Basidiomycetous fungi are one of the most potent biodegraders because many of its species grow on dead wood or litter, in environments rich in lignocellulose. For the degradation of lignocellulose, basidiomycetes utilize their lignocellulytic enzymes, which typically include laccase (EC 1.10.3.2), lignin peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.14), xylanase (EC 3.2.1.8), and cellulase (EC 3.2.1.4). In recent years, the practical applications of basidiomycetes have ranged from the textile to the pulp and paper industries, and from food applications to bioremediation processes and industrial enzymatic saccharification of biomass. Recently, spent mushroom substrates of edible mushrooms have been used as sources of bulk enzymes to decolorize synthetic dyes in textile wastewater. In this review, the occurrence, mode of action, general properties, and production of lignocellulytic enzymes from mushroom species will be discussed. We will also discuss the potential applications of these enzymes

Microbe have been considered as potential control agents for pest, as alternative to chemical control methods. Among entomopathogens, fungi cause the mortality by penetrating the cuticle of pest and/or by metabolites such as toxin. Not only this direct control effect of fungi, but repellency of fungi also may be used to prevent the pest. Repellence effect of fungi is considered as inhibitory factor to control termite. A study was reported in Japan that termite was able to detect and remove the conidia of fungi on their surface. The termite can escape from fungal infection and protect their colony. There is few study that insect pest such as moth can detect and avoid the virulence fungi. Therefore, we has been conducting the detection and avoidance of beet armyworm to high pathogenic fungi, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus. Adult of the beet armyworm avoided oviposition at Chinese cabbage treated with P. fumosoroseus compare to control. This result may be used to prevent the infestation of moth in crop production.

The pursuit of fungal biocontrol agents is a complex process but there can be no doubt that the process of finding an optimal isolate for a particular target needs to draw on a large-scale program to assess many candidate cultures. The supply of such cultures is facilitated by the existence of so enormous, comprehensive and accessible source of germplasm as exists in the USDA-ARS Collection of Entomopathogenic Fungal Cultures (ARSEF). This collection includes more than 13,000 isolates of more than 710 fungal taxa from 1,300 hosts and substrates from 2,440 locations. The global dependence on very few entomopathogenic fungal species–most notably, species of Beauveria and Metarhizium–is understandable within regulatory and commercial constraints, but might actually represent an undesirable and unhealthy degree of stability in the realm of fungal biocontrol of insect pests. deserves to be reconsidered by broadening the spectrum of highly specific pathogens and the means by which they might be applied. Unfortunately, a recent change in the rules of nomenclature applicable to such pleomorphic fungi as Beauveria, Metarhizium, Isaria, and the numerous other entomopathogens of the ascomycete order Hypocreales have not contributed to stability or certainty in how–and, indeed, which–names of fungal genera are to be applied. Some of the effects of the changes that became effective on 1 January 2012 will be discussed. Many familiar names of entomopathogenic fungi are necessarily changing under these new rules, but the choices of which names much be used and which must be discontinued may not be definitively stabilized until 2023 (at the next International Botanical Congress after the 2017 Congress in Shenzhen, China).

The population of managed honey bees has been dramatically declining the recent past in worldwide. The one of most common disease of bees is nosemosis, the nosemosis is caused by microsporidia in the genus Nosema. Nosema apis and N. ceranae have been described as honeybee pathogens. These microsporidia are highly evoloved fungi with an obligately intracellular parasitic lifstyle. The disease causes significant detriment to honey production and results in economic losses. In our knowledge, Fumagillin is the only antibiotic approved for control of nosemosis in honey bees, however this antibiotic may have unintended effects on the honey bee host, ultimately contributing to increased prevalence and pathogenicity of Nosema. Therefore, we screened anti-Nosema substances from entomopathogenic fungal culture filtrates using in vitro polar tube germination assay. These fungal metabolites are employed as antibiotic agents. As results, Total 3 samples (23% of 13 total samples) showing the germinating inhibition against N. ceranae. This screening method may be useful for the detection of anti-Nosema substances from various samples and selected samples in this study may be a good feature to be used in the development of a new biocontrol method of nosemosis.

The present issue of insect resistance and environmental toxicity of pesticides is triggering deep discussion about the pest management tactics, in which pest monitoring and control activity are mainly involved. Novel control agents, hopefully overcoming the present issues and problems, should be researched and commercially applied to the farm fields. With the monitoring-based research, additionally we have to focus on the control-based, particularly control agent-based research and application. Entomo- pathogenic fungi can used as one of the possible novel control agents once considerations are given to the control of soil- or water-dwelling pests. In our research group, the entomopathogenic fungal library has been constructed using the mealworm-based isolation system, which showed a variety of opportunities of their use in pest control. Important key production technologies including granular formulation have been developed to increase their industrialization. Some entomopathogenic fungal isolates showed high biological performance in the control of rice weevils, western flower thrips and Japanese bettles in field stands. To elucidate the fungal mode of action, a fungal transformation system using AtMT and gene identification tools were established. Recently a more deep study about the relationship between insect and entomopathogenic fungi is be investigated using RNA seq. We suggest that to make the entomopathogenic fungal products be applied to agricultural farm field, R&D of down-stream process should be seriously considered as the key step.

Entomopathogenic fungi are facultative microorganisms, dwelling in soil or infecting host insects, and some of the genera have been used as biological control agents worldwide. Collection of fungal isolates should be a platform for the development of highly effective resources, thus in this work we constructed a fungal library using a mealworm pathogenecity-based fungal collection method and further characterized some isolates with high virulence. A phylogenetic three was generated, and of the isolates 17 isolates’ biological features were characterized, such as morphology, spectrum of virulence, cultural characteristics, thermo-stability of fungi, production of biologically active materials, such as enzymes. This work reports an attractive entomopathogenic fungal library including the information of effective isolates in pest management.

Cordyceps species (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) were previously mentioned under dominant genera such as basidiomycetous Clavaria Vaill. ex L. and ascomycetous Sphaeria Haller. Cordyceps Fr. was coined by Fries (1818) from a combination of a Greek word cordyle, meaning a club, and a Latin word caput, meaning a head. Cordyceps was, however, ranked at tribal level under Sphaeria by Fries (1823). Link (1833) later re-elevated Cordyceps to genus level. As a result, there was variation on author citation of Cordyceps in different botanical codes such as Cordyceps (E. M. Fries) Link (1833), Cordyceps E. M. Fries (1818) and Cordyceps Fr. (1824). In 19th and 20th centuries, more and more species were described, with necessity to divide Cordyceps into subgenera, sections and subsections based on morphological similarities. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies, however, showed that Cordyceps is polyphyletic and its members are dispersed in various clades within Hypocreales. As a consequence, Cordyceps was amended in strict sense by Sung et al. (2007) and distantly related clades were named under separate genera. Here, we review recent nomenclatural changes of Cordyceps-related fungi in light of recent changes in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN).

Insects constitute the largest and most diverse group of animals on Earth. They also serve as the hosts or nutrient sources for an immense assemblage of parasites, pathogens, and predators, ranging from bacteria and fungi to plant and animals. More than 700 known fungal species from 100 genera have adopted an entomopathogenic lifestyle. These fungi are widely distributed, occurring in aquatic, forest, and agricultural habitats, and are often used as active ingredients in microbial insect pest control agents. Their mode of action against insects involves the attachment of conidia to the insect cuticle, followed by germination, cuticle penetration, and internal dissemination throughout the insect. During this process, secreted enzymes, protein toxins, and secondary metabolites can be used by the fungus to overcome the host immune system, modify host behavior, and defend host resources against competing pathogens and saprophytes. In some cases, the host insect relationship has been found to be associated with bioactive fungal metabolites. These metabolites exhibit a wide variety of insecticidal, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, antioxidant, and antiviral activities. Using molecular techniques and phylogenetic analyses, both the asexual (anamorphic) stages and sexual (teleomorphic) stages of entomopathogenic fungi have recently been shown as linked together. Therefore, entomopathogenic fungi, especially in complex with the host insect, might be a promising source of bioactive molecules of pharmaceutical and various industrial interests. Here, we evaluated the antimicrobial activity of entomopathogenic fungi metabolites against plant pathogenic bacteria and fungi for the use in agriculture. The radicals scavenging activity and the anticancer activity were also evaluated for pharmaceutical interests.

본 연구는 살균 소독제로 오존을 이용하고. 살균효과를 극대화 할 수 있는 방식으로 마이크로버블 장치에 오존을 공급하여 배양액 재처리 기술을 위한 오존 마이크로버블의 살균효과를 구명하고자 실시하였으며 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 마이크로버블 장치의 성능에서 압력 3.5kgf·cm−2에서 평균입경은 27.42μm로 측정되었고 마이크로버블의 발생량은 당 평균 12만개로 나타났으며, 적정 오존 발생량은 3g·h−1일 때 오존농도는 2ppm, 배출 오존농도는 0.06ppm에 도달하는 것으로 나타났다. 병원균 살균효과는 오존수의 경우 FO, PC 와 CG 모두 오존농도 0.5ppm, 처리시간 30초만으로도 현저한 감소를 보였다. FO는 오존농도 0.5ppm, 처리시간 60초 이내에서 멸균되었고, PC는 오존농도 2.0ppm, 처리시간 30초 이내에서 멸균되었으나, CG의 경우 2.0ppm 이상의 오존수를 처리하여야 할 것으로 판단되었다. 오존가스의 경우 처리시간 120초 이내에서 현저한 감소를 보였으며, FO와 PC는 처리시간 180초 이내에서 멸균되었고, CG의 경우 180초 이상 오존가스를 처리하여야 할 것으로 판단되었다.

Various insect pests infest crops including vegetables and ornamentals during crop production. Chemical pesticides have generally used until recently to control pests. Many pests are very difficult to control using organic pesticides because of the development of insecticide resistance and their rapid population increase. Entomopathogens are the promising alternative control methods. Entomopathogenic fungi are good candidates to control sucking insects such as aphid, whitefly and mite because the fungi can infect without ingestion. Conidia or blastospores of fungal entomopathogens are sprayed onto target plant and/or insect, adhered on insect surfaces, and penetrated into hemocoel through insect cuticle. Then the fungus utilize insect nutrients and kill the host insect. During this process, fungus was influenced by environmental conditions such as temperature, relative humidity and UV light. These are causing slow mortality and preventing wider application and use of mycopescitide using entomopathogenic fungi. In addition, control efficacy with fungal entomopathogen differed fungal isolate and host insect. Therefore, we need to study selection of high virulence isolate, mass production, formulation and application techniques to develop mycopesticide.

Entomopathogenic fungi are natural enemies of insects and contribute to the regulation of their host populations. Numerous fungal species have been isolated from their respective hosts or environmental conditions such as soil and used as pest control agents for a long time in many countries. Recently, the isolation and characterization of native entomopathogenic fungi are essential for gaining insight into the naturally occurring fungal biodiversity of a specific region and to providing a pool of potential biological control agents for pest control purposes. Moreover, exotic strains of entomopathogenic fungi that have been developed for use as pest control agents in a different country could be ineffective due to strain and environmental differences. Therefore, investigating the occurrence and distribution of native entomopathogenic fungi is critical for their use as pest control agents in a given location. Here, we report the isolation, distribution and characterization of entomopathogenic fungi from soils in Korea to establish a pool. During infection against insects, entomopathogenic fungi produce various enzymes, protein toxins and secondary metabolites to overcome host defenses and ultimately kill the host, and to defend host resources against competing pathogens and saprophytes. These metabolites exhibit a wide variety of insecticidal, antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant, and antiviral activities, and they have been suggested as potential candidates for the development of new bioactive agents. Entomopathogenic fungi isolated from Korean soils were also evaluated for these additional roles besides pathogenicity.

자연 감염된 담배가루이로부터 곤충병원성진균을 분리 동정하고, 이 균주에 대하여 배양특성, 자연발병 요인, 그리고 주요 온실해충인 담배가루이, 점박이응애, 대만총채벌레에 대한 살충력을 검정하였다. 분리 균주의 형태적 특성은 직립한 분생자병에 윤생으로 호리병 형태의 4-6개phialide를 지녔고, 분생포자의 크기는 3.0-3.4 ㎛ 이었다. 분리 균주의 rDNA의 ITS영역 염기서열 분석에서 Isaria fumosorosea (AF461747)와 는 99%의 높은 염기서열 유사도를 보였다. Potato dextrose agar, Sabouraud maltose agar+yeast extract 그리고 Sabouraud dextrose agar+yeast extract 배지에서 IFs 균주는 24℃의 SDAY 배양에서 균사 성장이 가장 양호하였으며, 15℃보다는 35℃의 고온에서 균사 성장이 좋았다. I. fumosorosea IFs-08, -09 균주는 담배가루이에 대하여 각각 96.7, 93.9%의 높은 살충율을 보였으며, 점박이응애(92.0, 84.9%) 그리고대만총채벌레(84.4, 81.5%)에서도 80-90%정도의 살충율을 보인 반면 KACC로부터 분양받은 Isaria tenuipes, Isaria farinosa, Isaria fumosorosea 균주들은 10-20% 내외의 낮은 살충율을 나타내었다.

Recent years, shiitake cultivation using sawdust medium is increasing in Korea. The cultivation is performed in mainly greenhouses. One of major concerns in shiitake cultivation is the contamination of molds which cause damages and spoil the cultivation medium and/or inhibit the growth of shiitake mycelia in the medium. Although the harmful effects of molds are boradly recognized, there is no mush data on the source of molds contamination. This study was undertaken to check what fungi exist in indoor air of vinyl greenhouse used for shiitake cultivation. During last seven months period, we sampled air in two different vinyl greenhouses located in Cheongyang-gun, and Jangheung-gun, respectively. temperature and humidity average of a vinyl greenhouse located in Cheongyang-gun was 23.2℃ and 52.3% during spring season, and 26.3℃ and 79.1% during summer season. While, temperature and humidity average of vinyl a greenhouse located in Jangheung-gun was 21.4℃ and 61.7% during spring season and 32.8℃ and 70.9% during summer season. Seven mold species were isolated during spring season and six species during summer season from indoor air of the vinyl greenhouse located in Cheongyang-gun from season. In Janheung-gun greenhouse, seven species were isolated during spring season and four species during summer season. During the two investigated seasons, Trichoderma harzianum was dominant species in the two vinyl greenhouse air.

Entomopathogenic fungi are natural pathogens of insects and contribute to the regulation of host insect populations in the environment. Several these fungi produce a wide range of secreted enzymes, secreted protein toxins and secondary metabolites to overcome host defenses and ultimately kill the host, and to defend host resources against competing pathogens and saprophytes. Therefore, this study was performed to select the antimicrobial activity of entomopathogenic fungi form Korea soils against plant pathogenic bacteria Ralstonia solanacearum and plant pathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea using dual culture technique on SDYA. In addition, we also performed to screening of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals scavenging activity compounds from liquid culture filtrates of entomopathogenic fungi and investigate to it’s anticancer activity. As results, 12 isolates, 6 isolates and 25 isolates showing of these fungal metabolites produced antibacterial, antifungal and radicals scavenging activity compounds, respectively. The preferential antimicrobial and radical scavenging activities give evidence that these entomopathogenic fungal metabolites might be useful as a source for plant pathogen control and pharmaceutical interests.

Use of conidia or spores of entomopathogenic fungi are influenced by environmental conditions such as temperature and relative humidity and caused slow and fluctuation of mortality. In addition, although the fungi have the advantage of a restricted host range, this specificity is one of the limiting factors for their use. These factors are preventing wider application and use of these biocontrol agents. To mitigate such problems we selected an Beauveria bassiana Bb08 which kill green peach aphid with its liquid culture filtrate. In this study we conducted bioassay with the fungal culture filtrate and culture fluid to greenhouse pests such as cotton aphid, whitefly and thrips. Culture fluid showed high mortality against green peach aphid, as well as cotton aphid, sweet potato whitefly, and western flower thrips. However, control effect of culture filtrate varied with pests. Culture filtrate showed high mortality to cotton aphid. Mortality of western flower thrips with culture filtrate was slower than culture fluid including spores and sweet potato whitefly was much lower. These results indicated that the culture fluid of Beauveria bassiana Bb08 has potential to simultaneously control various greenhouse pests.

Since airborne fungi have been known to aggravate indoor air quality, studies on developing anti-fungal filters increase recently. In this study, silver (Ag) nanoparticle was selected as anti-fungal agent. HEPA filter was coated with silver nanoparticles which were generated via spark discharge system operating at atmospheric pressure and temperature. The anti-fungal effect of the Ag-filter was evaluated with the conventional culture assay. When the number of Ag nano particle per a fungal particle in the filter was 1.91X106, the fungicidal efficiency was higher than 99%. As another anti-fungal test, ATP bioluminiscence detection method was also carried out and the results were correlated with those of the culture assay.

Recently, airborne fungi as indoor air pollutant have attention due to its health related problems such as asthma, rhinitis, sinusitis, atopy, pneumonia, building syndrome and etc.. However, it is considered that current laws and policies in Korea are not efficient to deal with these problems. Our research investigated influential factors and species distribution on the basis of previous research related to airborne fungi issue conduced in Korea by applying meta analysis technique. We selected 15 articles containing variables affecting fungi population such as outdoor air characteristics, temperature, location, and ventilation to evaluate significant factors. It was confirmed that airborne fungi level has partial correlation to those factors despite of limited sample size. It is required that the consistent and systematic research effort should be extended to characterize health effect caused by these fungi as well as to control them efficiently.

Beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua are difficult to control using chemical insecticides because of the development of insecticide resistance. For eco-friendly beet armyworm managements, various control agents are required. Entomopathogenic fungus is one of promise control agents as an alternative to chemcal control agent. We conducted bioassays with entomopathogenic fungi to select high virulence isolate to larva of beet armyworm. The bioassay was used 150 entomopathogenic fungal isolates which were isolated from soil samples of nine provinces by insect-bait method using Galleria mellonella and Tenebrio molitor. . Three isolates, Metarhizium spp. FT83, FT89 and FT90 had high virulence as 84.6%, 100% and 100%, respectively, against S. exigua. The medial lethal time(LT50) of conidia of three isolates was 5.01, 2.99 and 2.92days respectively.

Mealworms, Tenebrio molitor (L.) is used as an important animal feed additive for growth promotion and health management, but potentially exposes to fungal infection. In this work, virulence of two species of entomopathogenic fungi against the insect, and the relationship between abiotic features and virulence were investigated. Secondly our consideration was also given to the effect of chemical fungicides on conidial germination for risk control. Between Beauveria bassiana (Bb) and Metarhizium roberstii (Mr) (previously M. anisopliae), Bb isolates had much higher virulence (~100% mortality in 3~4 days after the treatment), rather than Mr isolates in laboratory assays. Next, fungus-treated mealworms were kept at wheat bran at 20, 25, 30 and 35℃ with 3, 6, 9 times of water spray to the feeds for set-up of different humidity conditions. Inoculation of fungi to mealworms was conducted by fungal spray and feeding methods, which resulted in higher virulence in feeding method. In the feeding method, all temperature treatments except 35℃ showed high virulence against mealworms, but any significant relationship between virulence and humidity was not observed. In the chemical fungicide screening, fluazinam (CAS No. 79622-59-6) and mancozeb (8018-01-7) significantly inhibited the germination of Bb and Mr conidia. This work suggest that contamination of wheat bran with fungal pathogens, particularly B. bassiana may induce mycosis of mealworms, but introduction of effective fungicides possibly reduce fungal infection.