Laura Mesquita Paiva

O ensino de fungos possibilita articular conhecimentos científicos às práticas de Educação Ambiental. Objetivou-se analisar as contribuições de um portfólio investigativo sobre fungos para a Educação Ambiental no Ensino Médio. Participaram estudantes do 1º e 3º anos de uma escola pública de Recife/PE e professores participaram da validação do produto. Foram realizadas atividades práticas e expositivas, com recursos de baixo custo e questionários. Houve avanços na compreensão dos fungos e de suas funções ecológicas e sociais, mas limites na construção de uma consciência ambiental crítica. Os professores avaliaram positivamente o portfólio. Conclui-se que este constitui uma alternativa para o ensino de fungos e práticas de Educação Ambiental.

Cytospora species are mainly found as phytopathogens but are also reported as endophytes and saprophytes in several host plants. During a study of the diversity of endophytic fungi associated with Anacardium occidentale in an area of the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado), isolates of Cytospora were identified and differentiated from other species by morphological and phylogenetic analyses (ITS, act, rpb2, tef1, and tub2). Cytospora anacardii has been proposed as a new endophytic species, and it has pycnidia and conidiogenous cells smaller than those of the phylogenetically related species Cytospora phitsanulokensis. Our data highlight the importance of investigating endophytes as important economic hosts and expand our knowledge of global Cytospora diversity and distribution. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Cytospora being an endophyte of Anacardium occidentale.

In this study we describe a new species of Aspergillus in section Cremei deposited in the URM culture collection (Micoteca URM Profa. Maria Auxiliadora Cavalcanti) of the Departamento de Micologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil). Another strain was obtained from samples taken from pollen pots inside nests of Melipona scutellaris (stingless bee). Morphological and phylogenetic evidence based on sequencing of ITS rDNA, BenA, CaM and rpb2 markers supported the description of taxonomic novelty. Aspergillus capibaribensis sp. nov. is morphologically similar and phylogenetically close to A. flaschentraegeri - the distinctive features are uniseriate and hyaline conidiophores, short and smooth conidia and smaller vesicles compared to the micromorphological structures of A. flaschentraegeri. This record also expanded the knowledge of species in Aspergillus section Cremei in a tropical country such as Brazil.

Brazilian biomes, such as the Atlantic Forest, are hotspots for microbial diversity. Fungi at some stages of their life cycle can inhabit the interior of plants without apparent damage and are called endophytes. This study aimed to verify the culturable diversity of endophytic fungi present in the leaves of Miconia mirabilis in a conservation unit of the Atlantic Forest, in Northeast Brazil. A total of 273 endophytes were isolated, and 88 % of the estimated richness was recovered from 40 taxa with a Shannon diversity index of H′ = 2.79. The most abundant order was Xylariales (37.73 %), with Xylaria cf. cubensis being the most abundant species, followed by Glomerellales (14.65 %), Eurotiales (3.66 %), and Diaporthales (3.33 %). Additionally, a novel endophytic fungal species of Muyocopron was identified. Our results indicate the potential of endophytic diversity in the plants of tropical forests, reinforcing the need for further studies to better understand their ecological relationships.

Two isolates of fungal endophytes were obtained from the leaves of Tillandsia catimbauensis (Bromeliaceae) in the Brazilian tropical dry forest (Caatinga), according to their morphology, they were previously identified as Phialophora-like fungi. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis using ITS and LSU rDNA sequences, along with morphological features, these isolates are here described as Cladophialophora bromeliacearum sp. nov. The new species is morphologically characterized by Phialophora-like conidiogenous cells, subspheric to ellipsoid conidia, and the production of chlamydospores in culture.

Penicillium brasilianum Bat., P. cluniae Quintan., and P. echinulonalgiovense S. Abe ex Houbraken & R.N. Barbosa are reported for the first time as endophytes from the leaves of an endemic bromeliad in the Caatinga dry forest in Brazil. For species determination, phenotypic features were analysed along with the sequencing of the β-tubulin and calmodulin genes. Penicillium Link isolates obtained in this study showed the typical morphology of species in the Lanata-Divaricata section. These results contributed to increase the knowledge of fungal diversity in dry environments in the word.

Here, Diaporthe myracrodruonis is introduced as new species from Brazil, isolated as endophyte from Myracrodruon urundeuva. Asterina mandaquiensis is epitypified and ilustrated for the first time. Serpula similis is reported as new to the Neotropics, while Perenniporia centrali-africana is reported for the first time as endophyte and Preussia africana as endophyte from Spondias tuberosa in Caatinga in Brazil.

This study was conducted to report the richness of endophytic Penicillium and Talaromyces species isolated from Tillandsia catimbauensis, a bromeliad endemic in the Brazilian tropical dry forest (Caatinga), to verify their ability to produce the enzyme l-asparaginase and to partially optimise the production of biomass and l-asparaginase of the best enzyme producer. A total of 184 endophytes were isolated, of which 52 (29%) were identified through morphological and phylogenetic analysis using β-tubulin sequences into nine putative species, four in Penicillium and five in Talaromyces. Talaromyces diversus and T. cf. cecidicola were the most frequent taxa. Among the 20 endophytic isolates selected for l-asparaginase production, 10 had the potential to produce the enzyme (0.50–2.30 U/g), especially T. cf. cecidicola URM 7826 (2.30 U/g) and Penicillium sp. 4 URM 7827 (1.28 U/g). As T. cf. cecidicola URM 7826 exhibited significant ability to produce the enzyme, it was selected for the partial optimisation of biomass and l-asparaginase production. Results of the 2³ factorial experimental design showed that the highest dry biomass (0.66 g) was obtained under pH 6.0, inoculum concentration of 1 × 10⁸ and 1% l-proline. However, the inoculum concentration was found to be statistically significant, the pH was marginally significant and the concentration of l-proline was not statistically significant. l-Asparaginase production varied between 0.58 and 1.02 U/g and did not reach the optimal point for enzyme production. This study demonstrates that T. catimbauensis is colonised by different Penicillium and Talaromyces species, which are indicated for enzyme production studies.

Here, Quambalaria fabacearum and Neopestalotiopsis brasiliensis are introduced as new species from Brazil, isolated as endophyte from Mimosa tenuiflora and causing post-harvest rot disease on fruits of Psidium guajava, respectively. Diaporthe inconspicua is emended to include a more detailed morphological description. Neopestalotiopsis egyptiaca is reported as new to the Americas and as causing post-harvest rot disease on fruits of Psidium guajava, while Umbelopsis isabellina is reported as endophyte.