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Black mildews of Kodagu, Karnataka, India
Abstract
The systematic survey of the foliicolous fungi of Kodagu was initiated by one of the authors (VBH) in the year 2002, conducted four field tours to the area and subsequently taken over by the other authors (CJT & MCJ). Of these, only black mildews are presented here. More than 400 collections of black mildews are collected from Kodagu recorded on 265 host plants belonging to 65 families of flowering plants represented three fungal groups: Meliolales, Asterinales and Schiffnerulaceae belonging to 20 fungal genera: Amazonia - 4, Appendiculella - 1, Armatella - 4, Asterdiella - 21, Asterina - 61, Asterolibertia - 2, Asterostomella - 5, Cirsosia - 2, Echidnodella - 2, Eupelte - 1, Irenopsis - 11, Ishwaramyces - 1, Lembosia - 4, Mahanteshamyces - 1, Meliola - 82, Meliolaster - 1, Prillieuxina - 2, Questieriella - 3, Sarcinella - 6, Schiffnerula - 9. Of these, Asteridiella kodavae, Meliola coorgiana, Meliola kodaguensis, Meliola madhucae, Meliola cauveriana and Meliola goniothalami are new species. The area forms type locality for several taxa. This is the first of its kind for the area and forms a base for the subsequent work.
... Following the life cycle of modern Meliola sp. (Mueller et al., 1991;Tucker et al., 2010, Thimmaiah et al., 2013, here, we have illustrated for the first time a probable life cycle of our fossil-species M. bhutanensis showing both sexual and partial asexual morph cycle (Fig. 6). In the sexual morph cycle, colonization of our fungal fossil-species might have started when a mature 4 septate, 5-celled ascospore attached to the leaf surface of the host angiosperm plant. ...
Here, we report the in-situ occurrence of a new fossil-species of Meliolinites (fossil Meliolaceae), Meliolinites bhutanensis sp. nov. on the cuticle fragments of a compressed angiosperm dicot leaf recovered from the middle Siwalik (Formation II: latest Miocene to Pliocene) of Bhutan, eastern Himalaya. This unique foliicolous new fossil fungal species features well-preserved mycelia consisting of superficial, brown to dark brown, septate, thick-walled, branching hyphae with bi-cellular appressoria, unicellular phialides, and a characteristic long, slightly curved hyphal seta. The web-like, brown to dark brown fungal colonies also include globose to sub-globose, dark brown ascomata, and oblong to broadly cylindrical, 5-celled, 4-septate, brown to dark brown, mature ascospores. As almost all features of different stages in the life cycle (ascospores, mature germinating ascospores, superficial lateral hyphae, hyphal seta, hyphopodia, mycelial colony, and ascomata) of this new fossil-species are found, we have proposed the first time a possible life cycle of fossil-species of Meliolaceae. The in-situ evidence of M. bhutanensis on the host leaf cuticle indicates the possible existence of a host-ectoparasite relationship in Bhutan sub-Himalaya's ancient warm and humid tropical evergreen forest during the deposition. So, M. bhutanensis might have thrived generally under warm and humid climate conditions for its growth and development in the Mio-Pliocene time, which is in conformity with our recently published quantitative climatic data by CLAMP (Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program) analysis.
... The study has resulted in recording 183 black mildews, out of which 24 are new species and 78 are reported for the first time from Karnataka. Meliolales is represented by 3 sp. of Amazonia, 3 sp. of Armatella, 5 sp. of Asteridiella 6 sp. of Irenopsis and 26 sp. of Meliola; in Asterinaceae 21 sp. of Asterina, 1 sp. of Asterolibertia, 1 sp. of Ishwaramyces, 1 sp. of Meliolaster and 1 sp. of Prillieuxina; in Lembosiaceae 2 sp. of Cirsosia, 1 sp. of Echidnodella, 1 sp. of Eupelte, and 1 sp. of Lembosia; in Anamorphic genera 1 sp. of Asterostomella, 1 sp. of Mahantheshamyces; in Schiffnerulaceous fungi 2 sp. of Questieriella, 1 sp. of Schiffnerula have been recorded as first report to Karnataka (Thimmaiah et al., 2013). ...
The diversity and galaxy of fungi and their natural beauty occupy prime place in the biological world and India has been the cradle for such fungi. Although the higher plant flora and fauna of various ecosystems have been studied in great detail since European colonization in India, the lower groups of plants including fungi have not received the desired attention. One third of fungal diversity of the globe exists in India. Among them, only a fraction of total fungal wealth has been subjected to scientific survey and mycologists are yet to unravel the unexplored and hidden wealth of the area. Likewise, study of lower groups like fungi is largely incomplete and has not been taken-up systematically in the southern regions of India. There is a greater need for the documentation of these lower groups of fungi in our forests. Except the few sporadic accounts, a systematic survey of the microbes is yet to be set into. The tropical forests of India especially the Western Ghats is supposed to be rich in microbial diversity. In such a rich and the diverse region of Western Ghats, it is not possible to survey the entire Ghats at a time. To fill this lacuna, a systematic survey of the phylloplane fungi of various forest localities in the Southern Western Ghats was initiated since 2003.The Fungi inhabiting the leaves are known as phylloplane or foliicolous fungi. They are defined specialized nutritional guilds found on the surface of living plant parts, particularly on leaves. The phylloplane fungal parasites like rusts, smuts, powdery mildews, black mildews, tar spot fungi etc. are dealt in the present work. These fungi are widely distributed and flourish well in the tropical and subtropical regions as well as moist deciduous forests and grasslands of the southern Western Ghats. Since there is a degradation of forests every year, there is a habit and habitat loss resulted in the loss of enormous fungi before they are known to the scientific world, due to their habitat destruction. Hence, for every work, it needs a base to start and the present work provides the list of fungi published in various floras which contains mainly Phylloplane fungi of Southern Western Ghats. The study reveals that the Southern Western Ghats region is very rich in its fungal diversity.
... Foliicolous fungi of Goa and its adjoining areas were studied by Jalmi (2006). Thimmaiah et al. (2013) conducted a systematic survey of the foliicolous fungi of Kodagu, Karnataka. Foliicolous fungi of Kerala is well documented by Hosagoudar and his students (Hosagaudar & Robin 2011). ...
Fungal spores are continuously deposited on the leaf surfaces by wind impaction, sedimentation and rain wash–out from the atmosphere and splash– dispersal. They reside and act as asymptomatic mutualists, benign commensals or latent pathogens. A slight imbalance in this relation can lead to a pathogenic phase of the fungi, resulting in a variety of symptoms on leaves viz. discoloration, blight, sooty– spots, shot– hole, tar spot, powdery mildew, black mildews, downy mildews, rust, smuts, galls, sooty moulds and so on. With a view of studying the foliicolous fungi, a project entitled “Foliicolous fungi of Maharashtra” was undertaken and various areas were visited in different forest ecosystems of Maharashtra. A total of 429 isolates belonging 336 fungal species and intra specific taxa recorded during this study were categorized on the basis of foliage symptoms caused by them. Out of the entire recorded fungal taxa, 19.81% fungal species cause black mildews; 5.83% fungal species belong to only cercosporoid fungi causing leaf spots; 2.10% fungal species incite powdery mildews; 10.96% cause sooty molds; 1.63% incite anthracnose; 0.23% incite leaf smut; 3.50% incite leaf rust infection; 19.35 % incite leaf spots; 11.42% cause leaf blight/canker; 0.47% fungal species incite tar spots; 1.86% incite wilt diseases and the remaining 22.84% were found to be associated with leaves as facultative parasites/ saprophytes/Hyperparasites. Therefore, above studies were designed to characterize foliicolous fungi that would further help in the conservation and management of biological resources and also increase the agriculture wealth of the nation.
http://mij.areeo.ac.ir/article_117293_0d720134824e7fdeebe1538052e5c7af.pdf
... Species of Meliolales have different infection mechanisms and the life cycle is illustrated in Fig. 2. Thimmaiah et al. (2013) stated that colonization starts when a mature ascospore attaches to the host substrate (Fig. 2a). A primitive stalk-cell bearing a single capitate, angular or lobate hyphopodium is mostly produced from the terminal cell of the ascospore; this is likely to be an intermediate step before mature hyphopodia development (Fig. 2b) (Tucker et al. 2010). ...
The order Meliolales comprises the families Armatellaceae and Meliolaceae. These are black mildews that grow on the surface of host plants, often regarded as minor plant pathogens. In this study, types or specimens of 17 genera of Armatellaceae and Meliolaceae were borrowed from herbaria and re-examined. Armatella is accepted in Armatellaceae and Amazonia, Appendiculella, Asteridiella, Cryptomeliola, Endomeliola, Irenopsis and Meliola are accepted in the family Meliolaceae. Laeviomeliola is synonymized under Meliola. Ceratospermopsis, Ectendomeliola, Haraea, Hypasteridium, Leptascospora, Metasteridium, Ophiociliomyces, Ophioirenina, Ophiomeliola, Parasteridium, Pauahia, Pleomeliola, Pleomerium, Prataprajella, Ticomyces, Urupe and Xenostigme are excluded from Meliolaceae, and are treated as doubtful genera or placed in ascomycetes genera incertae sedis. The type species of each genus is re-described and illustrated with photomicrographs. Notes are provided and comparisons made. Two new species of Meliola and one new species of Irenopsis are also introduced with molecular data and we provide the most populated phylogenetic tree of Meliolomycetidae to date. Meliola thailandicum was found on Dimocarpus longan (Sapindales) and Acacia auriculiformis (Fabales) and confirmed to be the same species in the molecular analyses. This has important implications as the several hundred Meliola species are recognized based on host associations. Thus the same species being recorded from two unrelated hosts sheds doubt on Meliola species being host-specific.
... The fungal family Trichopeltinaceae (Dothideomycetes) comprises foliar epiphytes, which grow on leaves, or less often on stems of host plants (Batista et al. 1958). To the unaided eye, colonies usually appear as small to enveloping, black areas on the host surface, and/or as darkened "root"-like structures, and are similar in appearance to the black mildews or members of Teratosphaeriaceae (Thimmaiah et al. 2013, Hyde et al. 2013. In species of Trichopeltinaceae, the thallus consists of a neatly arranged, "skin-like", palisade of cells, which covers the host and is interdispersed with immersed, flattened thyriothecia. ...
The family Trichopeltinaceae is poorly known. This is due to an unclear history, few modern morphological studies and lack of sequence data in GenBank. The family was introduced in 1914 as Trichopeltaceae to accommodate the subfamilies Trichopeltinae and Brefeldiineae. In 1958 the spelling of the family was corrected to Trichopeltinaceae, as it was presumably based on the genus Trichopeltina. The family Brefeldiellaceae was introduced in 1962. Both Brefeldiellaceae and Trichopeltinaceae contain morphologically similar epiphgytic foliar taxa, the only difference being that the thallus is linear in Trichopeltinaceae and rounded in Brefeldiellaceae. In both families the thallus forms a neatly
arranged, “skin-like”, palisade of cells over the flattened thyriothecia, pseudoparaphyses are mostly lacking, asci are bitunicate and saccate and ascospores are ellipsoidal, muriform of trans-septate and hyaline to brown. Trichopeltinaceae is the earliest name for these taxa. The family can be confused with Trichothyriaceae and this is discussed. A new species of Trichopeltina is also introduced and illustrated.
The present paper deals with the systematics and analysis of data of the diversity of leaf inhabiting fungi of protected areas of Northern Maharashtra consisting of Khandesh region [Aner Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS), Toranmal WLS and Yaval WLS] and Vidarbha region (Lonar WLS, Dnyanganga WLS, Narnala WLS, Bor WLS, Pench Tiger Reserve, Melghat Tiger Reserve). During studies, a total of 40 fungal taxa were obtained. Phyllactinia was top genus with three species. Survey also resulted in publication of one new species viz., Tripospermum melghatense. Besides taxonomic studies, the diversity of leaf inhabiting fungi was also analyzed by using the statistical approaches and therefore, to analyze the difference in diversity of foliicolous fungi between the two regions, an ordinary least square (OLS) regression model was developed having species count as a regressand. To analyze similarity in the species composition, Jaccard similarity Index (JSI) was computed. There was no statistically significant (p-value > 0.10 for F-test) difference in the mean Species Count between the regions. However, low value of JSI (2.50%) shows highly dissimilar species composition, which indicates, rich diversity of foliicolous fungi.
Foliicolous micro-fungi are the microscopic fungi inhabiting leaf surface as asymptomatic mutualists, benign commensals or latent pathogens. Maharashtra being the largest state in terms of area in peninsular India shows wide variety of ecosystems. With a view of studying the foliicolous fungi in such a diverse array of habitats, a project entitled “Foliicolous fungi of Maharashtra” was undertaken and various areas were visited in different forest ecosystems of Maharashtra. The present paper deals with the analysis of foliicolous micro-fungal diversity of Konkan region of Maharashtra. A total 191 foliicolous micro-fungi were found. In order to analyse difference in biodiversity across the districts ordinary least squares (OLS) and count data regression models were developed with Species Count as a dependent variable. Both approaches yielded identical results in terms of overall significance of regression and statistical significance of estimated coefficients: there was highly statistically significant (p < 0.01) difference in mean Species Count across the districts. To analyse the similarity in species composition Jaccard similarity Index (JSI) was calculated. Maximum JSI was 7.927%, for Greater Thane and Sindhudurg districts. No species was common in all districts; only 4.396% species were common in maximum three districts (i.e. Greater Thane, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg).
http://www.plantpathologyquarantine.org/pdf/PPQ_9_1_9.pdf
This paper gives an account of five taxa of the genus Asterina, collected from Kerala State. Of these, Asterina miliusae and A. suttonii are the new species. Asterina hibisci (Doidge) Hosagoudar, comb. nov. is effected here, while, Asterina lobulifera and A. pogostemonis are reported here for the first time from India.
This work, is the continuation of my preceding two works on Meliolales of India, gives an account of 123 fungal species belonging to five genera, Amazonia (3), Appendiculella (1), Asteridiella (22), Ectendomeliola (1), Irenopsis (8) and Meliola (88), infecting 120 host plants belonging to 49 families. Generic key, digital formula, synoptic key to the species is provided. In the key, all the species are arranged under their alphabetically arranged host families. Description of the individual species is provided with the citation, detailed description, materials examined and their details including their herbarium details. Each species is supplemented with line drawings. Host and the species index is provided at the end. This work includes five new species: Meliola arippaensis, M. calycopteridis, M. cariappae, M. harpullicola and M. mutabilidis; a new variety: Irenopsis hiptages Yamam. Var. indica and two new names: Asteridiella micheliifolia (based on A. micheliae) and Meliola strombosiicola (based on Meliola strombosiae)
This paper gives an account of five foliicolous fungal taxa collected from Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala state. Of these, Irenopsis xeromphidis and Schiffnerula braunii are the new species; Meliola geniculata and Schiffnerula mirabilis are rare fungi and Meliola pterocarpi found on a hitherto unrecorded endemic host plants.
New names are proposed for: 1. Amazonia psychotriae var. major (Gaillard) Hansf. (1961), a later homonym of var. major Hansf. (1954), and 2. Meliola castanopsidis Budathoki & P.N. Singh (1994), a later homonym of M. castanopsis Hansf. (1948). - 3. A comb. nov. at species rank is needed under Irenopsis for Meliola aciculosa var. verbenae.-4. A new species of Meliola is recognized, typified by a specimen erroneously cited as a paratype of Irene cubitella.-5. The name Meliola combinans Cif. is validated and lectotypified, and lectotypes are designated for 6. Asteridiella glabra var. isertiae, and 7. Meliola galopinae.-8. Correction is needed for the host name cited for Meliola chasaliae.-9. The nomenclature of Meliola evansii and M. scolopiae is reassessed, and two varietal names are transferred to M. evansii. - 10. A new name is provided for M. evansii sensu auct. non Doidge (1920).-11. The sanctioned name Meliola psidii is conserved over the earlier synonym M. trichostroma, and two varieties published under the latter species name require transfer to M. psidii.
Generic descriptions and illustrated accounts of type species are provided for four hyphomycetous genera with hyphopodiate hyphae: Sarcinella, Questieriella (n. gen.), Mitteriella, and Endophragmiopsis. Questieriella spp. produce curved to sigmoid 3-septate conidia, and are synanamorphs of Sarcinella and Mitteriella. Five North American species of Sarcinella and their Questieriella synanamorphs are illustrated and described: S. heterospora (teleomorph Schiffnerula pulchra; synanamorph Q. pulchra n. sp.) on Fraxinus; Sarcinella quadrata (syn. Epochnium quadratum) on Fraxinus; S. questieri on Cornus; S. copallina (syn. Stemphylium copallinum) on Rhus, and Sarcinella vernoniae (syn. Stigmella vernoniae) on Vernonia. Helminthosporium prestoniae and Mitteriella craterispermi are illustrated, described, and transferred to Questieriella. The type species of Schiffnerula, S. mirabilis, and of Clypeolella, C. inversa, and briefly described and ascoma initials and Questieriella anamorphs illustrated. Developmental ...