Mycology and Phytopathology

A total of 57 basidiomycete species from Agaricomycetes and Dacrymycetes have been recorded for the first time from 26 administrative regions of Russia: Republic of Crimea (1 species), Republic of Mari El (1), Republic of Mordovia (1), Republic of Tyva (3), Krasnoyarsk Krai (1), Perm Krai (2), Primorsky Krai (1), Arkhangelsk Oblast (4), Bryansk Oblast (1), Irkutsk Oblast (1), Kaliningrad Oblast (2), Leningrad Oblast (3), Moscow Oblast (2), Murmansk Oblast (3), Nizhny Novgorod Oblast (1), Novgorod Oblast (2), Novosibirsk Oblast (1), Ryazan Oblast (15), Sverdlovsk Oblast (1), Tula Oblast (1), Tyumen Oblast (6), Vladimir Oblast (6), Volgograd Oblast (1), Saint Petersburg (1), Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (3), and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (1 species). An annotated species list containing the data on locality, substrate, habitat type, date of collection, and voucher numbers is provided. Cortinarius incisior and Cystoagaricus lepidotoides are reported as the first records in Russia. Mycenella trachyspora and Mycoacia nothofagi are recorded in Russia for the second time. Simultaneously, Mycenella trachyspora is listed based on basidiomata findings revealed for the first time in Russia. Pluteus fuscodiscus and Suillus glandulosus are reported for the third time. New data on rare and little-collected species Albatrellus subrubescens, Ceriporia septocystidia, Gamundia striatula, Suillus aurihymenius, and Xerocomellus fennicus is presented. Complete sequences of ITS1– 5.8S– ITS2 nuclear ribosomal DNA for seven species (Antrodiella faginea, Cystoagaricus lepidotoides, Irpex latemarginatus, Kneiffiella abdita, Mycenella trachyspora, Mycoacia nothofagi, Pluteus fuscodiscus) reported have been generated and submitted to the GenBank database.

In this study, the microplankton and mycobiota of fish in Severnaya Bay, Sevastopol, was assessed using real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Microplankton samples were collected using a Biber-2 sequential filtration setup, and microbiota samples were obtained from the surface of fishes (Trachurus mediterraneus and Spicara smaris). DNA was extracted by alkaline lysis during high-temperature incubation and analyzed for the presence of 13 species of fungal pathogens from the genera Candida, Malassezia, Saccharomyces, and Debaryomyces. A positive result was obtained for Malassezia spp. in the planktonic fraction (150–300 µm), and a signal was detected from the surface of Trachurus mediterraneus. Other fungal pathogens, including Candida albicans, Debaryomyces hansenii, and Meyerozyma guilliermondii, were not detected. The results emphasize the role of microplankton and fish as potential reservoirs of fungal pathogens in marine ecosystems.

The article presents the results of the revision of the genus Entoloma s. l. in the Komi Republic, based on morphological and molecular genetic approaches in accordance with modern data on the genus taxonomy and systematics. An annotated list of 50 species has been compiled, including 25 ones provided for the first time for the region, three of which (Entoloma frigidum, E. fuligineocinereum, E. mutabilipes) are registered for the first time for Russia, and E. pallidocarpum is new species to Europe. The presence of E. mirum in Russia is confirmed for the first time based on the study of basidiomata. The species identification was verified using molecular methods. For most of the studied species, nucleotide sequences of ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 marker have been obtained and deposited in the GenBank. The distribution of Entoloma species by landscape areas and main habitat types is considered. The largest number of species (29) is recorded in the lowland landscape area. The highest species diversity was observed in mixed (25) and spruce (18) forests.

A groundbreaking study has documented 28 species of phytopathogenic and saprobic fungi, belonging to Ascomycota and Basidiomycota divisions, on alien trees and shrubs in Sverdlovsk Region for the first time. In addition, 14 rare species – each with only two to four previous sightings in the region – were identified. Notably, four species – Cheirospora botryospora, Homortomyces tamaricis, Lophomerum rhododendri, and Pyrenopeziza lonicerae – were recorded in Russia for the first time. The surveyed fungi were found growing on 34 woody plant species, 27 of which occur outdoors while the remaining seven are restricted to greenhouse environments. The study also sheds light on dangerous invasive phytopathogenic fungi in the region, including Biscogniauxia mediterranea and Entoleuca mammata. Additionally, the invasive species Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, recently discovered in Sverdlovsk Region, has been recorded at a new site. The ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 sequence of H. fraxineus collected at this location corresponds to the standard East Asian sequence variant. This suggests that local populations of H. fraxineus in Sverdlovsk Region may not originate from Europe but rather from East Asia.

The paper focuses on analyzing how different storage methods affect the endoglucanase activity of pure macrofungal cultures. A total of 20 macrofungal species from diverse taxonomic and eco-trophic groups were examined. Five storage techniques were employed: serial transfers, storage beneath a layer of distilled water, and three cryopreservation protocols – one involving agar medium blocks, another using perlite, and the third employing grain-based methodology. For cryopreservation, various cryoprotective agents such as glycerol and trehalose were utilized. Upon retrieval of the cultures from storage, their endoglucanase activity was assessed. Results revealed that the highest levels of endoglucanase activity were observed in cultures stored under distilled water and following the “grain protocol”.

The first record of Comatricha meandrispora in Russia made in the Yaroslavl Region (National Park “Lake Pleshcheyevo” ) is presented. We describe the morphology of its sporocarps using light and scanning electron microscopy. The main diagnostic morphological characters of C. meandrispora are cylindrical light-brown sporangia up to 1.8 mm tall, small spores (5–6 µm) ornamented by low, thin, dark bands or strongly broken reticulation, with a few scattered, complete small meshes which form a characteristic irregular open labyrinth (distinct under SEM). Comparison with related species from genera Comatricha and Stemonitopsis, data on distribution in other countries, iconography, and information on ecology are given.