• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.133-138
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• 2012

In November 2009, a powdery mildew on glossy abelia (Abelia ${\times}$ grandiflora) was found in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, Korea. Further survey in the southern part of Korea, e.g., Jeju, Busan, and Tongyeong confirmed occurrence of the disease. White colonies were present on leaves, young stems, and flowers, detracting from their beauty in landscape plantings. Severely infected lesions were discolored to red-purplish. Based on the morphological characteristics and analysis of rDNA, the fungus associated with the symptoms was identified as Erysiphe abeliicola U. Braun & S. Takam. This work provides the morphological feature of its anamorph for the first time, which is characterized by having multi-lobed hyphal appressoria and short foot-cells of conidiophores. Morphological characteristics of mature chasmothecia were consistent with the previous Japanese record of this species. The sequence of internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA obtained from a Korean sample showed that this species places in the section Microsphaera of the genus Erysiphe in phylogenetic position, corresponding with the classical taxonomy. This is the first report of E. abeliicola and its host plant in Korea. The host plant A. ${\times}$ grandiflora is newly listed in the host range of E. abeliicola.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.479-490
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• 2018

Red pepper is seriously damaged by thrips (Thrips palmi) and anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum throughout its development. Because of biotic constraints, producers often depend on chemicals that are expensive and have adverse effects on the environment, operator, and beneficial insects. In addition, resistance is developed because of the repeated use of chemicals. In recent decades, the use of microorganisms in crop protection has become a credible alternative because it is eco-friendly. In this study, we aimed to select isolates with insecticidal and fungicidal activities against the pathogens that cause anthracnose and thrips. We treated T. palmi adults and juveniles with 13 strains of entomopathogenic fungi (isolated from the soil by using the insect-bait method), and 6 strains showed excellent insecticidal activity (70-100%) 5 days after the treatment. The selected isolates were cultured with C. acutatum to screen for the strain with excellent anti-fungal activities, among which an isolate FT333 showed more than 95% control efficacy against C. acutatum in vitro. The isolate was identified as Isaria javanica through its morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the ITS and ${\beta}-tubulin$ nucleotide sequences. The Isaria javanica FT333 isolate could be used effectively for dual bio-control of thrips and anthracnose during red pepper cultivation.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.397-405
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• 2020

Beech mushroom (Hypsizygus marmoreus) is one of the most popular mushrooms in Japan, China, and Korea because of its delicious taste, nutritious value, and unique crunchy texture. In 2018-2019, unusual signs on the mushroom were observed in mushroom farms in Gyeongnam Province. The main signs were the inhibition of mycelial growth and primordial formation on the surface of mushroom media. When green mold caused contamination at early stage, the rate of pinhead formation by the mushroom greatly decreased to 46.5-71.5%. Conidia of the causal green mold were ellipsoidal, dark green, and measured 2.0-3.1㎛ long. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth of the green mold was 25℃. The phylogenetic tree obtained from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA sequences showed that the isolated green mold corresponded to Penicillium brevicompactum (100.0%). This is the first report of green mold contamination caused by P. brevicompactum on H. marmoreus.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.394-401
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• 2013

Trichoderma harzianum is one of rhizosphere fungus usually lives near the plant root regions in the soil. T. harzianum plays an important role in plant growth promotion and increases disease resistance against various plant pathogens on crops. In this study, the strain T. harzianum MPA167 was isolated from the barley rhizosphere soil in Suwon, Korea. Among 183 isolates, the strain T. harzianum MPA167 was selected as promising strain in which based on hyperparasitical activity against Phytophthora capsici and estimated disease control activity against P. capsici in the greenhouse conditions. The strain T. harzianum MPA167 was identified using 23s rDNA internal transcribed spacer(ITS) region sequences. MPA167 treatment ($1{\times}10^6$ spores/ml) showed greater disease suppression against Phytophthora blight of red-pepper caused by P. capsici in greenhouse compared with the water-treated control. Volatiles derived from T. harzianum MPA167 elicit growth promotion of tobacco and Arabidopsis seedlings in I-plate assay. In addition, T. harzianum MPA167 strain was also found to be effective for the growth promotion and induction of systemic resistance on red-papper plant. These results suggest that MPA167 might be used as one of the potential biocontrol agents.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.200-205
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• 2015

Perilla frutescens var. japonica Hara was collected from farmland in Seongju-gun. Fifteen endophytic fungal strains with different colony morphologies were isolated from roots of P. frutescens. Waito-c rice seedlings were treated with the concentrated culture filtrates (CF) of endophytic fungi for observation of their plant growth-promoting activities. In the results, the CF of Y2H001 fungal strain promoted the growth of the waito-c rice seedlings. The phylogenetic tree of Y2H001 strain was analyzed by the combined sequences of the partial internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and partial betatubulin gene. Molecular and morphological studies identified the Y2H001 strain as belonging to Aspergillus flavus. In gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of the CF of Y2H001 strain, gibberellic acid (GA) was detected and quantified. Therefore, we describe Y2H001 strain as a new $GA_3$-producing A. flavus based on morphological, molecular characteristics and analysis of secondary metabolite.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.122-126
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• 2016

In June 2015, an exhibited typical signs and symptoms of brown rot was observed on fruit of Apricot cvs. Modern and Alexander at an incidence of 5% of fruit in Jeonju, Korea. Early symptoms on fruit showed small, circular, light brown spots that eventually destroyed the entire fruit. Small sporodochia appeared on the fruit surface. Fruit susceptibility to brown rot increases during the 1 to 2 weeks period prior to harvest. The conidia were one-celled, hyaline, lemon-shaped, $14.6-18.0{\times}8.5-11{\mu}m$, and borne in branched monilioid chains. Based on the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the fungus was identified as Monilinia fructicola. A BLAST search revealed that sequences of the fungus shared 100% identity to those of M. fructicola. Pathogenicity of a representative isolate was proved by artificial inoculation, fulfilling Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first confirmed report on the occurrence of M. fructicola on apricot in Korea.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.383-390
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• 2013

Several yeasts were isolated from flowers found in Gyonggi-do Province and Jeju island in Korea. They were then identified by a comparison of their PCR-amplified D1/D2 regions of 26S rDNA, internal transcribed spacer 1 and 2 inclusive of 5.8S rDNA, using the BLAST database. A total of fifty four yeast strains were isolated from wild flowers in Gyonggi-do and the genus Pseudozyma was noted as being dominant. A total of thirty two strains were isolated from Songaksan and Seongsan-ilchulbong in Jeju island and Sporobolomyces ruberrimus was seen to be dominant. The anti-gout xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of the culture broths and cell-free extracts from eighty six yeast strains were then determined. The cell-free extracts of Pseudozyma hubeiensis 228-S-1 exhibited the highest xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of 19.6%. The XOD inhibitor was also maximally produced when Pseudozyma hubeiensis 228-S-1 was cultured at $30^{\circ}C$ for 36h in YEPD medium.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.293-296
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• 2016

In late June 2016, stalk rot symptoms were observed on five vatieties of sorghum (Sorghum bicolar) at organic paddy-upland rotation system in Anseong city, Korea. The initial symptom on stalk surfaces was red color with a dark red spot lesion. A fungus was isolated from the initial lesion, and cultured on potato dextrose agar. Size of microconidia mostly extend to $5-19{\times}2-{\mu}m$ in culture, with 0-1 septa and macroconidia extend to $29-52{\times}3-4{\mu}m$ with 4-6 septa. Pathogenicity was investigated using conidial suspension spray to seedling of sorghum. After 3 days of inoculation, the dark red lesion was produced on stalks. On the basis of mycological characteristics, pathogenicity, and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA sequence analysis, this fungus was identified as Fusarium thapsinum. This is the first report of stalk rot on sorghum caused by F. thapsinum in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.229-236
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• 2020

Sixty-five molds isolated from clinical specimens were included in this study. All the isolates were molds that could be identified morphologically, strains that are difficult to identify because of morphological similarities, and strains that require species-level identification. PCR and direct sequencing were performed to target the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the D1/D2 region, and the β-tubulin gene. Comparative sequence analysis using the GenBank database was performed using the basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) algorithm. The fungi identified morphologically to the genus level were 67%. Sequencing analysis was performed on 62 genera and species level of the 65 strains. Discrepancies were 14 (21.5%) of the 65 strains between the results of phenotypic and molecular identification. B. dermatitidis, T. marneffei, and G. argillacea were identified for the first time in Korea using the DNA sequencing method. Morphological identification is a very useful method in terms of the reporting time and costs in cases of frequently isolated and rapid growth, such as Aspergillus. When molecular methods are employed, the cost and clinical significance should be considered. On the other hand, the molecular identification of molds can provide fast and accurate results.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.15-27
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• 2020

In screening for antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) KCCM 40510 and Bacillus cereus KCTC 3624, NNIBRFG5039 was isolated from the air in Sangju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Based on a high sequence similarity of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, NNIBRFG5039 was determined to be closely related to Penicillium rubefaciens CBS 139145. The optimal media, initial pH, and temperature for mycelial growth and antimicrobial activity of P. rubefaciens NNIBRFG5039 were determined as follows: potato dextrose broth (PDB), pH 6.5, and 30℃, respectively. Under the optimal culture conditions, maximum mycelial growth (12.4 g L^-1) and antibacterial activity (7.5 mm zone of inhibition against MRSA KCCM 40510, and 5.0 mm zone of inhibition against B. cereus KCTC 3624) were observed in a 5 L stirred-tank fermenter. We also isolated the antimicrobial compound from an ethyl acetate fraction, and its chemical structure was identified as (S)-6-hydroxymellein (1) by ESI-MS, ¹H-NMR, and ¹³C-NMR. Consequently, the extract from P. rubefaciens NNIBRFG5039 may be used in functional materials for antimicrobial-related applications.