A review of selected studies on fungal endophytes confirms the paucity of Basidiomycota and basal fungi, with almost 90% attributed to Ascomycota. Reasons for the low number of Basidiomycota and basal fungi, including the Chytridiomycota, Mucoromycota, and Mortierellomycota, are advanced, including isolation procedure and media, incubation period and the slow growth of basidiomycetes, the identification of non-sporulating isolates, endophyte competition, and fungus–host interactions. We compare the detection of endophytes through culture-dependent methods and culture-independent methods, the role of fungi on senescence of the host plant, and next-generation studies.

Mycelium-based composites (MBCs) are eco-friendly materials made by combining mushroom mycelia with lignocellulosic biomass, offering diverse applications such as packaging and construction. The specific characteristics of MBCs can be significantly influenced by the choice of substrates and reinforcing materials during myco-fabrication. This study aims to improve MBCs sourced from Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) using spent coffee grounds (SCGs) as the main substrate, combined with natural pineapple fibres (NPFs). NPFs are incorporated to SCGs in different proportions (10% to 30%) to explore their potential in improving the material properties of MBCs. The findings demonstrate that the mechanical properties of MBCs, as well as the physical and chemical properties, can be altered by manipulating the proportion of NPFs. The MBCs reinforced with 10% NPFs exhibit the highest density and compressive strength, while the MBC with 30% NPFs outperforms others in terms of bending strength, water absorption, swelling, and sound absorption. Furthermore, a fire resistance test affirms the non-combustible properties of the MBC made of SCGs and NPFs, thereby demonstrating its safety features. These MBCs, made from oyster mushroom, embody a hopeful substitute for product creation and production in relation to practical usage, eco-friendly manufacturing techniques, and recyclability throughout its lifecycle.

Karst caves are distinctive ecosystems that have limited nutrients, darkness, low to moderate temperatures, and high moisture levels, which allow for a diverse range of fungal communities to thrive. Despite their significance, little is understood about the fungi found in karst caves in Thailand. In 2019, we studied the cultured mycobiota from five substrate types (air, water, rock, soil/sediment, and organic debris) in two karst caves (Le Stegodon and Phu Pha Phet Caves) of the Satun UNESCO Global Geopark, southern Thailand. A cumulative count of 829 distinct fungal morphological types was identified, encompassing 319 fungal culturable were observed. Based on preliminary analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence using BLAST searches, the most common phylum among the fungal morphotypes was Ascomycota, harboring 282 species in 91 genera, 93.4% of which were distributed in the classes Eurotiomycetes, Sordariomycetes, and Dothideomycetes. The most common fungal genera identified in the two karst caves were Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Talaromyces, Xylaria, and Trichoderma, with 45, 41, 24, 14, 14, and 6 species identified, respectively. Discovering fungi in Thai karst caves highlights the extensive fungal diversity in the Satun UNESCO Global Geopark, implying undiscovered species, and emphasizing the need for comprehensive investigations in other unexplored Thai karst caves.

During field surveys conducted in various regions of Thailand, several fungal specimens parasitising flies were discovered. These fungi exhibited morphological characteristics consistent with the broad concept of Ophiocordyceps dipterigena, including yellow to orange-brown cylindrical stromata bearing fertile ascomata at the tip. Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, LSU, TEF1, and RPB2 sequences revealed that these specimens belong to a well-supported monophyletic clade, referred to as the 'O. dipterigena' complex, which forms a distinct subclade within the hymenostilboid clade. This complex comprises four newly described species with clearly defined host associations: O. floriformis, found on robber flies (Asilidae), particularly on Clephydroneura sp.; O. muscae, isolated from the housefly (Musca domestica); O. tabani, parasitising horse flies (Tabanus sp.); and O. thilosuensis, infecting fruit flies (Anastrepha obliqua) and soldier flies (Sarginae). Additionally, several strains clustered with the previously described O. philippinensis, which was also collected from Clephydroneura sp. This marks the first record of O. philippinensis in Thailand.

Thailand is one of the major agricultural production countries in the world. Therefore, large amounts of agricultural waste are generated as by-products of the agroindustry. The wastes are usually discarded or burnt, resulting in environmental pollution. The main goal of this research was to evaluate the use of agricultural waste for mushroom cultivation. A total of 15 mushroom isolates were recovered from mother spawns and basidiocarps. They were screened for their cellulolytic enzyme activity on Czapek agar using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as the sole carbon source. Two isolates of the oyster mushrooms, Pleurotus pulmonarius PP6 and Pleurotus ostreatus PO3, produced the best enzyme activities. To observe the mycelial growth on agricultural waste, the two oyster mushroom candidates were cultured in jars containing five different types of agricultural waste: corn husk, rice straw, coconut meal, coconut husk and sugarcane bagasse, and the jars were incubated at 25°C for six weeks. The results show that both isolates grew best on coconut meal, producing very densely packed mycelia. Meanwhile, corn husk and rice straw were also good sources for oyster mushroom cultivation. This study shows that these three substrates have the potential to be utilized in mushroom cultivation on a commercial scale.