Pezizomycotina species associated with rotten plant materials in Guizhou Province, China

Abstract

Nine Pezizomycotina strains were isolated from rotten dead branches and leaves collected from Guizhou Province. To obtain their accurate taxonomic placement, we provided the morphological characteristics of conidiophore cells and conidia. Phylogenetic relationships, based on ITS, rpb2, SSU, LSU and tub2 gene sequences, confirmed our strains represented three novel species, Peglionia falcata, Neoascochyta pseudofusiformis and Neomicrosphaeropsis cylindrica. Peglionia falcata produced falcate conidia and Neoa. pseudofusiformis generated fusiform conidia, while Neom. cylindrica possessed cylindrical conidia. The phylogenetic results also supported them as novel taxa. All the new species in the present study were found as saprophytic on forest litter with high rainfall, which suggest they may have a certain effect on nutrient decomposition and redistribution in forest ecosystems. Thus, it opened a way for further research on related ecological roles and their application production.