• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.24 no.4 s.79
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• pp.246-254
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• 1996

Since the mid of 1980's, cultivation area and production of Ganoderma lucidum have been increased annually in Korea. However, the presence of a fungal disease has become a major limiting factor in the cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum, causing a serious economic loss. The present study was carried out to isolate and identify the pathogenic fungus to Ganoderma lucidum. Several fungi isolated from the wood logs showing typical symptoms were tested whether they are pathogenic to Ganoderma lucidum or not by cross-pairing culture method, flask inoculation method, and wood log inoculation method. The pathogenic fungus produced ascomata. Mature ascomata was spherical, dark, thick-walled, $45{\sim}95\;{\mu}m$ diameter. Asci were thin-walled, evanescent when mature, disintegrate early. Ascospores were spherical, hyaline, glaborous, thick-walled, refractive, $3.6{\sim}4.3\;{\mu}m$ in size. Conidiophores soon became abundantly septate and broke up into arthrospores, which are cylindrical, $3{\sim}6\;{\mu}m$ long and $3{\sim}4\;{\mu}m$ wide. Based on the observations under dissecting microscope, light microscope and scanning electron microscope, teleomorph and anamorph of the pathogenic fungus were identified as Xylogone sphaerospora Von Arx & Nilsson and Sporendonema purpurascens (Bonordon) Mason & Hughes, respectively. X. sphaerospora is first reported as a pathogenic fungus of Ganoderma lucidum.