Isolation, identification, and diversity analysis of natural entomogenous fungi and endophytic fungi in Xishan Forest Park of Kunming

Abstract:

[Background] The investigation of Cordyceps species diversity in different areas is one of the hotspots of Cordyceps -related research, and the study on Cordyceps -related fungi flora is an important content of fungus resources research. [Objective] To investigate the diversity of natural entomogenous fungi and endophytic fungi in Xishan Forest Park of Kunming in Yunnan, and increase the understanding of Cordyceps -related fungi flora. [Methods] The resources of Cordyceps species were investigated, and the tissue separation method was used to isolate entomogenous fungi and endophytic fungi from the samples of Cordyceps species. Morphological observation and multi-gene sequencing of ITS combined with nrSSU, nrLSU, translation elongation factor-1α (tef-1α), rpb1, and rpb2 were used to identify the entomogenic fungi of Cordyceps species and analyze their diversity. [Results] Forty-five natural samples of Cordyceps species were collected from Xishan Forest Park of Kunming, which belonged to 12 species, 5 genera, and 2 families, including 2 Samsoniella sp. with 1 potential new species, 4 Cordyceps sp., and 4 Beauveria sp. in Cordycipitaceae, and 1 Purpureocillium sp., and 1 Tolypocladium sp. (potential new species) in Ophiocordycipitaceae. The dominant genus was Cordyceps, and the dominant species was Cordyceps cateniannulata (ecological dominance=0.241 380). Meanwhile, 67 strains of endophytic fungi in 14 genera of 13 families were isolated from the samples, among which Trichoderma (28%) and Fusarium (19%) were the dominant genera. [Conclusion] This study supplements the resource database of Cordyceps biodiversity in Xishan Forest Park of Kunming, which is conducive to the protection and utilization of Cordyceps biodiversity resources in Yunnan. At the same time, this systematic study also deepens the understanding of Cordyceps -related fungi flora.