis are described and illustrated as new ectomycorrhizas from Himalayan moist temperate forests of Pakistan in association with the root system of Populus ciliata. Populinirrhiza pinnata has monopodial pinnate type of ramification. The young mycorrhizas are dark brown while the older ones are black. White sugary crystals are present on mycorrhizal system. Emanating hyphae surround mycorrhizas. Rhizomorphs are thick and branched. Populinirrhiza khanspurensis has a simple to monopodial type of ramification. The color of the young mycorrhiza is brown; some times with dark tips while the older ones are dark brown. Rhizomorph and emanating hyphae are absent. As so far no fungal partner of these mycorrhizas has been identified, these fall under the category of ‘unknown’ and ‘unidentified’ mycorrhizas.&nbsp

Two new Bacidina species (Lecanorales, Ascomycota) from Pakistan

Bacidina margallensis and B. iqbalii from Pakistan are described and illustrated. Phylogeny of ITS nrDNA region confirms their position within the genus Bacidina, and morphological data make them distinct from other known species of the genus. Based on molecular data, corticolous Bacidina margallensis appears to be a sister species to B. chloroticula, but morphologically, when dry, is the most similar to known from Europe B. mendax because of the granular and warted greenish grey thallus, whitish-cream to dark brown and often piebald apothecia. It differs from that species by shorter, wider and less septate ascospores; 1–3-septate in B. margallensis vs 3–5(6)-septate in B. mendax, and by unusual parrot-green colour of wet thallus. Saxicolous Bacidina iqbalii is closely related to B. neosquamulosa but differs in having crustaceous thallus, transculent when wet entirely pale apothecia, larger asci and less septate large ascospores

Impact of climate change on rice yield in the main rice growing areas of Peninsular Malaysia

Agricultural sector is one of the sensitive areas that would be affected by the changes in key climatic elements. This study assesses the possible impact of climate change on the Malaysian rice production. The study employed DSSAT Crop Simulation Model to predict the rice yields in the eight granary areas of Peninsular Malaysia until 2030, based on projected weather data and current management practices. Increase in temperature and variations in rainfall pattern over the growing period were found to affect the rice yield. The results indicated that rice yield, during 2013 to 2030, compared to the base values are expected to decrease by12.2, 13.6, 8.7, 8.4, 15.2, 16.8, 11.4 and 18.6% for the main season and 45.5, 19.4, 33.9, 36.3, 34.5, 47.8, 21.8 and 7.5% for the off season for MADA, KADA, Kerian, BLS, Pulau Pinang, Seberang Perak, Ketara and Kemasin, respectively. These results showed that rice yield would be more negatively affected by the climate change during off season rather than main season

New species of Pseudosperma (Agaricales, Inocybaceae) from Pakistan revealed by morphology and multi-locus phylogenetic reconstruction

During fungal surveys between 2012 and 2014 in pine-dominated forests of the western Himalayas in Pakistan, several collections of Pseudosperma (Agaricales, Inocybaceae) were made. These were documented, based on morphological and molecular data. During this work, three new species came to light, which are here formally described as Pseudosperma brunneoumbonatum, P. pinophilum and P. triacicularis. These species belong in the genus Pseudosperma fide Matheny et al. (2019) = Pseudosperma clade fide Matheny (2005) = Inocybe sect. Rimosae s.s. fide Larsson et al. (2009). Macro- and micro-morphological descriptions, illustrations and molecular phylogenetic reconstructions of the studied taxa are provided. The new species are differentiated from their close relatives by basidiospore size and colouration of basidiomata. Molecular phylogenetic relationships are inferred using ITS (ITS1–5.8S–ITS2), nrLSU and mtSSU sequence data. All three newly-described taxa likely share an ectomycorrhizal association with trees in the genus Pinus. In addition, five names are recombined in Inosperma, Mallocybe and Pseudosperma. These are Inosperma vinaceobrunneum, Mallocybe erratum, Pseudosperma alboflavellum, Pseudosperma friabile and Pseudosperma neglectum

The Effects of Principals’ Digital Leadership on Teachers’ Digital Teaching during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Malaysia

Education involving digital technology is the latest transformation of the education system, especially during the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) has taken the initiative to spearhead efforts to develop the skills and potential of students in the use of digital technology. The main purpose of this study was to identify the level of digital leadership displayed by principals, the level of teachers' digital teaching practices and the elements of principals' digital leadership that predict the level of teachers' digital teaching. About 400 secondary school teachers in Hulu Langat District, Selangor were involved in this study. The findings of this study show that the level of digital leadership displayed by principals and teachers’ digital teaching practice are both at a high level. However, the positive correlation between the two is moderate. Multiple regression found that only digital citizenship is a strong predictor of teachers' digital teaching. The findings show that the ability to plan and organize digital leadership programs is important and can help improve students' academic performance, despite the COVID-19 pandemic crisis

Impact of Malaysian industrial energy use on carbon dioxide emission

Environmental issues such as global warming and climate change have negative effects on Mother Nature resulting in floods, landslides, erosion and extreme heat. Otherwise, the positive effect on the economy subsequent to disaster is through the substitution of capital. Currently the Malaysian energy policy highly promotes energy efficiency and focuses on high value added sectors that produce less CO2 emission. This study attempts to identify the impact of Malaysian industrial energy use on CO2 emission by analyzing energy intensity and CO2 emission intensity. This study found that the transportation sector produced the highest value added but has the highest CO2 emission. The findings of this study will prompt energy policy makers to examine the sector and promote low carbon energy use among its users. At the same time the high value added (productivity) sectors should be encouraged to produce less CO2 emission to protect the environment. In order to reduce CO2 emission, the energy intensive sectors will also have to reduce energy consumption by adopting energy efficient technology that produces less CO2 in the future

Ebola, the Negative Stranded RNA Virus

Ebola virus (EBV) is a deadly virus that has resulted in a number of deaths during its outbreaks in Africa in 2014–2016 and 2018–2019. This virus causes a hemorrhagic fever like other pathogenic viruses of the Filoviridae family with high mortality rate. The exact reservoir of the ebola virus is not known, but different mammal groups are the source from which it is transferred to the human population. The transmission among the human population is through body fluids of patients and also through aersol droplets in the air. The role of different glycoproteins in the budding formation has helped a lot in understanding the physiology of the ebola virus. Most of these viral glycoproteins synthesis and the replication enzymes offer a good inhibitory target for drug design against the ebola virus. Recently, different groups have claimed the development of a successful vaccine for the ebola virus. However, the availability of the vaccines to the poor population of Africa and other parts of the world is still not practical