• Specific orchid–fungal associations are known for nonphotosynthetic orchids but fungal diversity in photosynthetic orchids is thought to be quite broad. Specific fungal associations will figure prominently in conservation efforts, while diverse associations may require less attention. We combined culture techniques with ITS and mtLSU sequences and phylogenetic analysis to determine the geneti...

In order to study the diversity of the leaf litter and aerial litter filamentous fungi, sample were collected from a semi-deciduous seasonal forest located in the Miguel Calmon, state of Bahia, Brazil. Leaf litter and aerial litter samples were collected. Samples were placed in moist chambers. Five conidial fungi were described for the first time in Brazil. Comments about their specimens and di...

cercosporoid fungi including the genus cercospora and other morphologically similar genera are associated with leaf spot symptoms on various host plants. in this research three taxa including passalora cucurbiticola (on cucurbita sp.), p. bolleana (on ficus carica), and pseudocercosporella capsellae (on capsella bursa-pastoris, sinapis arvensis) were identified. among these, p. cucurbiticola an...

We investigated the prevalence of entomopathogenic fungi associated with leaf-cutting ant colonies in a small area of tropical forest in Panama. There was a high abundance of Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae near the colonies. Beauveria bassiana was also detected in the soil, Aspergillus flavus in dump material, and six Camponotus atriceps ants were found infected with Cordyceps sp. Based...

Leaf-cutting ants such as Acromyrmex octospinosus live in obligate symbiosis with fungi of the genus Leucoagaricus, which they grow with harvested leaf material. The symbiotic fungi, in turn, serve as a major food source for the ants. This mutualistic relation is disturbed by the specialized pathogenic fungus Escovopsis sp., which can overcome Leucoagaricus sp. and thus destroy the ant colony. ...

The interaction of crop pests with their natural enemies is a fundament to their control. Natural enemies of fungal pathogens of crops are poorly known relative to those of insect pests, despite the diversity of fungal pathogens and their economic importance. Currently, many regions across Latin America are experiencing unprecedented epidemics of coffee rust (Hemileia vastatrix). Identification...