Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-14DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101617
Mara Edith Martin , Juan Santiago Guidobono , Eliana Melignani , Laura Gasoni , Mario Carlos Nazareno Saparrat , Viviana Andrea Barrera
{"title":"Comparative analysis of the cellulolytic enzymatic ability of strains belonging to the genus Cladorrhinum (Podosporaceae, Sordariales, Ascomycota) and preliminary data for Cladorrhinum samala INTA-AR 59","authors":"Mara Edith Martin , Juan Santiago Guidobono , Eliana Melignani , Laura Gasoni , Mario Carlos Nazareno Saparrat , Viviana Andrea Barrera","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101617","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101617","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cladorrhinum</em>, a genus of soil fungi belonging to the Podosporaceae family within the Sordariales order of the Ascomycota phylum, comprises several species with diverse physiological capabilities. While there are existing data on the cellulolytic activity of <em>Cladorrhinum bulbillosum</em> and <em>Cladorrhinum foecundissimum</em>, no reports are available on the potential of other species in this genus. In this study, different strains of <em>Cladorrhinum</em> were evaluated for carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) activity on solid medium, and the strains exhibiting the highest activity levels were selected. In liquid culture, <em>Cladorrhinum samala</em> INTA-AR 59 and <em>C. samala</em> INTA-AR 7 revealed maximum levels of endo-1,4-β-glucanase activity at 14 incubation d (27.55 ± 3.39 IU/L and 17.52 ± 0.87 IU/L, respectively), while <em>C. samala</em> INTA-AR 156 exhibited it at 31 incubation d (13.32 ± 3.59 IU/L). Concerning β-glucosidase activity, <em>C. samala</em> INTA-AR 59 and <em>C. samala</em> INTA-AR 156 displayed maximum levels of activity at 38 d (17.52 ± 0.87 IU/L and 0.5 ± 0.21 IU/L, respectively), and INTA-AR 7 at 31 d (9.44 ± 1.02 IU/L). Additionally, we present data on CMCase activity obtained through zymogram analysis of the <em>C. samala</em> INTA-AR 59 strain.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 6","pages":"Article 101617"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144338637","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-25DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101620
Katarzyna Stojek , Barbara Bobrowska-Korczak , Justyna Frączek , Marcin Piotrowski , Mirosław Krośniak , Bogdan Jaroszewicz
{"title":"Protein content and amino acid profile of wild mushrooms depend on environmental conditions","authors":"Katarzyna Stojek , Barbara Bobrowska-Korczak , Justyna Frączek , Marcin Piotrowski , Mirosław Krośniak , Bogdan Jaroszewicz","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101620","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101620","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wild mushrooms can be an important source of protein and essential amino acids, however very little is known about the environmental factors affecting the content of these compounds. In our study, we investigated the influence of soil properties (soil type, C/N ratio, pH) and tree stand characteristics (tree diversity, canopy cover, understory cover, and the proportion of deciduous trees) on total protein and essential amino acids (Valine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Lysine, Methionine, Arginine, Histidine) contents in seven wild-growing mushroom species (<em>Macrolepiota procera</em>, <em>Rhodocolybia butyracea</em>, <em>Russula cyanoxantha</em>, <em>R.heterophylla</em>, <em>Lactifluus vellereus</em>, <em>Armillaria mellea</em> s.l., and <em>Xerocomellus chrysenteron).</em> Our study showed that the identity of mushroom species determines, to a large extent, the protein content and the amino acid profile of the mushrooms. The highest protein content was revealed in <em>X. chrysenteron</em>, <em>M. procera</em> and <em>R. butyracea</em>. Effects of environmental factors were weaker and species specific. The protein content in <em>X. chrysenteron</em> was mainly influenced by soil type (Cambisols vs. Luvisols) and soil characteristics (positively by C/N ratio and negatively by soil pH). In <em>L. vellereus</em> the protein content was negatively influenced by stand characteristics (canopy cover, understory cover, and tree diversity). In <em>M. procera</em> the protein content decreased with decreasing understory cover, while for all the other studied species, the effects of environmental factors were negligible. Similarly, the amino acid profiles were not affected by any environmental factors, however, they seem to be consistent with ecological roles of the species (ectomycorrhizal, saprotrophic, parasitic fungi). This last result requires further investigation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 6","pages":"Article 101620"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144501023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-24DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101621
Gustavo Hernán Ramírez , María Virginia Bianchinotti , Freda Elizabeth Anderson
{"title":"Exploring the tritrophic interactions between Araujia hortorum, Puccinia araujiae, and a mycoparasitic Cladosporium: implications for the biological control of moth plant","authors":"Gustavo Hernán Ramírez , María Virginia Bianchinotti , Freda Elizabeth Anderson","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101621","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101621","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tritrophic interactions involving host plants, fungal pathogens and mycoparasites play an important role in the dynamics of natural ecosystems. In this work, we investigate the impact of the rust fungus <em>Puccinia araujiae</em> on the growth of <em>Araujia hortorum</em> plants in the presence/absence of a mycoparasitic <em>Cladosporium</em> species identified here as <em>Cladosporium sphaerospermum</em>, supported by both morphological and molecular studies. The capacity of the latter to grow and reproduce at the expense of teliospores of the rust was confirmed through microscopic observations. <em>P. araujiae</em> is added to the list of hosts of <em>C. sphaerospermum</em>. An experiment was carried out to assess the impact of rust infection on host plant biomass and whether <em>C. sphaerospermum</em> affected the outcome of the interaction. Plants were subjected to three treatments: inoculation with the rust alone, inoculation with both the rust and the mycoparasite, and uninoculated controls. Rust-infected plants (both with and without the mycoparasite) exhibited 50–60 % reductions in biomass, primarily in root tissues, with premature senescence and leaf abscission contributing to overall decline. However, rust-infected plants in the absence of the mycoparasite produced 10 % less biomass than those in the treatment where it was present, showing that <em>C. sphaerospermum</em> is capable of exerting a detrimental effect on the rust which in turn reflects on a better performance of the plant host. It is argued that this fact does not preclude the potential of <em>P. araujiae</em> as a biological control agent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 6","pages":"Article 101621"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144501131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-08-07DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101638
Daniela Cedano Giraldo, Derya Mumcu Kucuker
{"title":"Comparative analysis of Biomod2 statistical and machine learning methods for Lactarius deliciosus distribution in Refahiye, Turkiye.","authors":"Daniela Cedano Giraldo, Derya Mumcu Kucuker","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101638","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101638","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The spatial prediction of edible fungi is essential for the conservation and sustainable use of non-wood forest products (NWFPs) and contributes to the understanding of fungal biodiversity in forest ecosystems. This study compares multiple species distribution modeling (SDM) techniques to predict the spatial distribution of Lactarius deliciosus (L.) Gray in the Refahiye and Tekçam Forest Planning Units (FPUs) in Türkiye. Using the Biomod2 platform, we implemented five modeling algorithms: generalized linear models (GLM), multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), classification tree analysis (CTA), boosted regression trees (BRT), and random forests (RF). Among these, the RF model outperformed the others, demonstrating superior accuracy across all performance metrics, likely due to its ability to handle non-linear relationships, categorical predictor variables, and complex interactions without requiring extensive parameter tuning. The resulting RF-based suitability map provides valuable guidance for sustainable mushroom harvesting, forest management planning, and the conservation of mycological resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 6","pages":"101638"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145014981","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-08-07DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101639
Queenta Ngum Nji , Olubukola Oluranti Babalola , Mulunda Mwanza
{"title":"The effects of climatic variability on the occurrence of Aspergillus species in commercial maize from different agro-climatic regions in South Africa","authors":"Queenta Ngum Nji , Olubukola Oluranti Babalola , Mulunda Mwanza","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101639","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101639","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Most African research reports on the frequent aflatoxin contamination of various foodstuffs, with few reports giving details of the <em>Aspergillus</em> species present in these commodities. Numerous research works provide evidence of the ability of fungi to grow, thrive, and interact with other crop species and focus on the fact that these processes are largely affected by climatic variables. As opposed to the attention directed to the above-mentioned themes, information on the biodiversity of <em>Aspergillus</em> species in maize in most African countries, including South Africa, is lacking. This study on <em>Aspergillus</em> species in maize serves to close that gap in that it attempts to establish a comprehensive and most recent picture of the biodiversity of <em>Aspergillus</em> species in South African (SA) commercial maize across the respective climatic regions. Thus, it sets out to predict changes in the distribution of these fungal species, their contamination effects on maize variety as well as to identify and differentiate the aflatoxigenic <em>Aspergillus</em> strains from the non-aflatoxigenic ones under changing climate scenarios across the respective agro-climatic regions of South Africa. By applying molecular methods, a total of 1028 maize samples from six distinct agro-climatic regions, namely, Western Free State (WFS), Eastern Free State (EFS), Northern Free State (NFS), Southern Free State (SFS), North-West (NW), and Gauteng Province (GP) were examined for contamination by the <em>Aspergillus</em> species. About 29.67 % of the maize samples were contaminated by at least one of the eight <em>Aspergillus</em> species that were isolated in this study. Less than 30 % (28.95 %) of the 228 isolates subjected to the aflatoxigenic test was found to possess at least one of the aflatoxin biosynthetic genes. In all, the occurrence of the <em>Aspergillus</em> species (especially <em>Aspergillus fumigatus</em>) in SA commercial maize are significantly influenced (P < 0.0001) by maize variety, year of cultivation as well as the agro-climatic region in which the maize is cultivated.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 6","pages":"Article 101639"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144866026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-04DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101614
Lilla Szendrei , Annamária Tóth , Mátyás Szépligeti , László Palkovics , János Ágoston
{"title":"Identification of a novel pathogen of the glacial relict Drosera rotundifolia and the impact of the fungus on the conservation of the plant and its habitat","authors":"Lilla Szendrei , Annamária Tóth , Mátyás Szépligeti , László Palkovics , János Ágoston","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101614","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101614","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Round-leaved sundew (<em>Drosera rotundifolia</em> L.) is a protected glacial relict plant inhabiting <em>Sphagnum</em> bogs, which are endangered habitats in Hungary. In 2020 and 2021 greyish mycelium growth was observed on the hibernacula of <em>D. rotundifolia</em> in Czech Republic, Germany and Hungary. Samples have been collected in possession of the required permits. The fungus was isolated and identified with classical and molecular methods. Koch's postulates were fulfilled. The novel pathogen was identified as the highly polyphagous <em>Botrytis cinerea</em> in each sample. Simultaneously, field assessments of wild Hungarian populations were carried out. Throughout the survey of three different Hungarian collection sites, altogether 207 hibernacula were carefully examined for gray mold symptoms. Interestingly, only plants grown on milled peat substrate were affected by the pathogen. The antifungal and antimicrobial properties of <em>Sphagnum</em> mosses have been reported by other researchers, which could aid in the protection of <em>D. rotundifolia</em> hibernacula. These results indicate that live <em>Sphagnum</em> moss is a better substrate for this species than milled peat, both for commercial production and for <em>in situ</em> conservation. This information can be vital to the survival and conservation of this species. <em>Sphagnum</em> bogs may protect and allow the expansion and re-establishment of <em>D. rotundifolia</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 6","pages":"Article 101614"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144366373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-07-28DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101633
Li Long , Maohang Jia , Shuang Feng , Zhangfu Long , Heng Xu
{"title":"UIon antagonism strategy for cadmium mitigation in Morchella sextelata: Physiological and metabolomic insights","authors":"Li Long , Maohang Jia , Shuang Feng , Zhangfu Long , Heng Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101633","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101633","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cadmium (Cd) contamination in edible fungi poses a significant threat to food safety. However, targeted strategies to regulate Cd uptake and enhance Cd stress tolerance in <em>Morchella sextelata</em> remain largely unexplored. Given that <em>M. sextelata</em> mycelia can autonomously adsorb beneficial metal ions to promote growth, regulating Cd absorption through ion–ion interactions emerges as a promising approach. In this study, under 1 mg/L Cd stress, the exogenous application of Fe<sup>2+</sup> and Mn<sup>2+</sup> at a 1:1 M ratio significantly increased mycelial biomass by 20.49 % and 22.11 %, respectively, and effectively reduced Cd accumulation. In contrast, Mg<sup>2+</sup> led to a moderate biomass increase of 8.94 %. Notably, Fe<sup>2+</sup> effectively inhibited Cd accumulation in mycelia, reducing Cd content by 81.76 %. Moreover, the addition of divalent ions significantly alleviated osmotic stress in the mycelia, preventing the efflux of sugars and proteins. LC-MS/MS-based metabolomic profiling identified 1446 metabolites. One-way ANOVA revealed distinct metabolic changes associated with metal ion treatments under Cd stress. KEGG pathway enrichment indicated that histidine metabolism plays a key role in the Cd stress mitigation process. VIP (Variable Importance in Projection) analysis further identified key metabolites involved in the repair response. Correlation analysis highlighted carnitine as a core metabolite significantly associated with phenotypic improvements across all treatments. In summary, this study presents the first attempt to regulate Cd accumulation in <em>M. sextelata</em> through divalent ion application. It provides novel insights into the physiological and metabolic mechanisms underlying this ion-mediated mitigation strategy</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 6","pages":"Article 101633"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144866027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-08-01Epub Date: 2025-05-30DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101608
McKenzie L. Stock , Richard J. Heerema , Jennifer J. Randall , Adriana L. Romero-Olivares , Samuel A. Belteton , Ciro Velasco-Cruz , Nicole Pietrasiak
{"title":"Uncovering the morphological and phylogenetic diversity of mushrooms in pecan orchards in the Southwestern United States","authors":"McKenzie L. Stock , Richard J. Heerema , Jennifer J. Randall , Adriana L. Romero-Olivares , Samuel A. Belteton , Ciro Velasco-Cruz , Nicole Pietrasiak","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101608","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101608","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Symbiotic relationships between pecan tree roots and mycorrhizal fungi may enhance drought and salt tolerance, nutrient absorption, and disease resistance in pecan (<em>Carya illinoinensis</em> (Wangenh.) K. Koch) orchards of the arid Southwestern United States. Saprotrophic fungi contribute to orchard ecosystem health by breaking down organic matter and enriching soil quality. However, we currently have limited, mostly anecdotal knowledge on mushroom-forming fungi in Southwestern pecan orchards, and studies in other regions primarily focus on ectomycorrhizal fungi. This study provides a novel mycological survey of mushroom-forming fungi (both ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic) in pecan orchards across New Mexico, Arizona, West Texas, and California. In collaboration with pecan producers, sporocarps from 31 different fungal taxa were collected for morphological, phylogenetic, and ecological analyses. UNITE and NCBI databases aided in taxon identification to construct a maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree. Common ectomycorrhizal taxa included <em>Scleroderma</em> species<em>, Pisolithus tinctorius,</em> and <em>Tuber lyonii</em><em>.</em>Saprotrophs included <em>Chlorophyllum molybdites</em><em>,</em> the regionally-unique <em>Agaricus deserticola</em>, and others. Logistic regression revealed bare soil and tree row location as significant predictors for mycorrhizal fungi presence. This study offers an inaugural characterization of mushroom-forming fungal communities in Southwestern pecan orchards and highlights their potential roles in enhancing orchard ecosystem health and resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 5","pages":"Article 101608"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144297948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fungal biologyPub Date : 2025-08-01Epub Date: 2025-07-04DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101622
Alene Alder-Rangel , Drauzio E.N. Rangel
{"title":"Resilience in the Mycelial Network","authors":"Alene Alder-Rangel , Drauzio E.N. Rangel","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101622","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101622","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The concept of resilience in the mycelial network highlights the remarkable ability of fungi to adapt, persist, and flourish under fluctuating and often adverse environmental conditions. This thematic focus underpins the fifth special issue of the <em>International Symposium on Fungal Stress (ISFUS)</em>, titled <em>“Resilience in the Mycelial Network”</em>, which features seventeen peer-reviewed articles. Most contributions address agricultural and environmental aspects of fungal stress biology, while three explore clinically relevant fungal stress responses. In this editorial, we examine the key insights emerging from this collection, emphasising the diverse strategies employed by fungi to cope with biotic and abiotic challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 5","pages":"Article 101622"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144572537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Identification of entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps cicadae isolated from soil using common cutworm Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) as bait and its high virulence comparable to generalist Metarhizium anisopliae complex","authors":"Duong Danh Thanh , Oumi Nishi , Naoya Wasano , Chisa Yasunaga-Aoki","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101612","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101612","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The common cutworm (<em>Spodoptera litura,</em> Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is one of the most widespread pest insects affecting various crops in Asian countries. To screen promising biological control agents for this pest, we isolated 49 potential entomopathogenic fungal isolates from 25 soil samples using <em>S. litura</em> and four additional insect species as baits. The results revealed a high occurrence (24 %) of <em>Cordyceps cicadae</em> in soil through the bait method with all five insect baits, following the <em>Metarhizium anisopliae</em> complex (52 %), despite <em>Cordyceps cicadae</em> generally being known as a specialist entomopathogenic fungus of cicada nymphs. Molecular phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that <em>Cordyceps cicadae</em> isolates from soil and natural cicada nymphs clustered together at a terminal node with previously reported <em>Cordyceps cicadae</em> from cicada nymphs and <em>C. lepidopterorum</em> from lepidopteran larvae. Virulence assays against last-instar larvae of <em>S. litura</em> revealed significant variability in virulence among <em>C. cicadae</em> strains derived from soil and cicada nymphs. Among these, <em>C. cicadae</em> S17, isolated from soil using <em>S. litura</em> as bait, exhibited virulence comparable to the most virulent strains of the <em>M. anisopliae</em> complex and was also virulent against third-instar larvae and pupae. Our findings indicate that <em>C. cicadae</em> exhibit a broader host range than previously recognized, with potential applications in biological control for larvae and pupae of <em>S. litura</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 5","pages":"Article 101612"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}