• Mycobiology
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.331-338
• /
• 2014

To examine the effects of water stress and Cenangium ferruginosum (CF) on the fungal endophytic community of needles of Pinus koraiensis (PK), fungal endophytes isolated from the needles of 5-year-old PK seedlings were compared before and after exposure to water stress conditions and artificial inoculation with CF ascospores. Artificial CF inoculation was successfully confirmed using PCR with CF-specific primers (CfF and CfR). For comparison of the degree of water deficit in water-stressed and control groups of PK seedlings infected with CF, the water saturation deficit and water potential were measured. Lower water potential estimates were found in the water-stressed seedlings than in the control group. The fungal endophytes isolated from the second-year needles of non-water-stressed seedlings before and after CF inoculation revealed that primary saprobes were approximately 30% and 71.7%, respectively, and the remaining endophytes were rot fungi or pathogens. Sixty days after CF inoculation, diverse fungal endophytes in the first-year needles were isolated from the water-stressed seedlings. However, some fungal endophytes isolated from the non-water-stressed seedlings were also identified. Fungal endophytes in the second-year needles of the water-stressed and non-water-stressed seedlings were approximately 8% and 71.7% of saprobes, respectively, and the remaining endophytes were rot fungi or pathogens. On the basis of the results, we conclude that water deficit and CF can have an effect on fungal endophytic communities in the needles of PK seedlings.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.16-22
• /
• 2016

Five islands (Sinjindo, Mado, Daenanjido, Wonsando, and Sapsido) and the coastal area (Muchangpo) in Chungnam, Korea, were selected to determine the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Soil-inhabiting AM fungi were isolated and identified on the basis of morphological characteristics and sequence analyses of 18s rDNA. The differences in the fungal community structures were compared among sites. As a result, 24 species of AM fungi were identified, of which two species of AM fungi, Acaulospora brasiliensis and Redeckera fulvum, were isolated for the first time in Korea. This study revealed that AM fungal spore abundance was low and the genus Acaulospora was dominant in most of the islands. AM fungal community structures in five Islands were highly similar. However, the coastal area, Muchangpo, had different AM fungal community structure from the islands.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.392-400
• /
• 2017

Peanut yield and quality are seriously affected by pod rot pathogens worldwide, especially in China in recent years. The goals of this study are to analyze the structure of fungal communities of peanut pod rot in soil in three peanut cultivars and the correlation of pod rot with environmental variables using 454 pyrosequencing. A total of 46,723 internal transcribed spacer high-quality sequences were obtained and grouped into 1,706 operational taxonomic units at the 97% similarity cut-off level. The coverage, rank abundance, and the Chao 1 and Shannon diversity indices of the operational taxonomic units were analyzed. Members of the phylum Ascomycota were dominant, such as Fusarium, Chaetomium, Alternaria, and Sordariomycetes, followed by Basidiomycota. The results of the heatmap and redundancy analysis revealed significant variation in the composition of the fungal community among the three cultivar samples. The environmental conditions in different peanut cultivars may also influence on the structure of the fungal community. The results of this study suggest that the causal agent of peanut pod rot may be more complex, and cultivars and environmental conditions are both important contributors to the community structure of peanut pod rot fungi.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.312-317
• /
• 2017

Orchidaceous plants have symbiotic relationships with endophytic fungi, including mycorrhizal fungi, which play important roles in the seed germination and growth of the host plants. In this study, endophytic fungal communities isolated from the roots of Cephalanthera longibracteata collected from three different sites in Korea were analyzed, and it was determined whether fungal communities were preferentially correlated with the sites. The fungal isolates were identified by sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer regions of rDNA. In total, 30 species of endophytic fungi, including two species of mycorrhizal fungi belonging to the genus Tulasnella, were identified. Leptodontidium orchidicola showed the highest frequency and was isolated from all root samples. Species diversity and richness were not significantly different among sites. However, the community structure of the endophytic fungi significantly differed among sites, suggesting that the site characteristics affected the community composition of the endophytic fungi colonizing the roots of C. longibracteata. Our findings will aid in developing methods involving the use of symbiotic fungi for orchid conservation and restoration in native habitats.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.686-695
• /
• 2021

Tricholoma matsutake is an ectomycorrhizal fungus that has a symbiotic relationship with the root of Pinus densiflora. Soil microbial communities greatly affect the growth of T. matsutake, however, few studies have examined the characteristics of these communities. In the present study, we analyzed soil fungal communities from Gyeongju and Yeongdeok using metagenomic pyrosequencing to investigate differences in fungal species diversity, richness, and taxonomic composition between the soil under T. matsutake fruiting bodies (Sample 2) and soil where the fairy ring of T. matsutake was no longer present (Sample 1). The same spot was investigated three times at intervals of four months to observe changes in the community. In the samples from Yeongdeok, the number of valid reads was lower than that at Gyeongju. The operational taxonomic units of most Sample 2 groups were less than those of Sample 1 groups, indicating that fungal diversity was low in the T. matsutake-dominant soil. The soil under the T. matsutake fruiting bodies was dominated by more than 51% T. matsutake. From fall to the following spring, the ratio of T. matsutake decreased. Basidiomycota was the dominant phylum in most samples. G-F1-2, G-F2-2, and Y-F1-2 had the genera Tricholoma, Umbelopsis, Oidiodendron, Sagenomella, Cladophialophora, and Phialocephala in common. G-F1-1, G-F2-1, and Y-F1-1 had 10 genera including Umbelopsis and Sagenomella in common. From fall to the following spring, the amount of phyla Basidiomycota and Mucoromycota gradually decreased but that of phylum Ascomycota increased. We suggest that the genus Umbelopsis is positively related to T. matsutake.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.401-410
• /
• 2011

We assayed the effects of simulated acid rain on the mass loss, $CO_2$ evolution, dehydrogenase activity, and microbial biomass-C of decomposing Sorbus alnifolia leaf litter at the microcosm. The dilute sulfuric acid solution composed the simulated acid rain, and the microcosm decomposition experiment was performed at 23$^{\circ}C$ and 40% humidity. During the early decomposition stage, decomposition rate of S. alnifolia leaf litter, and microbial biomass, $CO_2$ evolution and dehydrogenase activity were inhibited at a lower pH; however, during the late decomposition stage, these characteristics were not affected by pH level. The fungal component of the microbial community was conspicuous at lower pH levels and at the late decomposition stage. Conversely, the bacterial community was most evident during the initial decomposition phase and was especially dominant at higher pH levels. These changes in microbial community structure resulting from changes in microcosm acidity suggest that pH is an important aspect in the maintenance of the decomposition process. Litter decomposition exhibited a positive, linear relationship with both microbial respiration and microbial biomass. Fungal biomass exhibited a significant, positive relationship with $CO_2$ evolution from the decaying litter. Acid rain had a significant effect on microbial biomass and microbial community structure according to acid tolerance of each microbial species. Fungal biomass and decomposition activities were not only more important at a low pH than at a high pH but also fungal activity, such as $CO_2$ evolution, was closely related with litter decomposition rate.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.77-81
• /
• 2013

This study aimed to investigate differences in ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal communities between disturbed sites and undisturbed old forest sites. ECM root tips of Pinus densiflora were collected from 4 sites disturbed by human activities and 3 undisturbed old forest sites adjacent to the disturbed sites. Results in this study showed that the number of ECM root tips, species diversity, and number of species were significantly higher in the disturbed sites than in the undisturbed sites, suggesting that the ECM fungal community structure was affected by the degree of disturbance.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.377-384
• /
• 2021

Researching the soil fungal community is important to understand the interaction between fungi and living plants. However, too few studies have examined the soil fungal community and their interactions with plants. Rhododendron mucronulatum, commonly known as Korean rosebay, is an important forest resource that has aesthetic, ecological, and potential pharmacological values. We used a pyrosequencing method to analyze the characteristics of fungal communities from R. mucronulatum soil samples from Biseul mountain county park, which is one of the famous places for large R. mucronulatum colonies in South Korea. We collected soil core samples in February and August at three sites in the Biseul Mountain County Park, taking into consideration the regional and seasonal conditions. We obtained 454,157 validated reads after pyrosequencing all six samples. The fungal communities from the first observation spot in August had the richest species diversity among the samples. Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, and Mortierellomycota were major phyla in the samples. Agaricales_f, Mortierellaceae, and Clavariaceae were major families in the samples. The genus Mortierella was the most dominant in all six samples. Overall, 19 genera could be associated with R. mucronulatum. Sample 1 had 109 genera in sample 1, sample 2 had 111 genera, and sample 3 had 112 genera that were uniquely identified. The samples collected in August had 28 identified genera, that existed only in summer samples, indicating a weather effect. This study can be used as basic research to understand the relationship between soil fungi and plants.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.179-184
• /
• 2004

The diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM) was investigated in cultivated and natural fold sites or chungbuk, Korea. soils were collected from rhizosphere or Sorghum bicolor, Fagopyrum esculentum and Glycine max in cultivated sites, and of Miscanthus sinensis, Glycine soja and Lespedeza cuneata in natural sites. Total 20 species of Glomalean fungi were found in this study. Species richness, species diversity and density of AM fungi were significantly lower in the arable sites. While only AM fungal spores belong to Glomus and Acaulospora were found in arable fold sites, more diverse fungal spores including Gigasporaceae were found in natural grasslands. AM fungal spore composition did not significantly differ among crop plant species. Results suggest that the agricultural practices were significantly influenced on AM fungal community structures and mycorrhizal developments.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.416-421
• /
• 2014

In this study, we examined arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) community structure colonizing field-cultivated ginseng roots according of different ages, such as 1- to 5-year-old plant, collected from Geumsan-gun, Korea. A total of seven AMF species namely, Funnelliformis caledonium, F. moseae, Gigaspora margarita, Paraglomus laccatum, P. occultum, Rhizophagus irregularis, and Scutellospora heterogama were identified from the roots using cloning, PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequence analysis of the large subunit region in rDNA. AMF species diversity in the ginseng roots decreased with the increase in root age because of the decreased species evenness. In addition, the community structures of AMF in the roots became more uniform. These results suggest that the age of ginseng affects mycorrhizal colonization and its community structure.