Microscopic saprotrophic and phytopathogenic fungi from nature

Proceedings of ECOpole
Vol. 2, No. 2 2008
Ewa B. MOLISZEWSKA 1
MICROSCOPIC SAPROTROPHIC
AND PHYTOPATHOGENIC FUNGI
FROM NATURE RESERVE LIGOTA DOLNA IN OPOLE REGION
MIKROSKOPOWE GRZYBY SAPROTROFICZNE I FITOPATOGENICZNE
Z REZERWATU ŚCISŁEGO LIGOTA DOLNA NA OPOLSZCZYŹNIE
Summary: In the Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna two-year investigations on the occurrence of microscopic fungi on
land plants were done. The 46 species of fungi were recognized. They were mostly the members of the
anamorphic fungi as well as two species of Erysiphales and seven species of Uredinales were found. Three species
of hyperparasites were also recognized: Trichoderma piluliferum on Absidia glauca, Ampelomyces quisqualis on
Erysiphe cichoracearum as well as on Microsphaera alphitoides, and Cladosporium aecidiicola on the old thelli
of Cronartium flaccidium. Only 11% of total plant species were infected by fungi. The investigations were done
before the beginning of usage of the motorway A4, which is localized near by the Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna.
Keywords: microscopic fungi, phytopathogens, xerothermic conditions, motor way
There was not done any mycological research in the Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna in
Opole region before. First investigations were undertaken in 2000 and continued in 2001
year.
The Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna is one of the smallest of the protected areas situated
in the south-western Poland near Opole, on the Kamienna Góra hill, which is the part of the
Masyw Chełmski (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1. Localization of the Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna [18]
1 Faculty of Natural and Technical Sciences, University of Opole, ul. kard. B. Kominka 4, 45-035 Opole,
email: ewamoli@uni.opole.pl

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Ewa B. Moliszewska
This localization of Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna is crucial for its microclimate.
Particular exposition of the hill decides on the great solarization, high temperatures and
strong as well as warm winds. Those factors influence on the xerothermic properties of the
ground [1, 2]. The vegetative period starts rather late and is about one month later then in
other parts of the Opole region.
The dominant plant communities are xerothermic grassland and bushes with group of
thermo-, helio- and kalcyphytes existing on the rock. There are 203 species of plants, 38
species of bryophytes and 4 species of lichens. The frequently occurring there plants are:
Teucrium botrys, Sedum album, Ligustrum vulgare as well as Allium montanum,
Brachypodium pinnatum, Prunus spinnosa [1, 2].
The aim of this work was revision and determining some saprotrophic and
phytopathogenic fungi in the Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna before start of use of the
motorway A4.
Materials and methods
Investigations of the occurrence of the microscopic fungi in the Nature Reserve Ligota
Dolna were conducted from early summer (June) to the start of the autumn (September)
during 2000 and 2001, this is the term of the main vegetation development in this area. The
area of Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna was divided onto three parts dependly on the main
plant community: 1 - rock grassland (Allium montanum-Sedum album), 2 - hill (Adonido-
Brachypodietum pinnati), 3 - xerothermic grassland (Koelerio-Festucetum sulcatae), also
some investigations were made in the outside part of the Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna.
Fungi were recognized directly on the plant material (some of them were put in wet
chambers) also some plant parts were put on the water agar or PDA medium to obtain
fungal colonies. The frequency of fungi was based on the scale given by Adamska et al [3]:
0 - rare, + - relatively frequent fungal occurrence, ++ - frequent fungal occurrence and +++
- very frequent fungal occurrence.
Plants were determined after Szafer et al [4] and their nomenclature follows that of
Mirek et al [5]. Fungi were determined according Majewski [6, 7], Kwaśna et al [8], Nelson
et al [9], Pidopliczko [10], Sutton [11], Domsh et al [12], Ellis [13], Ellis and Ellis [14, 15],
Sałata [16] and their nomenclature was checked in Index Fungorum database [17].
Results and discussion
Plant material collected in the Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna was total of 23 species, all
of them had visible spots of damaged tissues or visible mycelium on the surface. Fungal
material consisted of 46 species belonged to different taxa, but the most numerously
members of anamorphic fungi were present. The seven species of the Basidiomycotina were
associated with seven plant species. There were found only two species of Erysiphales:
Erysiphe cichoracearum DC. and Microsphaera alphitoides Griffon et Maubl. There were
no members of Mastigomycotina except Absidia glauca Hagem. Fungal hyperparasites
were found four times: Trichoderma piluliferum Webster & Rifai on Absidia glauca
Hagem, Ampelomyces quisqualis Ces. on E. cichoracearum and M. alphitoides as well as
Cladosporium aecidiicola Thüm. on Cronartium flaccidium (Alb. & Schwein) G. Winter.
In Poland A. quisqualis was very frequently found on Erysiphales by Czerniawska et al

Microscopic saprotrophic and phytopathogenic fungi from nature reserve ligota dolna in Opole region
[19] in the Drawsko Landscape Park, but there was no information about C. aecidiicola on
C. flaccidium as a host.
The most of recognized fungi were found on rock grassland (Allium montanum-Sedum
album), there were found 28 fungi species on 45 plant individuals and they were 61% of
total collected fungi species. In both other parts of the Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna there
were recognized 13 fungi species on 15 plant individuals in hill (Adonido-Brachypodietum
pinnati) as well as in xerothermic grassland (Koelerio-Festucetum sulcataethere).
The fungal community in the Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna was rather poor, mostly
there were representants of anamorphic fungi. Probably the special xerothermic conditoins
were not favourable for fungal development, although this thesis is not supported by any
research and this one should be proved by a future study.
Infected plant species were only 11% of total. There was not done any
phytopathological research on this area before, and because of this reason there is no
possibility to compare current and past status of the Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna. This
research was made before the beginning of usage of the motorway A4, and it would be
interesting, if there is any influence of the motorway on both plant and fungal communities
in the Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna in the future. A plant health condition can be modified
by car pollutions in the future also [20]. Burgieł [20] reports that plants grown in a poor
environment conditions especially influenced by car and industrial pollutions are frequently
easier infected by facultative parasites and less - by obligatory parasites as powdery
mildiews (Erysiphales) or rusts (Uredinales).
Conclusions
The most favourable conditions for fungal development was observed on the rock
grassland (Allium montanum-Sedum album), in this part of the Nature Reserve Ligota
Dolna there were found 61% of total collected fungi species. This works is a first revision
of fungal community in the Nature Reserve Ligota Dolna and it was done before the
motorway A4 started to be used. The kind of research should be done in the future to
compare the fungal community as well as a plant susceptibility for fungal infections under
the motorway influence.
Acknowledgments
Author thanks for dr K. Spałek (UO) for his help with plant collection and their
determination.
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MIKROSKOPOWE GRZYBY SAPROTROFICZNE I FITOPATOGENICZNE
Z REZERWATU ŚCISŁEGO LIGOTA DOLNA NA OPOLSZCZYŹNIE
Streszczenie: Prowadzono 2-letnie badania nad występowaniem grzybów mikroskopowych w rezerwacie Ligota
Dolna na Opolszczyźnie. Zidentyfikowano 46 gatunków reprezentowanych głównie przez grzyby anamorficzne
oraz dwa gatunki Erysiphales i siedem gatunków Uredinales. Notowano takŜe wśród nich nadpasoŜyty:
Trichoderma piluliferum na Absidia glauca, Ampelomyces quisqualis Ces. na E. cichoracearum DC. i na
Microsphaera alphitoides Griffon et Maubl. oraz Cladosporium aecidiicola Thüm. na Cronartium fluccidium
(Alb. & Schwein)G.Winter. Zaledwie 11% gatunków roślin wykazywało objawy poraŜenia przez grzyby. Badania
przeprowadzono przed uruchomieniem autostrady A4, która przebiega w bezpośrednim sąsiedztwie rezerwatu.
Słowa kluczowe: grzyby mikroskopowe, fitopatogeny, warunki kserotermiczne, autostrada