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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol.
Sec. Fungal Pathogenesis
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1517908
This article is part of the Research Topic Molecular Taxonomy of Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes: Unveiling Fungal Diversity and Evolution View all 9 articles

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

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

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    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.

    Keywords: Apple tree, Fungal diversity, Life mode, phylogeny, Taxonomy, two novel species

    Received: 27 Oct 2024; Accepted: 06 Feb 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Zhang, Li, Fan, Li, Kumla, Suwannarach, Elgorban, Moussa, Dai and Wijayawardene. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Dong-Qin Dai, Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, China
    Nalin Nilusha Wijayawardene, Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, Qujing Normal University, Qujing, China

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