Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies on the Antrodia heteromorpha complex in China were carried out. Antrodia subserpens sp. nov. is described and illustrated. Both the morphology and phylogenetic analysis support this new species. Morphologically, it is characterized by annual, resupinate to effused-reflexed basidiocarps, a dimitic hyphal system with clamped generative hyphae, clavate cystidioles, and ellipsoid to oblong ellipsoid basidiospores; moreover, it causes a brown rot. Molecular data suggested a close relationship between A. subserpens and A. serpens, but the former has slightly smaller pores and shorter basidiospores. Morphologically, A. subserpens is similar to A. tanakae, but separates by its smaller pores and wider basidiospores. An identification key to species of the A. heteromorpha complex is provided.

A new species, Pythium barbulae, was isolated from a non-symptomatic moss, Barbula unguiculata, from a road margin in Osaka, Japan. This description includes morphology, phylogeny, and pathogenicity to the host and vegetables. Pythium barbulae resembles P. cederbergense, P. iwayamai and P. violae, but differs in its smaller plerotic or nearly plerotic oospores. Inoculation experiments indicated that it was capable of latent infection in B. unguiculata stem-leaves and komatsuna seedlings without producing symptoms at 15 °C or 25 °C. Cucumber seedlings also had no symptoms at 25 °C but were caused significant damage at 15 °C by P. barbulae.

Chalciporus radiatus sp. nov., discovered in southern China, is described and illustrated as a new species based on both morphological and molecular data. Morphologically, it is very distinctive in its brown to reddish brown decurrent hymenophore with pores strongly radially arranged and appearing sublamellate at maturity. The arrestive hymenophore, combined with the yellowish white flesh discoloring to light yellow when bruised, the mild taste flesh and spore size of 7–8 × (3–)3.5–4 μm, can easily distinguish the new species from all the known Chalciporus taxa. Phylogenetic analysis based on the ITS and LSU sequences are provided.

Cladophialophora is a genus of asexual dematiaceous fungi that is characterized by the production of branched or unbranched chains of conidia that originate by blastic conidiogenesis and have hyaline conidial scars. Two novel species of Cladophialophora were isolated from surface-sterilized sclerotia of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Cenococcum geophilum that were extracted from soils of mixed pine-oak forests in Florida, USA. Cladophialophora floridana and C. tortuosa form melanized conidia produced in coherent and infrequently branched chains that often arise from semi-macronematous conidiophores. Both species form subglobose to oblong conidia but the conidia of C. tortuosa are more frequently and distinctly phaseoliform or sigmoid in shape. These two novel species are clearly distinct from all known species of Cladophialophora and closely-related other genera based on a combination of microscopic morphology and rRNA gene sequences, including the ITS and partial LSU regions.

Two new anamorphic species belonging to the genus Erysiphe, viz. E. baliensis and E. sidae, are described in this study. Erysiphe baliensis was found on Gliricidia sepium in the Island of Bali, Indonesia, and on Wisteria japonica (syn. Millettia japonica) in Japan. Internal transcribed spacer sequences and the anamorph characters of the collections on the hosts of the two plant genera collected in Indonesia and Japan were identical to each other and considered to be conspecific. Erysiphe sidae found on Sida rhombifolia is an isolated species in the genus Erysiphe based on molecular phylogenetic data.

Twenty-seven strains of basidiomycetous yeast Mrakia spp. were collected from lake sediment and soil surrounding the lakes in the Skarvsnes area, East Antarctica. Based on sequence similarity of their ribosomal internal transcribed spacer regions and D1/D2 domains, the isolated strains were classified into three species; Mrakia blollopis (18 strains), M. gelida (7 strains), and M. robertii (2 strains). All of the strains produced ethanol from glucose at 10 °C. Six strains selected from the 27 isolates were then tested for ethanol fermentation and ethanol tolerance at 100 g/l glucose. Mrakia blollopis SK-4 and M. blollopis NRI-4 completely consumed the glucose within 13 d and 6 d of fermentation respectively, and demonstrated high ethanol yields and ethanol tolerance. In contrast, M. blollopis AGK-3 and M. blollopis TKG1-2 exhibited low ethanol yields and poor ethanol tolerance. These results indicate that ethanol yields of different Mrakia species may depend on ethanol tolerance in individual strains.

The secretion of toxic proteinaceous compounds is common phenomenon among yeast genera. Toxin properties are determined by natural habitats and depend on the extracellular conditions. We analyzed in details the effect of temperature and pH on the activity and stability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae K2 toxin. By performing large-scale and long-term analysis, pH value has been identified to be an essential factor for the acquisition of killer protein functionality. We have found that K2 killer toxin is produced in comparable levels at broad range of pH values, in clear contrast to activity profile of the protein. Protein, produced at basic pH conditions—incompatible with killer activity—can be recovered into active form by adjustment of pH to acidic values. Fully active protein is nevertheless sensitive toward pH shift: once established, activity is un-recoverably lost upon adjustment of pH to basic values. Acidic environment as an essential condition of maturation of active form of K2 killer protein is postulated.

The rare sequestrate fungus, Chamonixia caespitosa, is known to occur in Europe and North America. The species has also been reported once from China, but the precise information on its occurrence in Asia is unknown. We collected fruiting bodies of C. caespitosa in a subalpine coniferous forest in central Japan. The internal transcribed spacer phylogeny shows that the Japanese collections are more closely related to one of the North American infraspecific lineages than to the European lineage. Thus, these Japanese collections could be a missing link in the phylogeography of the genus Chamonixia.

Sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci biotype Q has been recognized as one of the most destructive insect pests worldwide because of increased resistance to some insecticide groups. To develop an alternative control agent, the effects of different culture conditions such as fermentation methods, culture temperatures, initial inoculum concentrations, substrates and medium supplements on the conidial production of the isolate Isaria javanica Pf04 were assessed. The results demonstrated that conidia of the isolate could be economically produced by single-phase solid state fermentation on barley substrate at 25 °C with 10⁸ conidia/g of initial substrate concentrations. Using optimal conditions, the maximum conidial production obtained was 3.5 × 10⁹ conidia/g dry substrate after 15 d of cultivation. The conidia, which were produced on barley alone and barley with 5% additives of silkworm powder and moth larvae, were virulent against second instar nymphs of whitefly, providing ≥90% mortality.

Aecidium hornotinum, originally described for a fungus on Meliosma aff. multiflora from the Philippines, has been reported to occur on M. arnottiana subsp. oldhamii (=M. rhoifolia) in southern islands of Kagoshima and Okinawa (the Ryukyu Islands), Japan. The taxonomic identity of the Aecidium fungus on M. arnottiana subsp. oldhamii distributed in the Ryukyu Islands to A. hornotinum was confirmed by morphological comparison with the type material of A. hornotinum. Field observations in several islands of Okinawa and an examination of herbarium specimens showed a possible life cycle connection between A. hornotinum and a uredinial–telial fungus reported as Phakopsora meliosmae in the Ryukyus. Experimental inoculations with basidiospores and aeciospores proved the autoecious, macrocyclic life cycle of the rust fungus. This fungus was found distinct in sorus and spore morphology and host preference from P. meliosmae on M. myriantha. Thus, a new holomorph name, Phakopsora hornotina, was proposed for this fungus.

During tissue culture from fruiting bodies of Chroogomphus rutilus, two Penicillium sp. strains were isolated that could not be assigned to any described species based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic analysis. Multigene phylogenetic analyses with the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, β-tubulin (benA) and calmodulin (cmd) genes, as well as morphological analyses revealed that these isolates were in the Penicillium section Ramosa. These isolates were closely related to P. lenticrescens and P. soppii in terms of multigene phylogeny, but their colonies and micro-morphological characters differed from these closest related species. We consider that these isolates constitute a new species in the genus Penicillium section Ramosa and propose the name P. chroogomphum.