• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.120-125
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• 2019

In 2017, small, elliptical, brownish purple spots on spears and ferns of asparagus were found in fields of Gangwon-do. The isolated fungal species was identified as an ascomycete Stemphylium vesicarium based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenic analyses including nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and cytochrome b (cytb). A pathogenicity test revealed that S. vesicarium was the causal agent of purple spot disease on asparagus. The occurrence of purple spots caused by S. vesicarium on asparagus is the first report in Korea.

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2019

Three fungal isolates designated as CNUFC-YR329-1, CNUFC-PTS103-1, and CNUFC-PTS2-1 were discovered during a survey of fungal diversity of the order Mortierellales from freshwater and pine tree rhizosphere soil samples in Korea. The strains were analyzed morphologically and phylogenetically based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) of ribosomal DNA gene sequences. Based on their morphology and phylogeny, the three isolates were identified as Mortierella elongata, M. horticola, and M. humilis, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, M. elongata, M. horticola, and M. humilis, belonging to an undiscovered taxon, have not been previously described in Korea.

• 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.49 no.6
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• pp.527-533
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• 2021

The truffle and ectomycorrhizal roots formed by Tuber sp. were collected from the rhizosphere of Quercus aliena in Korea. The morphological characteristics of the ascoma, and molecular phylogenetic analysis using sequences from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) of ribosomal DNA, translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF), and RNA polymerase second largest subunit (RPB2) regions confirmed the distinct morphology of the truffle. This truffle belongs to a monophyletic clade among the other Tuber species in the phylogeny. This study describes the truffle, Tuber koreanum, as a new species reported from Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.253-257
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• 2021

Rust samples at both uredinial and telial stages were collected from Cleistogenes hackelii (Poaceae) in 2017 and 2019 in Korea. Based on the morphological examination and molecular phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) rDNA, it was identified as Puccinia klugkistiana. This rust at aecial stage has previously been recorded on Ligustrum japonicum (Oleaceae) in Korea. Puccinia diplachnicola has been previously recorded on C. hackelii in Korea; however, it is believed to be unrelated to the rust collected in the present study. Conclusively, this is the first study to report P. klugkistiana occurrence on C. hackelii in Korea.

• Mycobiology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.99-103
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• 2022

A new fungus isolated from the leaves of Eleutharrhena macrocarpa in southern Yunnan, China is described using morphological and molecular evidence. Phylogenetic trees based on the combined nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor-1α (TEF1), and β-tubulin gene (TUB2) sequences showed that Diaporthe eleutharrhenae sp. nov. is sister to Diaporthe chinensis N.I. de Silva, Lumyong & K.D. Hyde and morphologically differs in shorter alpha conidia (5-8.5× 1.5-2 ㎛) and the presence of beta conidia. This study also resolves a nomenclatural problem, as two taxa were published using the same name. To avoid confusion, the unrelated D. chinensis H. Dong, J. W. Xia & X. G. Zhang is here renamed as D. dongii (H. Dong, J. W. Xia & X. G. Zhang) S. J. Song & Landrein, sp. nov. in honor of the author that described this species. Study and description of fungi associated with threatened tropical species could help to understand their ecology as well as the potential spread of fungi onto cultivated crop species.

• Mycobiology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.20-29
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• 2022

Aspicilia humida Lee is described as a new lichen-forming fungus from a wetland forest, South Korea. The new species is distinguishable from Aspicilia aquatica (Fr.) Körb., the most similar species, by the absence of prothallus, black disk without green color in water, olivebrown epihymenium, shorter hymenium, hymenium I + yellowish blue-green, wider paraphysial tips without a vivid pigment, smaller asci, smaller ascospores, and the presence of stictic acid. Molecular analyses employing internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) sequences strongly support A. humida as a distinct species in the A. cinerea group. A surrogate key is provided to assist in the identification of all 28 aspicilioid species of Korea.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.299-303
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• 2023

Rust symptoms on Meliosma myriantha trees have been noticed during disease surveys in Korea since 2010, with a high disease incidence frequently surpassing 90%. The causal fungus of the rust disease was identified as Neophysopella vitis based on the morphological investigation and molecular sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) rDNA regions. This is the first report of rust disease caused by N. vitis on M. myriantha in Korea. A pathogenicity assay proved that M. myriantha serves as the aecial host of N. vitis as spermogonia and aeciospores were produced, which can infect the two uredinial hosts, Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia).

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 2023

Dark brown leaf molds growing in a vein-limited pattern have been continuously observed on the lower leaf surface of Fatoua villosa in Korea. Fifteen samples deposited in the Korea University herbarium were examined for fungal morphological characterization. Two monoconidial isolates were obtained in 2022, and molecular analysis was performed based on a combined multigene dataset of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and partial actin (actA), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second-largest subunit (rpb2). Based on morphological features and molecular phylogenetic analysis, the fungus Pseudocercospora fatouae was identified. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first study reporting the presence of P. fatouae on F. villosa in Korea.

• Mycobiology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.294-301
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• 2022

Mycena subpiligera, a new taxon in sect. Fragilipedes that can strongly enhance the germination efficiency of Gastrodia elata seeds, was discovered in subtropical areas of China. As revealed by a morphological comparison with related Mycena species as well as maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses based on sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the large subunit (LSU) regions of nuclear ribosomal RNA, the new taxon can be distinguished from phenotypically similar and phylogenetically related species. Optimal cultural conditions for M. subpiligera basidiomata are reported, and the germination rate of the new species is compared with that of M. citrinomarginata.