Fungi play vital roles in ecosystems as endophytes, pathogens and saprobes. The current estimate of fungal diversity is highly uncertain, ranging from 1.5 to 12 million, but only around 150,000 species have been named and classified to date. Since the introduction of DNA based methods for species identification, the number of newly described taxa has increased from approximately 1000 to around 2000 yearly. This demonstrates the importance of DNA based methods to identify and distinguish species, especially cryptic species. Many novel species from recent studies have been found in historically understudied regions and habitats, but these still represent only a small percentage of the estimated species. In this paper, we examine 16 genera from the top 40 most speciose genera as listed in Species Fungorum as case studies to examine the diversity of taxa in each genus. The genera treated herein are Cercospora, Diaporthe, Meliola, Passalora, Phyllachora, Phyllosticta, Pseudocercospora, Ramularia (ascomycetes) and Cortinarius, Entoloma, Inocybe, Marasmius, Psathyrella, Puccinia, Russula, Uromyces (basidiomycetes). We critically evaluate the number of species in these genera and correlate these numbers with the number of entries in GenBank. We introduce 18 new species Apiospora multiloculata, Candolleomyces thailandensis, Cortinarius acutoproximus, Cortinarius melleoalbus, Cortinarius pacificus, Cortinarius parvoacetosus, Diaporthe guizhouensis, Entoloma pseudosubcorvinum, Inocybe meirensongia, Marasmius albulus, Marasmius obscuroaurantiacus, Meliola camporesii, Phyllachora siamensis, Phyllosticta doitungensis, Picipes yuxiensis, Pseudocercospora vignae, Puccinia maureanui and Russula inornata. We also introduce a new record of Candolleomyces cladii-marisci and Inocybe iringolkavensis. We discuss the genera Colletotrichum and Pleurotus that are speciose, but do not occur in the top 40. We hypothesize whether there might be more species in these genera and discuss why these genera have some of the largest number of species.

A large amount of agro-industrial waste is produced worldwide in various agricultural sectors and by different food industries. The disposal and burning of this waste have created major global environmental problems. Agro-industrial waste mainly consists of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, all of which are collectively defined as lignocellulosic materials. This waste can serve as a suitable substrate in the solid-state fermentation process involving mushrooms. Mushrooms degrade lignocellulosic substrates through lignocellulosic enzyme production and utilize the degraded products to produce their fruiting bodies. Therefore, mushroom cultivation can be considered a prominent biotechnological process for the reduction and valorization of agro-industrial waste. Such waste is generated as a result of the eco-friendly conversion of low-value by-products into new resources that can be used to produce value-added products. Here, we have produced a brief review of the current findings through an overview of recently published literature. This overview has focused on the use of agro-industrial waste as a growth substrate for mushroom cultivation and lignocellulolytic enzyme production.

Lignocellulosic materials commonly serve as base substrates for mushroom production. Cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin are the major components of lignocellulose materials. The composition of these components depends upon the plant species. Currently, composted and non-composted lignocellulosic materials are used as substrates in mushroom cultivation depending on the mushroom species. Different substrate compositions can directly affect the quality and quantity of mushroom production yields. Consequently, the microbial dynamics and communities of the composting substrates can significantly affect mushroom production. Therefore, changes in both substrate composition and microbial diversity during the cultivation process can impact the production of high-quality substrates and result in a high degree of biological efficiency. A brief review of the current findings on substrate composition and microbial diversity for mushroom cultivation is provided in this paper. We also summarize the advantages and disadvantages of various methods of mushroom cultivation by analyzing the microbial diversity of the composting substrates during mushroom cultivation. The resulting information will serve as a useful guide for future researchers in their attempts to increase mushroom productivity through the selection of suitable substrate compositions and their relation to the microbial community.

The continually expanding use of plastic throughout our world, along with the considerable increase in agricultural productivity, has resulted in a worrying increase in global waste and related environmental problems. The reuse and replacement of plastic with biomaterials, as well as the recycling of agricultural waste, are key components of a strategy to reduce plastic waste. Agricultural waste is characterized as lignocellulosic materials that mainly consist of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Saprobe fungi are able to convert agricultural waste into nutrients for their own growth and to facilitate the creation of mycelium-based composites (MBC) through bio-fabrication processes. Remarkably, different fungal species, substrates, and pressing and drying methods have resulted in varying chemical, mechanical, physical, and biological properties of the resulting composites that ultimately vary the functional aspects of the finished MBC. Over the last two decades, several innovative designs have produced a variety of MBC that can be applied across a range of industrial uses including in packaging and in the manufacturing of household items, furniture, and building materials that can replace foams, plastics, and wood products. Materials developed from MBC can be considered highly functional materials that offer renewable and biodegradable benefits as promising alternatives. Therefore, a better understanding of the beneficial properties of MBC is crucial for their potential applications in a variety of fields. Here, we have conducted a brief review of the current findings of relevant studies through an overview of recently published literature on MBC production and the physical, mechanical, chemical, and biological properties of these composites for use in innovative architecture, construction, and product designs. The advantages and disadvantages of various applications of mycelium-based materials (MBM) in various fields have been summarized. Finally, patent trends involving the use of MBM as a new and sustainable biomaterial have also been reviewed. The resulting knowledge can be used by researchers to develop and apply MBC in the form of eco-friendly materials in the future.

Mycelium-based composites (MBCs) are characterized as biodegradable materials derived from fungal species. These composites can be employed across a range of industrial applications that involve the manufacturing of packaging materials as well as the manufacturing of buildings, furniture, and various other household items. However, different fungal species and substrates can directly affect the functional properties of MBCs, which ultimately vary their potential to be used in many applications. In this study, the mechanical, physical, and chemical properties of MBCs made from four different fungal species (Ganoderma fornicatum, Ganoderma williamsianum, Lentinus sajor-caju, and Schizophyllum commune) combined with three different types of lignocellulosic residues (sawdust, corn husk, and rice straw) were investigated. The results indicate that differences in both the type of lignocellulosic residues and the fungal species could affect the properties of the obtained MBCs. It was found that the MBCs obtained from sawdust had the highest degree of density. Moreover, MBCs obtained from S. commune with all three types of lignocellulosic residues exhibited the highest shrinkage value. The greatest degree of water absorption was observed in the MBCs obtained from rice straw, followed by those obtained from corn husk and sawdust. Additionally, the thermal degradation ability of the MBCs was observed to be within a range of 200 to 325 °C, which was in accordance with the thermal degradation ability of each type of lignocellulosic residue. The greatest degrees of compressive, flexural, impact, and tensile strength were observed in the MBCs of G. williamsianum and L. sajor-caju. The results indicate that the MBCs made from corn husk, combined with each fungal species, exhibited the highest values of flexural, impact, and tensile strength. Subsequently, an analysis of the chemical properties indicated that the pH value, nitrogen content, and organic matter content of the obtained MBCs were within the following ranges: 4.67–6.12, 1.05–1.37%, and 70.40–86.28%, respectively. The highest degree of electrical conductivity was observed in MBCs obtained from rice straw. Most of the physical and mechanical properties of the obtained MBCs were similar to those of polyimide and polystyrene foam. Therefore, these composites could be used to further develop relevant strategies that may allow manufacturers to effectively replace polyimide and polystyrene foams in the future.

Soil microorganisms are well studied for their beneficial effects on plant growth and their impact on biocontrol agents. The production of volatile antifungal compounds emitted from soil fungi is considered to be an effective ability that can be applied in biofumigants in the control of plant diseases. A soil fungus, Trichoderma asperelloides TSU1, was isolated from flamingo flower cultivated soil and identified on the basis of the morphology and molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), rpb2, and tef1-α genes. To test T. asperelloides TSU1-produced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with antifungal activity, the sealed plate method was used. The VOCs of T. asperelloides TSU1 inhibited the mycelial growth of fungal pathogens that were recently reported as emerging diseases in Thailand, namely, Corynespora cassiicola, Fusarium incarnatum, Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, N. cubana, and Sclerotium rolfsii, with a percentage inhibition range of 38.88–68.33%. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was applied to trap VOCs from T. asperelloides TSU1 and tentatively identify them through gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A total of 17 compounds were detected in the VOCs of T. asperelloides TSU1, and the dominant compounds were identified as fluoro(trinitro)methane (18.192% peak area) and 2-phenylethanol (9.803% peak area). Interestingly, the commercial 2-phenyethanol showed antifungal activity against fungal pathogens that were similar to the VOCs of T. asperelloides TSU1 by bioassay. On the basis of our study’s results, T. asperelloides TSU1 isolated from soil displayed antifungal abilities via the production of VOCs responsible for restricting pathogen growth.