M. Jayashankar's scientific contributions

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.