Donát Magyar

Pyrigemmula, a novel hyphomycete genus on grapevine and tree bark.

The anamorphic taxon Pyrigemmula aurantiaca gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated from specimens that were collected from the inner bark of living woody hosts (Vitis vinifera, Pyrus communis, Mespilus germanica, Platanus hybrida, Elaeagnus angustifolia) and plant debris in Hungary. The fungus is generically distinct in the nature of the pyriform, golden conidiogenous cell with a solitary terminal pore and the ellipsoidal, distoseptate, phragmoconidia that germinate from each end and that have a rarely noted internal hilum quite unlike the hilum of the conidiogenous cell. The new fungus is compared with the type species of a number of allied genera of hyphomycetes. Free spores of the fungus were trapped in air, honeydew sap and rainwater samples. Aerobiological studies showed that the spores are infrequent in the air, whereas their concentration increased with higher atmospheric pressure. Pyrigemmula aurantiaca lives in bark fissures and rarely becomes airborne and the spores are mainly dispersed by rain splash.

Erratum to: Identification of airborne propagules of the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex during maize production

The airborne dispersal of the anamorphs of the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex was studied under pre- and postharvest maize (corn) production conditions using a 3-stage Andersen sampler. The aim of this study was to identify and analyse the size distribution of such species in air samples. Differences were observed between the concentration of large- and small-sized propagules (identified as aggregates and single microconidia, respectively), but the difference was only significant during a high concentration period (October 2007, P = 0.009). No correlation was found between the concentration of fusaria found at different sampling heights (10 and 150 cm above ground level). Fusarium isolates were collected and identified based on morphological characters and using species-specific PCR assays. The PCR analysis confirmed morphological identification of F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum and F. subglutinans. High concentrations were found during the maize harvest, loading and corn shelling. Our results showed that the monitoring of F. verticillioides should be performed at a single sampling height.

Application of the Principal Component Analysis to Disclose Factors Influencing on the Composition of Fungal Consortia Deteriorating Remained Fruit Stalks on Sour Cherry Trees

The sour cherry production is concentrated in eastern region of Hungary. During last two decades the commercialized yield varied between 42000-90000 metric tonnes. One of the main constraints is the fruit decay (anthracnose) caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. in Penz. (teleomorph: Glomerella cingulata [Stoneman] Spauld. & H. Schrenk). This disease has been known for centuries, and in certain orchards yield losses greater than 90% periodically occurred under epidemic conditions. In last decade, however, the grave infection has evolved in each season that resulted in disastrous yield losses and led to decrease of harvested area at about 25 %. Series of control measures were tried out, many of them with success with some degree (Borve & Stensvand, 2006; Borve et al., 2010), among them a newly developed biocontrol preparation was applied (Oros & Naar, 2008; Oros et al., 2011). Detailed analysis of weak efficiency of disease control revealed that beside C. gloeosporioides four other anamorphs of Glomerella were present (Table 1), among them C. acutatum (J.H. Simmonds, 1968), a new pathogen for the region, became recently dominant. Its strains, tolerant to recently applied fungicides to control the anthracnose, could be isolated of sour cherry orchards that might be the cause of ineffectiveness of control measures in 2006-2010 (Oros et al., 2010). At the increasing costs of cultivation only high yields may secure a profitable production of sour cherry. From this point of view, the anthracnose caused by Glomerella anamorph with special regards to C. acutatum is an important element of uncertainty that means elaboration of efficient control measures is the critical challenge to unconquerable sour cherry production. Efficient control measures reduce the yield loss in the orchard by suppressing the pathogen (i.e. by the reduction of the number of viable spores and infected fruits). On our major surprise, the pathogen can not be isolated of overwintering fruit mummies in industrial plantations of East Hungary contrarily to other sour cherry producing regions. A survey was carried out to disclose the cause of this phenomenon collecting samples of remained fruit stalks of varieties in sour cherry gene bank of East Hungary. The relationships between host (sour cherry variety) and fungi associated to stalks have been analyzed by multivariate methods: Non-linear Mapping

Dispersal Strategies of Microfungi

Successful and efficient dispersal of fungi is crucial to the survival of the fungi, balance of ecosystems, and stability of biodiversities. Dispersal strategies of microfungi and other fungi are reviewed in detail based on the literature published in the last four decades. It covers the latest development of research on the dispersal process: liberation, transporation, deposition, resuspension, and survival of fungal spores and other propagules from microscale to macroscale. The characters of dispersal strategies of fungi from different habitats are elucidated. The fungal habitats include litter, soil, plants, insects, other animals, aquatic and marine environments, etc. For each strategy, the associated mechanisms are discussed for their ecological significance. The significance of the new technology used in the recent studies on dispersal strategies is presented. At the same time, current and future applications of dispersal strategies of microfungi are discussed in the chapter.

Lecophagus vermicola sp. nov., a nematophagous hyphomycete with an unusual hunting strategy

Lecophagus vermicola sp. nov. is described and illustrated as a predacious (carnivorous) hyphomycete living in bark fissures of living trees of Platanus and other angiosperm and gymnosperm trees, recorded in Hungary, Luxembourg and France. The fungus captures nematodes unlike other Lecophagus species, which are predators of rotifers and tardigrades. The morphology of the sessile, adhesive knobs differ from all previously described species of the genus which form adhesive pegs. Molecular data confirms that the new species belongs to the Lecophagus clade but without matching existing sequences. The fungus captures victims with adhesive knobs and colonizes its prey with a mycelium of rather broad hyphae on which, again, adhesive knobs are formed which penetrate the cuticule of the victim. Clusters of colonized nematodes form a network utilized to capture more prey. The fungus lives in the xeric, ephemerally aquatic habitat of bark fissures of standing, living or dead, corticated trunks and branches. The genus Haptocara is compared, which has similar adhesive knobs capturing nematodes and similar broad hyphae, but for which no molecular data was available.

Mycoceros antennatissimus gen. et sp. nov.: a mitosporic fungus capturing pollen grains

Mycoceros antennatissimus gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated from pollen grains deposited on the bark of Elaeagnus angustifolia and Platanus × acerifolia in Hungary. This fungus is shown to capture pollen grains by its three-dimensional shape. It clearly shows seasonality and appears to be rare. The following factors determine its ecological niche: (1) the availability of fresh Pinaceae pollen grains deposited from the air on the bark of a nearby standing angiosperm tree with (2) water-retaining spongious bark, and (3) rainy weather. Conidia are mainly dispersed by stemflow rainwater, while they hardly become airborne. Direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from single conidia made it possible to perform molecular phylogenetic investigation in order to clarify its taxonomic relationship within the Ascomycota.

Occurrence of black Aspergilli in indoor environments of six countries.

Abstract Black Aspergilli (Aspergillus section Nigri) are widely distributed in various habitats. They act as food spoilage organisms, human pathogens, and mycotoxin producers and are frequently encountered in indoor environments. Black Aspergilli, specifically A. niger, A. welwitschiae, and A. carbonarius, produce different ochratoxins and fumonisins. Ochratoxins are known to induce renal disorders following inhalation, which necessitates the determination of potential mycotoxin-producing species in our environment. This paper aimed to compare the diversity and species distribution of black Aspergilli in the indoor environments of six different countries using morphological and molecular methods. A total of 178 black Aspergillus isolates were identified from six countries. In contrast with results from previous studies, A. niger was not the only black Aspergillus detected in indoor air. Species distribution differed among countries, although the distribution in European countries (Croatia, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Turkey) with a temperate climate was considerably similar. The highest species diversity was observed in indoor samples from Thailand, while the lowest was found in Algeria. Potentially ochratoxin- and fumonisin-producing fungi were detected in the indoor air of all six countries. Further studies need to clarify the effect of these fungi and their mycotoxins on human and animal health. Sažetak Crne plijesni roda Aspergillus široko su rasprostranjene u različitim životnim prostorima. Razgrađivači su hrane, ljudski patogeni i proizvođači mikotoksina. Također ih se često može pronaći u unutarnjim prostorima, a pojedine vrste poput A. niger, A. welwitschiae i A. carbonarius proizvode ohratoksine i fumonizine. Udisanje ohratoksina uzrokuje poremećaje bubrežne funkcije, pa je iznimno važno odrediti plijesni u našem okolišu koje bi ih mogle proizvoditi. U ovom se radu uspoređuje raznolikost i rasprostranjenost vrsta crnih plijesni roda Aspergillus u unutarnjem prostoru šest različitih zemalja morfološkim i molekularnim metodama. Analizirano je ukupno 178 uzoraka. Za razliku od prethodnih studija, u zraku unutarnjih prostora nije pronađena samo A. niger. Rasprostranjenost vrsta u europskim zemljama (Hrvatska, Mađarska, Nizozemska i Turska), gdje je klima umjerena, bila je umnogome slična. Najveća raznolikost uočena je u uzorcima iz Tajlanda, a najmanja u Alžiru. Da bi se razjasnili štetni učinci navedenih plijesni i mikrotoksina na zdravlje ljudi i životinja, potrebna su daljnja istraživanja.

The first record of subtropical insects (Thysanoptera) in central Europe: long‐distance transport of airborne thrips, applying three‐dimensional backward trajectories

The present study reports the first occurrence and flight period of three species, namely Scolothrips tenuipennis zur Strassen 1965, Frankliniella schultzei Trybom, 1910 and Zurstrassenia figuratus zur Strassen, 1968 (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in Hungary. A fourth, undescribed species belonging to the genus Caliothrips was also captured. The distribution area of these species is North Africa and it is hypothesized that they are transported to Hungary via long‐distance air currents. Data for a suction trap are examined in South–East Hungary, in the 3‐year period 2002–2004 from May to September. A three‐dimensional back‐trajectory analysis based on the Hybrid Single‐Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) transport and dispersion model was performed for the observation days to determine the origin and path of air masses and evaluate of the possibility of long‐distance transport of thrips species. Surprisingly, the analysis showed that only a few percent of the back trajectories originated or passed over North Africa. The results suggest that the captured thrips species could survive long‐distance transport at low‐level trajectories and establish new populations in Western Europe, the eastern part of Europe and Northern Central Europe, which together serve as source areas for the long‐range transport of thrips to the target station.

Dendrotelmata (Water-Filled Tree Holes) as Fungal Hotspots-A Long Term Study

Abstract Water-filled tree holes (dendrotelmata) are mostly ephemeral micro-ecosystems characterized by high level of heterotrophic microbial activity sustained by allochthonous organic matter. In this paper, description of a five-year long observation of fungal consortia in a Norway maple tree-hole is presented. Overall, 139 fungal taxa were detected. Among them, Excipularia fusispora, Ellisembia leptospora, Rebentischia unicaudata, Tricladium castaneicola, Thielavia terricola and Alternaria spp. occurred most frequently. Our observations suggest that even an individual dendrotelma represents an exceptional microhabitat, forming a hot-spot for microfungi due to its role as a natural spore trap and its (temporarily) aquatic environment. Our results show that this aquatic micro-ecosystem supports highly diverse mycobiota with continuous temporal dynamics, with an important fraction of sporadic taxa.