Fungal diversity notes 1512-1610: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungal taxa

This article is the 14th in the Fungal Diversity Notes series, wherein we report 98 taxa distributed in two phyla, seven classes, 26 orders and 50 families which are described and illustrated. Taxa in this study were collected from Australia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, French Guiana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Laos, Mexico, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. There are 59 new taxa, 39 new hosts and new geographical distributions with one new combination. The 59 new species comprise Angustimassarina kunmingense, Asterina lopi, Asterina brigadeirensis, Bartalinia bidenticola, Bartalinia caryotae, Buellia pruinocalcarea, Coltricia insularis, Colletotrichum flexuosum, Colletotrichum thasutense, Coniochaeta caraganae, Coniothyrium yuccicola, Dematipyriforma aquatic, Dematipyriforma globispora, Dematipyriforma nilotica, Distoseptispora bambusicola, Fulvifomes jawadhuvensis, Fulvifomes malaiyanurensis, Fulvifomes thiruvannamalaiensis, Fusarium purpurea, Gerronema atrovirens, Gerronema flavum, Gerronema keralense, Gerronema kuruvense, Grammothele taiwanensis, Hongkongmyces changchunensis, Hypoxylon inaequale, Kirschsteiniothelia acutisporum, Kirschsteiniothelia crustaceum, Kirschsteiniothelia extensum, Kirschsteiniothelia septemseptatum, Kirschsteiniothelia spatiosum, Lecanora immersocalcarea, Lepiota subthailandica, Lindgomyces guizhouensis, Marthe asmius pallidoaurantiacus, Marasmius tangerinus, Neovaginatispora mangiferae, Pararamichloridium aquisubtropicum, Pestalotiopsis piraubensis, Phacidium chinaum, Phaeoisaria goiasensis, Phaeoseptum thailandicum, Pleurothecium aquisubtropicum, Pseudocercospora vernoniae, Pyrenophora verruculosa, Rhachomyces cruralis, Rhachomyces hyperommae, Rhachomyces magrinii, Rhachomyces platyprosophi, Rhizomarasmius cunninghamietorum, Skeletocutis cangshanensis, Skeletocutis subchrysella, Sporisorium anadelphiae-leptocomae, Tetraploa dashaoensis, Tomentella exiguelata, Tomentella fuscoaraneosa, Tricholomopsis lechatii, Vaginatispora flavispora and Wetmoreana blastidiocalcarea. The new combination is Torula sundara. The 39 new records on hosts and geographical distribution comprise Apiospora guiyangensis, Aplosporella artocarpi, Ascochyta medicaginicola, Astrocystis bambusicola, Athelia rolfsii, Bambusicola bambusae, Bipolaris luttrellii, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Chlorophyllum squamulosum, Colletotrichum aeschynomenes, Colletotrichum pandanicola, Coprinopsis cinerea, Corylicola italica, Curvularia alcornii, Curvularia senegalensis, Diaporthe foeniculina, Diaporthe longicolla, Diaporthe phaseolorum, Diatrypella quercina, Fusarium brachygibbosum, Helicoma aquaticum, Lepiota metulispora, Lepiota pongduadensis, Lepiota subvenenata, Melanconiella meridionalis, Monotosporella erecta, Nodulosphaeria digitalis, Palmiascoma gregariascomum, Periconia byssoides, Periconia cortaderiae, Pleopunctum ellipsoideum, Psilocybe keralensis, Scedosporium apiospermum, Scedosporium dehoogii, Scedosporium marina, Spegazzinia deightonii, Torula fici, Wiesneriomyces laurinus and Xylaria venosula. All these taxa are supported by morphological and multigene phylogenetic analyses. This article allows the researchers to publish fungal collections which are important for future studies. An updated, accurate and timely report of fungus-host and fungus-geography is important. We also provide an updated list of fungal taxa published in the previous fungal diversity notes. In this list, erroneous taxa and synonyms are marked and corrected accordingly

Evaluation of anti-diabetic effect of Trigonella foenum graecum Linn. Leaf extract in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

Trigonella foenum graecum leaves are widely used as a vegetable throughout India and have a long history of medicinal use in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. Even though the leaves of this plant are used in diabetes mellitus, there have been no in vivo studies to prove its efficacy. The aim of this study was to know the efficacy of ethanol extract of T. foenum graecum leaves on blood glucose levels, antioxidant enzymes, islets cells of pancreas, creatinine and urea levels in normal and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (45 mg/kg b.w. in 0.9 % cold saline). Two doses (250 and 500 mg/kg b.w.) of the extracts were administered in the study. The activity was compared with the reference standard glibenclamide (0.5 mg/kg b.w.) for various biochemical and histopathological parameters. The data was analysed by one way ANOVA followed by Turkey's post hoc test. The activity of the extract in reducing blood glucose, creatinine and urea levels, in enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity and restoring and regenerating islet cells of pancreas was comparable to glibenclamide. The result suggests that ethanol leaf extract of T. foenum graecum possesses significant antidiabetic property

Dactuliophora mysorensissp. nov.: A New Species of Mycelia Sterilia Causing Zonate Leaf Spot on Cowpea in India

Cowpea is an important pulse crop extensively grown in arid and semi-arid tropics which is affected by a number of diseases. Fungi belonging to mycelia sterilia are known to cause many diseases on cereals and pulses. During the cowpea field survey in Mysore District of Karnataka (India),Dactuliophorasp. was identified as the major pathogen causing zonate leaf spot (ZLS) disease. The fungal pathogen was isolated from naturally infected cowpea leaves and identified as a member belongs to the genusDactuliophora, which was previously described by CLA Leakey in the year 1964 onVigna unguiculatafrom Africa. However, detailed morphological and cultural examinations of the pathogen revealed striking differences from that ofD.tarrii. Based on differences in morphology withD.tarrii, a new speciesDactuliophora mysorensissp. nov. is described herein. The disease incidence as well as disease index was estimated for 3 years (2016-2018). The severity of the disease was high during August-November. High incidence and disease index of ZLS was recorded in Doddamaragowdanahally region. The pathogenicity tests demonstrated similar symptoms of ZLS. The ITS barcoding revealed that the pathogen is closely related toRhizoctonia bataticolaandMacrophomina phaseolina. Further, in vitro evaluation of fungicides was carried out by poisoned food technique. Among the five fungicides examined, only two systemic fungicides (Benomyl and Carbendazim) were effective againstD.mysorensis. Thus, the present study recommends Benomyl and Carbendazim for management of ZLS disease caused byD.mysorensis

Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. (Simaroubaceae) Leaf: as a Potential Fodder Additive

Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. (Simaroubaceae) a promising multi-purpose tree species, as an important source of dietary nutrients, alleviate the fodder scarcity and thereby significantly boost the livestock production. The present study entailed to analyse the nutritional status of the leaf of Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. to find out its utility as food additive to ruminants. The proximate analysis revealed the presence of high moisture, total ash and acid insoluble ash contents. This plant is a good source of protein and total free amino acid was quantified high in accessions from Coimbatore, Salem, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Theni and Trichy. Crude fat and crude fiber contents were found in substantial quantity. The anti metabolites nitrite (and most dangerous fungal toxins Aflatoxin was found in non traceable quantity, thereby the toxicity of the leaf of A.excelsa was ruled out. In view of the fact, A.excelsa leaves enriched with nutrients, especially with high protein content can be recommended as an efficient fodder for ruminants/cattle

First report of Fusarium equiseti-the incitant of post flowering stalkrot of maize (Zea mays L.) in India

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the important cereal crops in the world and is the third largest grown cereal crop in India. Field surveys conducted in 2013-15 recorded stalk rot incidence of 28-35% in southern states of India. The typical symptoms were observed after pollination with the drying of the lower leaves and eventually entire plant wilted prematurely, lower internodes turned in to grey-green color and stalks are hollow and weak leading to the lodging of the plant. Stalk rot associated pathogen was isolated on PDA medium. Out of 219 Fusarium isolates, 19 were distinct and the fungal colonies on PDA medium showed the development of pale brown to dark brown pigment. Macro conidia were produced in orange sporodochia from monophialides on branched conidiophores with apical cells tapered and elongated. Chlamydospores were solitary and intercalary. All 19 isolates were morphologically identical, and a representative isolate was used for molecular identification. The ITS rDNA and TEF gene were amplified and sequenced using ITS1/ITS4, TEF1/TEF2primer pairs. The nBLAST search and phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the pathogen was Fusarium equiseti. Pathogenicity tests conducted on 50-day-old maize plants by injecting conidial suspension of F. equiseti produced typical stalk rot symptoms after 15 days of post-inoculation and the pathogen's identity was confirmed by cultural and morphological features after re-isolation. Association of F. equiseti as the causal agent of sheath rot of maize was reported from China. The association of F. equiseti with stalk rot of maize is the first report in India

Plant-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles: advances in the new millennium towards understanding their therapeutic role in biomedical applications

Zinc oxide nanoparticles have become one of the most popular metal oxide nanoparticles and recently emerged as a promising potential candidate in the fields of optical, electrical, food packaging, and biomedical applications due to their biocompatibility, low toxicity, and low cost. They have a role in cell apoptosis, as they trigger excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and release zinc ions (Zn2+) that induce cell death. The zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized using the plant extracts appear to be simple, safer, sustainable, and more environmentally friendly compared to the physical and chemical routes. These biosynthesized nanoparticles possess strong biological activities and are in use for various biological applications in several industries. Initially, the present review discusses the synthesis and recent advances of zinc oxide nanoparticles from plant sources (such as leaves, stems, bark, roots, rhizomes, fruits, flowers, and seeds) and their biomedical applications (such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, photocatalytic, wound healing, and drug delivery), followed by their mechanisms of action involved in detail. This review also covers the drug delivery application of plant-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles, focusing on the drug-loading mechanism, stimuli-responsive controlled release, and therapeutic effect. Finally, the future direction of these synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles’ research and applications are discussed