Fungi from Malus in Qujing, China; two new species, three new records and insights into potential host jumping and lifestyle switching

Guiqing Zhang ^1,2,3 Zhumei Li ¹ Xinlei Fan ⁴ Qirui Li ^5,6 Jaturong Kumla ^2,3 Nakarin Suwannarach ^2,3 Abdallah M. Elgorban ⁷ Ihab M. Moussa ⁸ Dong-Qin Dai ^1* Nalin Nilusha Wijayawardene ^1,9*

• ¹ Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, China
• ² Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, Thailand
• ³ Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, Thailand
• ⁴ Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
• ⁵ Department of Pharmacy, Guiyang Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
• ⁶ Engineering Research Center of Southwest Bio-Pharmaceutical Resources, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou Province, China, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
• ⁷ Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• ⁸ Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• ⁹ Tropical Microbiology Research Foundation, 96/N/10, Meemanagoda Road, 10230 Pannipitiya, Sri Lanka, Pannipitiya, Sri Lanka

Apple trees Malus domestica Borkh. (Rosaceae) are one of the important temperate fruit crops in China. Comparison to other temperate fruits, such as grapes, and pears, the fungal studies (in Yunnan) associated with M. domestica are less in number. In the present study, we investigated fungi associated with M. domestica in Qujing City, Yunnan Province, China. Samples were collected from the apple gardens in different locations. Single spore isolation was carried out to isolate saprobic fungi, while surface sterilization method was carried out to isolate endophytic fungi, respectively. Molecular analyses were carried out to determine the phylogenetic placement of the new collections. Based on the combined methods of morphology and phylogeny, Cytospora qujingensis sp. nov. and Hypoxylon malongense sp. nov. are introduced as novel saprobic and endophytic taxa, respectively. Moreover, Aureobasidium pullulans and Cytospora schulzeri are reported as new geological records from Southwestern China. Allocryptovalsa castaneae, is reported on M. domestica in China for the first time. The checklist of fungi associated with M. domestica in China are presented.