• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 2018

Fungal endophytes are defined as fungi inhabiting plant tissues, causing no apparent disease. As the agricultural and ecological importance of endophytes has increased, many studies have been performed on various aspects, ranging from basic identification, taxonomy, and evolution to secondary metabolites with potential for human use. In the Korean Peninsula, conifers are the most commonly found evergreen trees, with approximately 30 to 60 reported taxa. Studies on the effect of conifer-associated endophytes on the host plants are required for the preservation and conservation of coniferous forests which decline by climate change and deforestation. This review summarizes the diversity of endophytic fungi in coniferous trees of Korea and their relationship with host plants.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.259-262
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• 2016

Arthrinium (Ascomycota, Apiosporaceae) is a major marine fungal genus. Three Arthrinium species were reported previously, but not fully described. We isolated the two species A. arundinis and A. saccharicola from Sargassum sp. brown algae in Jeju Island, Korea. These species have not been previously reported in Korea. We described these species in detail and performed a phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequences of the EF1-${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$-tubulin genes.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.21-31
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• 2021

Auricularia (Auriculariaceae, Basidiomycota) is well-known jelly fungi, and most species are cultivated or utilized medicinally around the world. A total of 127 Auricularia specimens were collected during Korean mushroom forays by the Korea National Arboretum from 2008 to 2020. In this investigation, fungal barcode analysis and morphological examinations of 33 specimens were conducted and five Korean Auricularia species were identified. Of the species identified, A. americana, A. heimuer, and A. villosula were new to Korea, while A. auricula-judae which was previously identified in Korea, was not found. Herein, we discuss the Korean Auricularia species and provide a taxonomic key for their morphological identification.

• Mycobiology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2021

During the screening of Korean microflora, a fungal strain (KNU-PT-1804) belonging to the genus Pestalotiopsis was isolated from persimmon tree (Diospyros kaki) bark collected from North Gyeongsang Province, Korea. The strain, KNU-PT-1804, produced smaller conidia compared with related species P. kenyana, P. neglecta, and P. telopeae. The novelty of the strain was confirmed based on phylogenetic analysis using molecular datasets of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, β-tubulin (TUB2), and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1α) genes. Molecular phylogeny strongly supports that the strain is distinct from previously known Pestalotiopsis species, and we proposed the novel species, Pestalotiopsis kaki sp. nov., and provide a detailed description and illustration.

• Mycobiology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.436-444
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• 2023

Aspergillus species play a crucial role in terrestrial environments as degraders and are well known for producing various secondary metabolites. Recently, Aspergillus species have been discovered in marine environments, exhibiting adaptability to high salinity and producing diverse secondary metabolites with valuable properties. However, limited research has focused on their marine diversity, leading to inaccurate species identification. The current study addresses this gap by investigating diverse marine habitats in the Republic of Korea, including sediment, seawater, seaweed, and marine animals. From three coasts of the Korean Peninsula, 472 Aspergillus strains were isolated from the various marine habitats. A total of 41 species were accurately identified using multigenetic markers: internal transcribed spacer, calmodulin, and b-tubulin. The findings underscore the importance of accurate identification and provide a basis for elucidating the functional role of marine-derived Aspergillus species in marine ecosystems.

• Mycobiology
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.320-332
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• 2023

Talaromyces is a genus within the phylum Ascomycota (class Eurotiomycetes, order Eurotiales, family Trichocomaceae). Many species in this genus are known to produce diverse secondary metabolites with great potential for agricultural, medical, and pharmaceutical applications. During a survey on fungal diversity in the genus Talaromyces in Korea, six strains were isolated from soil, indoor air, and freshwater environments. Based on morphological, physiological, and multi-locus (ITS, BenA, CaM, and RPB2) phylogenetic analyses, we identified five previously unrecorded species in Korea (T. brevis, T. fusiformis, T. muroii, T. ruber, and T. soli) and a new species (T. echinulatus sp. nov.) belonging to section Talaromyces. Herein, detailed descriptions, illustrations, and phylogenetic tree are provided.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.313-335
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• 2005

Many plants take up soluble silica from the soil, and they deposit in plant tissues. Silica bodies are most commonly found in the leaf epidermis. Silica body is important factor in growth and development of plant. It help to maintain rigidity in stem and linear leaves, and its content may be correlated with resistance to fungal disease. In this study, several morphologically distinctive forms of silica bodies on Cyperaceae in Korea are recognized, which are eventually classified into two groups. Silica body type of first group (Rhynchospora, Fuirena, Scleria, Carex, Eriophorum) is A-type, which is conical in shape. Silica body type of second group (Cyperus, Scirpus, Eleocharis, Fimbristylis, Kyllinga, Bulbostylis, Lipocarpha) is B-type, which is conical in shape with numerous satellite body. These types are consistent enough to use as characters in taxonomic studies within genus. Silica body type may be associated with habitat: the species in dry region have A-type, whereas the species in wet region have B-type. These results suggested that shapes and presence or absence of silica body might be valuable to systematic analysis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.506-518
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• 2020

Background: Red-skin root of Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) significantly reduces the quality and limits the production of ginseng in China. The disease has long been thought to be a noninfectious physiological disease, except one report that proved it was an infectious disease. However, the causal agents have not been successfully determined. In the present study, we were to reveal the pathogens that cause red-skin disease. Methods: Ginseng roots with red-skin root symptoms were collected from commercial fields in Northeast China. Fungi were isolated from the lesion and identified based on morphological characters along with multilocus sequence analyses on internal transcription spacer, β-tubulin (tub2), histone H3 (his3), and translation elongation factor 1α (tef-1α). Pathogens were confirmed by inoculating the isolates in ginseng roots. Results: A total of 230 isolates were obtained from 209 disease samples. These isolates were classified into 12 species, including Dactylonectria sp., D. hordeicola, Fusarium acuminatum, F. avenaceum, F. solani, F. torulosum, Ilyonectria mors-panacis, I. robusta, Rhexocercosporidium panacis, and three novel species I. changbaiensis, I. communis, and I. qitaiheensis. Among them, I. communis, I. robusta, and F. solani had the highest isolation frequencies, being 36.1%, 20.9%, and 23.9%, respectively. All these species isolated were pathogenic to ginseng roots and caused red-skin root disease under appropriate condition. Conclusion: Fungal complex is the causal agent of red-skin root in P. ginseng.

• Mycobiology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.157-168
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• 2020

The Mount Juwang was designated as a national park in 1976 because of its unique bedrock geology. Although Juwang National Park has maintained its natural ecosystem well, few macrofungal surveys have been carried out. As a part of a project supported by the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR) for the discovery of indigenous fungal species, we surveyed the mushrooms in Juwang National Park from 2018 to 2019. The macrofungi were identified based on morphological and molecular analyses. Among these fungi, five specimens were identified as species previously unrecorded in Korea: Calocybe decolorata, Crepidotus brunnescens, Mycena pearsoniana, Psathyrella phegophila, and P. sulcatotuberculosa. Three of these species are known to be rare in the world: Crepidotus brunnescens, P. phegophila, and P. sulcatotuberculosa. In this study, we provide detailed morphological descriptions of the five unrecorded species from Mt. Juwang in Korea.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2012

This study investigated the distribution of endophytic fungi obtained from the surface sterilized tissues of leaves, stems and roots of chili pepper ($Capsicum$ $annuum$ L.) plants in seedling, flowering and fruiting stages in Korea and their antifungal activity. A total of 481 isolates were recovered and were identified using molecular techniques. Based on rDNA ITS gene sequence and phylogenetic analysis, 21 fungal genera were characterized, belonging to 16 Ascomycota and 5 Basidiomycota. $Penicillium$ in seedling stage, $Fusarium$ in flowering stage, $Colletotrichum$ followed by $Fusarium$, $Alternaria$ and $Xylaria$ in fruiting stage was predominant and $Alternaria$, $Cladosporium$ and $Fusarium$ were common in all growth stages. Among 481 endophytes 90 phenotypes were evaluated for the antimicrobial activity against three major pathogens ($Phytophthora$ $capsici$, $Colletotrichum$ $acutatum$ and $Fusarium$ $oxysporum$) of chili pepper. Among them 16 isolates inhibited the growth of at least one test microorganisms. Three strains showed a broad spectrum antifungal activity and displayed strong inhibition against chili pepper pathogenic fungi.