Achroiostachys aurantispora
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Stachybotryaceae, Achroiostachys


Authors L. Lombard & Crous 2016
Strain 18039
Culture collection BCRC FU31217
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC499622
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 54-mm diam. after 5 days at 25 °C, wooly, azonate, white to pale orange, reverse pale orange.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, hyaline, erect, unbranched, 1–2-septate, smooth or slightly verrucose, 70–110 μm long, 2.5–4.0 μm wide at the base, bearing a whorl of 3–9 conidiogenous cells.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells hyaline, clavate, smooth, 10–14 × 3.5–5.0 μm.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, pale orange in mass, one-celled, ovoid to ellipsoidal, mostly biguttulate, 7.5–10 × 3.5–4.5 μm.
Note The length of conidia in strain 18039 (8–10 μm with avg. 9 μm) is slightly longer than the original description ((7–)7.5–8.5(–10) with av. 8 μm) (Lombard et al. 2016) of this species. Strain 18039 shares 100% identity in ITS region with the ex-type strain of Achroiostachys aurantispora (DAOM 225565, KU845804) which was originally isolated from straw.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jul 2018, Jie-Hao Ou, 18039

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Achroiostachys aurantispora. a–c. Conidiophores and conidia. d. Conidia. (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Albifimbria verrucaria
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Stachybotryaceae, Albifimbria


Authors (Alb. & Schwein.) L. Lombard & Crous 2016
Strain 13054
Culture collection BCRC FU30211
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494380
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 19-, 20-, 0-mm diam. at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire, cottony, reverse yellowish to pale orange, aerial mycelium scanty on CMA.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, branched, densely aggregated, forming sporodochia.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells phialidic, subhyaline, discrete, cylindrical, 10–18 × 2–3 µm.
Conidia Conidia borne in slimy mass, pale brown, dark black in mass, broadly fusiform, sometimes guttulate, with inconspicuous fantailed appendages, 5.5–7.5 × 2.5–3.5 µm.
Note Strain 13054 shares 99.8% identity in ITS region with the ex-type strain of Albifimbria verrucaria (CBS 328.52, MH857060), with only difference in a single-nucleotide gap.
Pathogenicity This species have been reported to cause Myrothecium blotch on rice (Ou, 1985). Pathogenicity was confirmed by artificial inoculation with strain 13054. Leaf necrosis was observed on inoculated rice plant.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13054

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Albifimbria verrucaria. a.Sporulation on cornmeal agar. b, e. Phialidic conidiogenous cells. c, d.Conidia with inconspicuous fantailed appendages (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified).
Fig. 3 Necrosis on inoculated leaf.
Alternaria alternata
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Alternaria


Authors (Fr.) Keissl.
Strain 15021
Culture collection BCRC FU30216
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494360
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 41-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, margins entire, cottony, grey with white margin; reverse black with white margin.
Conidiophores Conidiophores erect, arising from submerged or aerial hyphae, brown, simple or with a lateral branch, bearing 1–3 conidiogenous loci, up to 200 µm long, 3–4 µm wide. Secondary conidiophores abundant, arising apically or laterally from conidium body, up to 50 µm long, bearing 1–2 conidiogenous loci.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells tretic, integrated, terminal, sympodial, with thickened scars.
Conidia Conidia brown, in chains, mostly echinulate, obclavate to obovoid; basal parts of conidial chain consisting of conidia with (2–)3–4 slightly constricted transverse septa and 0–1(–2) longitudinal or oblique septa per transverse sector, 20–39 × 6–10 µm; conidia near the end of chains often shorter , with 0–2 septa and no longitudinal or oblique septum; beak present on all conidia except the terminal conidia, 3–15 µm long. Primary conidial chains often comprised of 2–12 conidia bearing 1–4 lateral seconday conidial chians. Secondary conidial chians abundant, comprised of 1–7 conidia. Tertiary conidial chains sometimes observed, comprised of 1–2 conidia.
Note Strain 15021 shares 99.62%, 99.83%, 100% identities in ITS, GPD, RPB2 regions respectively with the ex-type strain of Alternaria alternata (CBS 916.96; AF347031, AY278808, KC584375).
Pathogenicity Alternaria spp. (including A. alternata) can often be found on rice seeds with high infection rates, especially on discolored grain (Ou, 1985).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung Native 1), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15021

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Alternaria alternata. a–c. Conidiophores and conidia. d. Conidia. e. Sporulation on cornmeal agar. (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Alternaria sp. 14110
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Alternaria


Strain 14110
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Medium
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 46-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, margins entire, cottony, often slightly zonated, pale grey with white margin; reverse dark olivaceous, paler towards the margin.
Conidiophores Conidiophores erect, arising from submerged or aerial hyphae, brown, simple or with a lateral branch, bearing 1–3 conidiogenous loci, up to 200 µm long, 2.5–5 µm wide. Secondary conidiophores often observed, arising apically or laterally from conidium body, short, comprised of 1–3 cells, bearing 1–2(–3) conidiogenous loci.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells tretic, integrated, terminal, sympodial, with thickened scars.
Conidia Conidia brown, in branched chains, smooth or echinulate, mostly obclavate to obovoid, with 3–5(–7) constricted transverse septa, 22–45 × 9–16 µm; conidia near the end of chains often become globose, ellipsoidal or obovoid, 0–3-septate, 6–17 × 7–12 µm; the first four transverse sectors often further divided into 1–9 cells by longitudinal or oblique septa; short beak present on all conidia except the terminal conidia, 3–15 µm long. Primary conidial chains often comprised of 2–9 conidia and bearing 1–4 lateral seconday conidial chians. Secondary conidial chians short, comprised of 1–3(–4) shorter conidia. Tertiary conidial chains not observed.
Note Alternaria species often sporulate sporadically under artificial condition. In reference to the method proposed by Simmons (2000, p. 58), to promote the sporulation, a small piece (1×1 cm) of agar block is cut from the margin of colony growing on the PCA medium, and then transferred to the same medium. After several days, conidia will emerge from the cut surface of the agar.
Base on the phylogenetic analysis, this clade can be classified under the sect. Alternata. Most species in this section produce conidia with only few or no longitudinal septa (Woudenberg et al., 2013). However, the conidia of Alternaria 14110 clade often have more than 5 longitudinal septa.
Some strains of Alternaria 14110 clade (14110, 14166, 14187) often produce many small, 1–3-celled conidia on the tail end of the conidial chain.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainung 67), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13040
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14012
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14110
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 194), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14166
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14187

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Alternaria sp. 14110. a, e, i, m. Sporulation on cut PCA surface. b, f, j, n. Conidiophores and conidia. c–d, g–h, k–l, o–p. Conidia (a–d from strain 14012; e–h from strain 14110; i –l from strain 14166; m–p from strain 14187) (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)

Fig. 3 Maximum-likelihood (ML) tree obtained from aligned EF, GPDH, RPB2 sequences of the Alternaria sp. 14110 and allied species.
Alternaria sp. 15018
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Alternaria


Strain 15018
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 33-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, margins entire, cottony, olivaceous brown with white margin; reverse dark olivaceous, zonated, paler towards the margin.
Conidiophores Conidiophores erect, arising from submerged or aerial hyphae, brown, simple or with a lateral branch, bearing 1–3 conidiogenous loci, up to 200 µm long, 3–4 µm wide. Secondary conidiophores often observed, arising apically or laterally from conidium body, occasionally branched, up to 120 µm long, bearing 1–2 conidiogenous loci.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells tretic, integrated, terminal, sympodial, with thickened scars.
Conidia Conidia brown, in chains, smooth or echinulate, mostly obclavate to obovoid, with (2–)3–7 slightly constricted transverse septa, 17–36 × 7–11 µm; conidia near the end of chains often slightly shorter and with fewer septa; the first four transverse sectors sometimes with 1–2 longitudinal or oblique septa; beak present on all conidia except the terminal conidia, 5–22 µm long. Primary conidial chains often comprised of 2–6 conidia, occasionally with 1 lateral seconday conidial chian. Secondary conidial chians short, comprised of 1–3 conidia. Tertiary conidial chains not observed.
Note Strain 15018 forms a sister group with A. tomato and A. burnsii . In the four regions of ITS, EF, GPD, and RPB2, this strain shows 99.8%, 100%, 99.31%, 99.73% identities respectively with A. burnsii CBS 107.38, and 99.80%, 99.50%, 99.30%, 99.34% identities respectively with A. tomato CBS 103.30.
Alternaria sp. 15018 can be distinguished from Alternaria 14110 clade by having more transverse septa and fewer longitudinal septa.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 65), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15018

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Alternaria sp. 15018. a. Sporulation on PDA b–e. Conidiophores, secondary conidiophores (e) and conidia. f. Conidia. (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)

Fig. 3 Maximum-likelihood (ML) tree obtained from aligned EF, GPDH, RPB2 sequences of the Alternaria sp. 15018 and allied species.
Aspergillus flavus
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Eurotiomycetes, Eurotiomycetidae, Eurotiales, Aspergillaceae, Aspergillus


Authors Link 1809
Strain 13049
Culture collection BCRC FU30219
Detection frequency Medium
Accession number LC494361
Colonies Colonies grow well on PDA at 37°C, attaining 62, 80, 49 mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire, yellow-green, floccose, zonated, reverse white to yellowish.
Conidiophores Conidiophores, straight, hyaline, rough-walled, with swollen apex, up to 1 mm long, 8–15 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells phialidic, ampulliform, hyaline to pale brown, mostly uniseriate, 8–10 × 3.5–5 µm.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, golden brown,when mature, radial orientation, catenate, often more than 70 conidia in chain, globose to ellipsoidal, smooth, 3–6 µm in diameter.
Note During this study, this species was found frequentlyon stored rice seeds and occasionally on fresh harvested rice seeds.
Pathogenicity This species is considered as a saprophytic fungus and only occasionally causes grain discoloration in storage (Ou, 1985). Some strains of this species have the ability to produce aflatoxin. According to different investigations, about 50-70% of the strains have the ability to produce aflatoxin (Chhotaray et al., 2015; Guimarães et al., 2010).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Chiayi County, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13049
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jul 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14081
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 65), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15010

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Aspergillus flavus. a–d. Conidiophores and conidia. e. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Bionectria pseudostriata
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Bionectriaceae, Bionectria


Authors Schroers 2001
Strain 13022
Culture collection BCRC FU31209
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC499621
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 36-mm diam. after 5 days at 25 °C, cottony, azonate, white to pale yellow, producing diffuse yellow pigment.
Sporodochia Sporodochia produced on WA, OA after 7 days, subhyaline.
Conidiophores Conidiophores erect, hyaline, thick-walled, 2.5–4.5 µm wide, simple or with 1–2 adpressed lateral branches at the upper parts of conidiophore, each terminating in 1–4 verticillately arranged phialides; or branched in whorls of 3 terminally, which 1–2 of them often turning into solitary phialides. Sporodochial conidiophores branched repeatedly, verticillately, in whorls of 3–7, each terminating in 3–5 verticillately arranged phialides.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells phialidic, hyaline, cylindrical, tapering towards the apex, with a short collarette, 16–23 × 2–3 µm.
Conidia Conidia ellipsoidal to obovoid, hyaline, straight or slightly curved, 4–6.5 × 2.5–4 µm.
Note Strain 13022 shares 99.81%, 97.00% identities in ITS, TUB regions respectively with the isotype strain of Bionectria pseudostriata (CBS 120.87; MH862056, AF358184).
Schroers (2001) reported that CBS 120.87 formed immature perithecia on OA which was not observed in strain 13022.
Pathogenicity Unknown. This species was originally discovered on bark of woody plants.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Dec 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 13022

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Bionectria pseudostriata. a–d. Conidiophores and conidia. e. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fig. 3 Maximum-likelihood (ML) tree obtained from aligned ITS, TUB2 sequence of the Bionectria subgen. Bionectria.
Bipolaris bicolor
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Bipolaris


Authors (Mitra) Shoemaker 1959
Strain 16042
Culture collection BCRC FU31419
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 52-mm diam. after 5 days at 25 °C, cottony, azonate, margin entire, reverse dark olivaceous with white margins.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, multiseptate, mostly simple, straight, flexuous near conidiogenous loci, pale brown to golden brown, up to 300 µm in length, 5–9 µm in width.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, geniculate, sympodial.
Conidia Conidia fusiform , straight or slightly curved, olivaceous brown to golden brown, with distinct (2–)5–9-distoseptate, basal septum and hilum often slightly thickened, 45–80 × 15–18 µm.
Note This species is closely related to Bipolaris oryzae (ITS similarity: 542/558(97%)), but can be distinguished from B. oryzae by having shorter conidia with thickened basal septa.
Pathogenicity Reported to cause leaf brown spots in rice in rare cases. (Motlagh & Kaviani, 2008)
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jul 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14086
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 16), Nov 2016, Jie-Hao Ou, 16042

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Bipolaris bicolor. a–c. Conidiophores and conidia. d. Conidia e. Sporulation on OA (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Bipolaris oryzae
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Bipolaris


Authors (Breda de Haan) Shoemaker 1959
Strain 12059
Culture collection BCRC FU30164
Detection frequency High
Accession number LC494363
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 69-, 75-, 3-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire or slightly sinuate, floccose, reverse azonate, initially pale brown, later becoming black from center.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, brown, flexuous, septate, simple, up to 600 µm, 6–8.5 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, geniculate, sympodial.
Conidia Conidia usually curved, navicular, pale brown to golden brown, 4–12 septate, 60–130 × 14–24 µm.
Note During the study, it was found that conidia produced from fresh materialswere often distinctly darker than those from artificial culture. On several conventional media, the sporulation was poor. Sporulation can be induced by removing the lids, scraping the aerial hyphae and thereafter keeping them at low RH (below 95%).
Pathogenicity This species can cause leaf brown spots at different growing stages of rice and seedling blight at seedling stage.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains, Dec 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12059
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jul 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14082
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 2), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14128
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Oct 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14150
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Nov 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14158
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 2), Jan 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15002
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 16), Nov 2016, Jie-Hao Ou, 16039
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains(cultivar Kaohsiung 147), Jan 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17004
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14176
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 65), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15015

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Bipolaris oryzae. a–b. Conidiophores and conidia. c–d. Conidia. e. Symptoms of brown spot on rice (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Chaetomium globosum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Sordariomycetidae, Sordariales, Chaetomiaceae, Chaetomium


Authors Kunze 1817
Strain 14100
Culture collection BCRC FU31236
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 52-mm diam. after 5 days at 25 °C, with moderate aerial mycelium, azonate, margin sinuate, reverse light brown to yellowish brown.
Ascomata Perithecia dark black, globose to subglobose, up to 400 µm in diameter. Ascomal hairs abundant,dark olivaceous, loosely coiled, 35–60 µm long per coil, tapering and paler near the apex, 3–5 µm wide near the base, up to 1.5 mm in length.
Asci Asci clavate, 8-spores, 60–90 × 20–28 µm.
Ascospores Ascospores limoniform to broad fusiform, hyaline to subhyaline, turning grey to olivaceous brown when mature, with a inconspicious germ pore, 8–11 × 7–9 µm.
Note This species was reported to be viable after hot water treatment (60°C, 10 min). Strain 14100 shares 99.80%, 99.88%, 99.80% identities in ITS, EF1a, RPB2 regions respectively with the neotype strain of Chaetomium globosum (CBS 160.62; KT214565, KT214704, KT214666).
Pathogenicity This species is considered an endophyte and is often isolated from various parts of rice (Naik et al., 2009). It has been reported that it may have biological control potential (Soytong & Ouimio, 1989; Tongon & Soytong, 2015).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains, Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14100

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Chaetomium globosum. a–b. Asci and ascospores. c. Perithecia. d. Mature ascospores (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Chaetomium undulatulum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Sordariomycetidae, Sordariales, Chaetomiaceae, Chaetomium


Authors Asgari & Zare 2011
Strain 15026
Culture collection BCRC FU31240
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 51-mm diam. after 5 days at 25 °C, floccose, azonate, margin entire, reverse yellowish brown with white margins.
Ascomata Perithecia dark black, globose to subglobose, up to 400 µm in diameter. Ascomal hairs abundant, pale brown with golden brown ornamentations, coiled, 15–35 µm long per coil, tapering and paler near the apex, 3–5 µm wide near the base, up to 500 µm in length.
Asci Asci clavate, 8-spores, 39–60 × 18–28 µm.
Ascospores Ascospores limoniform, hyaline to subhyaline, turning grey to olivaceous brown when mature, guttulated, with a inconspicious germ pore, 11.5–13.5 × 7.5–9 µm.
Note This species was originally isolated from the leaves of wheat and barley (Asgari & Zare, 2011). Strain 15026 shares 99.61%, 99.15%, 95.84% identities in ITS, EF1a, RPB2 regions respectively with the ex-type strain of Chaetomium undulatulum (CBS 126775; HM365251, KT214720, KT214682).
Pathogenicity Unknown.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung Native 1), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15026

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Chaetomium undulatulum. a. Perithecia. b. Asci. c. Coiled ascomal hairs. d. ascospores (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Cladosporium tenuissimum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Dothideomycetidae, Capnodiales, Cladosporiaceae, Cladosporium


Authors Cooke 1878
Strain 14084
Culture collection BCRC FU31235
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 25-mm after 5 days at 25 °C, woolly, dark gray with white margin, reverse black, often with radial wrinkles.
Conidiophores Conidiophores erect, solitary, dark brown to golden brown, multiseptate, occasionally branch, bearing up to 20 conidiogenous cells, geniculate or nodulose at conidiogenous loci, 2–3 μm in width, up to 2 mm long in old cultures.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrate, intercalary or terminal, often bearing 1–5 conidiogenous sites in whorl, slightly swollen.
Conidia Conidia light brown to golden brown, catenate, mostly 2–4 in chain, ellipsoid, fusiform or obovoid, 2–5 × 2–3 μm. Secondary ramoconidia which give rise to 2–3 branches light brown to golden brown, cylinrical, with one end truncated, 5–10 × 2–3 μm.
Note Sporulation was poor on nutrient-rich agar (e.g. PDA) for isolates of this species. Water agar or cornmeal agar are more suitable for proper sporulation.
Pathogenicity This species is considered as saprophytic or endophytic and can often be isolated from healthy rice leaves (Fisher & Petrini, 1992).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jul 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14084

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Cladosporium tenuissimum. a. Intact conidiophores and conidia. b–c,e. Conidiophores and conidia. d. Sporulation on cornmeal agar. (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Colletotrichum fructicola
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Glomerellales, Glomerellaceae, Colletotrichum


Authors Prihast., L. Cai & K.D. Hyde 2009
Strain 13059
Culture collection BCRC FU31232
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 69-mm after 5 days at 25 °C, fluffy, azonated, margin entire, reverse white, turn dark when older.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells hyaline, ellipsoidal, cylindrical, 15–25 × 2–3 µm.
Conidia Conidia often produced directly from mononematous conidiophores in culture, hyaline, cylindrical, rounded at both ends, smooth, densely guttulate with a bigger one in the middle of conidia, 9–13 × 3–5 µm.
Setae Setae not observed on PDA or CMA.
Appressoria Appressoria solitary or in group, bullet-shape or irregularly lobed, 9–13 × 7–11 µm.
Note This species is a member of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex, and was reported to cause anthracnose on diverse plants. Strain 13059 shares 100% identity in ITS and ACT regions with the ex-type strain of Colletotrichum fructicola (ICMP 18581; JX010165, FJ907426).
Pathogenicity This is the first time this species has been found on rice. This species has been discovered as an endophyte on a variety of hosts (Weir et al., 2012).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainung 67), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13059
Taiwan, Pingtung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 9), Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14095

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Colletotrichum fructicola. a, c. Conidiogenous cells and acervuli. b. Conidia directly produced from mononematous conidiophores. d. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Colletotrichum karstii
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Glomerellales, Glomerellaceae, Colletotrichum


Authors You L. Yang, Zuo Y. Liu, K.D. Hyde & L. Cai 2011
Strain 13063
Culture collection BCRC FU30222
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494365
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 65-, 67-, 0-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margin entire, floccose, with scattered pale orange and dark black spots which corresponding to acervuli and ascomata, reverse white to pale orange, distinctly zonated.
Conidiophores Conidiophores hyaline, pale brown near base, branched.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells, hyaline, elongated-ampulliform, 10–25 × 2.5–5 µm, opening 1–2 µm.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, aseptate, straight, ellipsoidal, one end rounded, the other slightly protruding and truncated, 12.5–15 × 6–7.5 µm.
Setae Setae not observed on PDA or CMA.
Appressoria Appressoria solitary or in group, bullet-shape or irregularly lobed, 7–12 × 3–7 µm.
Note This species was primarily reported to be pathogenic or endophytic of many orchids (Yang et al., 2011). Strain 13063 share 99.8% and 94.6% identity in ITS and ACT regions with the ex-type strain of Colletotrichum karstii (CBS 132134, NR_144790, HM581995)
Pathogenicity Unknown.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainung 67), Oct 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13063

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Colletotrichum karstii. a. Conidiomata. b, d. Conidiogenous cells and acervuli. c. Conidia. e. Appressoria. f. Asci (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Colletotrichum plurivorum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Glomerellales, Glomerellaceae, Colletotrichum


Authors Damm, Alizadeh & Toy. Sato 2018
Strain 13062
Culture collection BCRC FU31233
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 66-mm after 5 days at 25 °C, floccose, pale olivaceous grey with white margin, reverse dark olivaceous.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, aseptate, falcate, 14–18 × 5–6 µm, microcyclic conidiation often present.
Setae Setae smooth or verruculose, dark brown, tapering toward tip, 3.5–5 µm wide at the base, 100–170 µm long.
Appressoria Appressoria solitary or in group, bullet-shape or irregularly lobed, 9–13 × 5–9 µm.
Note Colletotrichum plurivorum is phylogenetically and morphologically close to C. cliviicola. Damm et al. (2019) proposed C. plurivorum as a new species based on differences in nucleotides of GPD, TUB, and HIS3 genes, host range, with fast growth rate and sexual morph, and without microcyclic conidiation. However, strain 13062 and 18058 clustered in the C. plurivorum clade according to the ITS, GPD, and TUB multilocus phylogenetic phylogram did produce microcyclic conidiation, without sexual morph. Therefore, the separation of both species needs further study.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13062
Taiwan, Hualien County, rice grains, Jul 2018, Jie-Hao Ou, 18058

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Colletotrichum plurivorum. a, d. Acervuli and setae. b. Appressoria. c. Secondary conidia (microcyclic conidiation). e. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)

Fig. 3 Maximum-likelihood (ML) tree obtained from aligned ITS, GADPH, TUB2 sequence of the Colletotrichum plurivorum and allied species.
Colletotrichum truncatum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Glomerellales, Glomerellaceae, Colletotrichum


Authors (Schwein.) Andrus & W.D. Moore 1935
Strain 13053
Culture collection BCRC FU30212
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494364
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 42-, 58-, 0-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire, floccose, reverse dark olivaceous, slightly zonated.
Conidiophores Conidiophores hyaline, pale brown near base, branched, 5–25 x 3–4 µm.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells cylindrical, 10–20 × 2–4 µm.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, aseptate, falcate, 20–26 × 3–4.5 µm.
Setae Setae smooth or verruculose, dark brown, tapering toward tip, 3–4.5 µm wide at the base, up to 160 µm.
Appressoria Appressoria solitary or in group, bullet-shape or irregularly lobed, 7–18 × 5–7 µm.
Note This species has not been previously found on rice. It is an important plant pathogen that causes anthracnose on legumes. Strain 13053 shares 100% and 99.2% identity in ITS and ACT regions with the ex-type strain of Colletotrichm truncatum (CBS 151.35; GU227862, GU227960).
Pathogenicity Unknown.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13053

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Colletotrichum truncatum. a. Conidiophores. b, d. Conidia. c. Acervuli and setae (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Coniochaeta velutina
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Sordariomycetidae, Coniochaetales, Coniochaetaceae, Coniochaeta


Authors (Fuckel) Cooke 1887
Strain 13024
Culture collection BCRC FU30210
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494366
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 15-, 17-, 2-mm at 24 °C, 28°C and 37°C after 5 days, margins, entire, floccose, grey, reverse orange, turn dark brown aftter a few week.
Conidiophores Conidiophores absent or poorly differentiated.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells phialidic, grey to pale brown, adelophalides 2–6 × 1.5–3 μm, collarettes 0.7–1.5 × 1.5–2 μm, discrete phialides swollen near bases, grey to pale brown, 7–10 μm long, 3–4 μm at the widest part, 1.5–2.5 μm near the apex, collarettes cylindrical, 1–1.5 × 1.5–2 μm
Conidia Conidia ellipsoid to ovoid, with the ends slightly truncate, hyaline, aseptate, 3–5 × 1.5–2.5 μm.
Ascomata Perithecia form in culture, mostly superficial, with dark brown setae up to 50 μm long, subglobose with short neck, up to 200 μm in diameter.
Asci Asci unitunicate, cylindrical, stalked, 8-spored, 35–50 × 10–15 μm.
Ascospores Ascospores ellipsoidal, grey to golden brown, often 2-guttulate, 6–7 × 4–5 μm.
Pathogenicity Unknown. This species has not been previously found on rice. It has been reported as a weak pathogen on sugar maple (Acer saccharunz) (Basham et al., 1969).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Aug 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13024

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Coniochaeta velutina. a, c, d. Asci and ascospore with longitudinal germ slits (black arrow). b. Ascocarps. e. Reduced conidiogenous cells. f. Conidia. g. Discrete conidiogenous cells (phialides) (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Corynascus sepedonium
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Sordariomycetidae, Sordariales, Chaetomiaceae, Corynascus


Authors (C.W. Emmons) Arx 1973
Strain 13015
Culture collection BCRC FU30218
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494367
Colonies Colonies grow rapidly on PDA at 37 °C, attaining 26-, 28-, 45-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire, floccose, azonated, reverse yellowish to orange, slightly wrinkled at 37°C.
Conidiophores Conidiophores absent or poorly differentiated.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells hyaline, lageniform, bearing 1–2 protruding conidiogenous loci, 5–15 × 2.5–4 μm.
Conidia Conidia globose, young conidia smooth, subhyaline, echinulate, thick-walled, pale golden brown when mature, 8–11 µm in diameter.
Ascomata Cleistothecia form in culture after several weeks, composed of flattened, reticulate cells (textura epidermoidea), spherical, dark brown, up to 150µm.
Asci Asci globose to ovoid, 8-spore, 25-35 µm in diameter.
Ascospores Ascospores broadly fusiform, young ascospores hyaline, often 1-guttulate, mature ascospores dark olivaceous, with two germ pores at both ends, 15-18 x 8.5-10 µm.
Note This is a thermophilic species. Strain 13053 shares 100% identity in ITS region with the ex-type strain of Corynascus sepedonium (CBS 111.69, HQ871751).
Pathogenicity Unknown. This species has not been previously found on rice. This species is mesophilic and commonly found in soil (Brink et al., 2012).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Dec 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 13015

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Corynascus sepedonium. a, b. Ascospores with two germ pores at both ends. c. Ascocarp and asci. d. Immature guttulate ascospores. e, g. Condiophores and conidia. f. Mature, thick-walled conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Corynespora cassiicola
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Corynesporascaceae, Corynespora


Authors Corynespora cassiicola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) C.T. Wei 1950
Strain 14137
Detection frequency Low
Conidiophores Conidiophores erect, simple, straight or flexuose, olivaceous brown, with percurrent proliferation, up to 500 μm long, 3–7 μm wide
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal.
Conidia Conidia solitary or in chain, obclavate or cylindrical, thick-walled, with distinctly thickened hilum at the base, with 3–7 distosepta, 20–90 × 6–9 µm.
Note This is a common pathogen affecting diverse plant hosts.
Pathogenicity Unknown. Mew & Gonzales (2002) has found Corynespora sp. on rice seeds, but not identified down to the species level. This species can be found on more than a hundred species of plants, including dicotyledons, monocots, and ferns (Farr, D.F., & Rossman, A.Y., 2020)
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Oct 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14137

Fig. 1 a, b. Conidia. c,d. Conidiophores (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Creosphaeria sassafras
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Lopadostomataceae, Creosphaeria


Authors (Schwein.) Y.M. Ju, F. San Martín & J.D. Rogers 1993
Strain 14173
Culture collection BCRC FU31416
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 26-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, margins entire, cottony, white, reverse white, turning black with age.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, or micronematous, erect or prostrate, simple or with a few branches, with 1–3 terminal conidiogenous cells, hyaline, turning brown with age.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells sympodial, polyblastic, hyaline or pale brown, cylindrical, tapering toward the apex, 15–22 × 2–3 μm, shorter when arising directly from hyphae (or reduced conidiophores). Reduced conidiogenous cells occasionally present, arising from intercalary cells without a basal septum.
Conidia Conidia wet, hyaline, falcate, curved near the apex, 15–22 × 1.5–2 μm.
Note This species is widespread, and is recognized in nature by its sexual morph, erumpent stromata, on wood. This is an interesting discovery for it being occurring on rice seeds.
Pathogenicity Unknown. Commonly found as endophyte or saprophyte.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14173

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Creosphaeria sassafras. a–c, e. Conidiophores and conidia. d. Vegetative hyphae with brown exudates. f. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Curvularia beasleyi
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Curvularia


Authors Y.P. Tan & R.G. Shivas 2018
Strain 14051
Culture collection BCRC FU31234
Detection frequency Medium
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 56-mm at 25°C after 5 days, margins entire, raised, floccose, reverse dark olivaceous with yellow diffused pigment and white margins.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, light brown, flexuous, septate, simple or rarely branched, percurrent proliferation occasionally observed, up to 100 µm, 3–5 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, geniculate, sympodial, with darkened and thickened conidial scars.
Conidia Conidia straight, cylindrical, smooth, with slightly darkened and thickened hilum, brown, (1–)3–5 distoseptate (mostly 3–5). Ratio of 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-septate conidia=5:2:19:5:34. 1-septate conidia 7–13 × 5–8 µm; 2-septate conidia 10–15 × 6–9 µm; 3-septate conidia 16–20 × 7–9 µm; 4-septate conidia 18–26 × 8–10 µm; 5-septate conidia 20–29 × 7–10.5 µm.
Note Curvularia beasleyi is morphologically similar to C. hawaiiensis, but can be distinguished by having narrower conidia with fewer septa. Strain 14051 shares 100% and 99.13% identities in ITS and GPD regions with the ex-type strain of C. beasleyi (BRIP10972; MH414892, MH433638).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains, Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14055
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14051
Taiwan, Pingtung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 9), Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14091
Taiwan, Pingtung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 9), Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14094
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14182

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Curvularia beasleyi. a–c. Conidiophores and conidia. d, e. Conidia. f. Sporulation on OA (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)


Fig. 3 Maximum-likelihood (ML) tree obtained from aligned ITS, GADPH sequences of the Curvularia beasleyi and allied species.
Curvularia dactyloctenicola
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Curvularia


Authors Y. Marín, Senwanna & Crous 2017
Strain 13012
Culture collection BCRC FU31455
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 29-, 37-, 13-mm at 24 °C, 28°C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire, floccose, reverse initially white with diffused brown pigment, black, zonated when older.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, brown, flexuous, septate, simple, up to 300 µm, 3–6 µm wide, sometimes arising from a germinating chlamydospore.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, geniculate, sympodial, with darkened and thickened conidial scars.
Conidia Conidia straight or curved, pale brown, nearly concolor, with slightly thickened hilum at the base, mostly 3-septate, the third cell often disproportionately swollen, 18–25 × 7–12 µm.
Chlamydospores Chlamydospores thick-walled, globose, dark-brown, often found in aggregates of varying size.
Note Cylindrical stromataprotruding from medium surface often present in old cultures, especially in the cultures incubated in complete darkness. Strain 13012 shares 99.8% and 100% identities in ITS and GPD regions with the ex-type strain of Curvularia dactyloctenicola (CPC 28810; MF490815, MF490837). Although both strains obtained in this study are phylogenetically closely related to Curvularia dactyloctenicola, There are slightly different in morphology. Strain 13012 produced abundant chlamydospores and microsclerotia in culture, which was not observed by Marin-Felix et al. (2017). In addition, the conidia were significantly wider, with the enlarged third cells being more pronounced.
Pathogenicity Unknown. This species has not been previously found on rice, but has been reported to be associated with leaf spots on Dactyloctenium aegyptium.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Dec 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 13012
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains(cultivar Taichung Sen No. 10), May 2019, Yi-Chen, Li, 20001

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Curvularia dactyloctenicola. a–b. Conidiophores and conidia. c Conidia. d. Chlamydospores in culture. e. Chlamydospores and conidiophores (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)


Fig. 3 Maximum-likelihood (ML) tree obtained from aligned ITS, GPD sequences of the Curvularia dactyloctenicola and allied species. Type sequences are shown in bold.
Curvularia geniculata
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Curvularia


Authors (Tracy & Earle) Boedijn 1933
Strain 12007
Culture collection BCRC FU30162
Detection frequency High
Accession number LC494369
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 57-, 63-, 15-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire, floccose, reverse initially white with brown pigment, black, slightly zonated when older.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, mostly arising from creeping hyphae, brown, flexuous, septate, simple, up to 400 µm, 2–5 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, geniculate, sympodial, with darkened and thickened conidial scars.
Conidia Conidia straight or curved, pale brown, the third cell from the base often darker and larger than the others, with slightly protuberant hilum at the base, 3-4 septate(mostly 4), 20–28 × 6.5–10 µm.
Note This species is widespread, and commonly occurs in soil and on decayed plant tissue. It is pathogenic to many plant species, and opportunistically pathogenic to animals and also humans. Characteristic cylindrical stromata usually produced and erected on old cultures.
Pathogenicity This species is considered to be one of the major pathogens that cause the black kernel, sometimes infecting leaves to cause leaf spots (Ou, 1985).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 16), Nov 2016, Jie-Hao Ou, 16041
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Sep 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12007
Taiwan, Kaohsiung City, rice grains, Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14022
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14042
Taiwan, Yunlin County, rice grains, Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14053
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains, Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14097
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains, Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14103
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14111
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 2), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14132
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Oct 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14138
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 147), Jan 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17005
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainung 71), Feb 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17024
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14178
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14180
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 65), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15014
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung Native 1), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15023

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Curvularia geniculata. a–c. Conidiophores and conidia. d. Stromata on PDA. e. Conidia
Fig. 3 Colony, sporulation on PDA, conidia, stromata in different strains(Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Curvularia hawaiiensis
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Curvularia


Authors (Bugnic. ex M.B. Ellis) Manamgoda, L. Cai & K.D. Hyde 2012
Strain 12003
Culture collection BCRC FU30160
Detection frequency Medium
Accession number LC494362
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 51-, 66-, 18-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire, floccose, reverse dark olivaceous to black with white margins.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, often arising from funiculose bundles of mycelium, brown to dark brown, flexuous, septate, simple or rarely branched, up to 100 µm, 3.5–5 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, geniculate, sympodial, with darkened and thickened conidial scars.
Conidia Conidia straight, cylindrical, smooth, with slightly darkened and thickened hilum, brown, (1–)3–5 distoseptate(mostly 5). Ratio of 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-septate conidia=3:0:9:5:42. 1-septate conidia 9–12 × 3–6 µm; 2-septate conidia 10–14 × 4–6 µm; 3-septate conidia 13–21 × 4–6 µm; 4-septate conidia 18–22 × 5–6.5 µm; 5-septate conidia 18–26 × 5.5–7.5 µm.
Note Strain 12003 shares 100% and 98.56% identities in ITS and RPB2 regions with the ex-type strain of Curvularia hawaiiensis (CBS 173.57; HG778988, HG779166).
This species was first discovered by Bugnicourt (1955) from rice seeds under the name of Helminthosporium hawaiiense.
Uchida & Aragaki (1979) transferred this species to Bipolaris based on their conidia having distosepta with bipolar type of germination and bearing on geniculate conidiophores.
Manamgoda et al. (2012), based on the phylogenetic analysis, figured out that species attributed to Bipolaris with straight and short (<100 μm) conidia were nested within Curvularia, and should be moved to Curvularia. Accordingly this species was transferred to Curvularia hawaiiensis.
This species is morphologically similar to C. beasleyi, but can be distinguished by having wider conidia with more septa.
Pathogenicity This species is often found on rice seeds and may be associated with rice discoloration (Misra & Dharam, 1988). This species was reported to cause leaf spot in Pakistan (Aslam et al., 2019).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12003
Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains, May 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14072
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 65), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15009

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Curvularia hawaiiensis. a, c. Conidiophores and conidia. b. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Curvularia muehlenbeckiae
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Curvularia


Authors Madrid, K.C. Cunha, Gené, Guarro & Crous 2014
Strain 13021
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Medium
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 43-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, sparsely cottony, margins white, entire, reverse dark olivaceous to black with white margins.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, brown, flexuous, septate, simple, up to 300 µm, 3.5–4.5 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, often seprated by 1–3 sterile cells at regular intervals, geniculate, sympodial, with darkened and thickened conidial scars.
Conidia Conidia mostly curved, pale brown, with the third cell from the base verruculose, darker and larger than the others, with a thicken hilum at the base, 3-septate, 17–24 × 9–12 µm.
Note This species can be distinguished from other species commonly found on rice seeds by conidia with swollen, echinulate third cell.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Aug 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13021
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13057
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 65), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15016
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jul 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14080

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Curvularia muehlenbeckiae. a–b. Conidiophores and conidia. c–d, f. Conidia with verruculose third cell. e. Sporulation on OA (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Curvularia plantarum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Curvularia


Authors M. Raza, K.D. Hyde & L. Cai 2019
Strain 13009
Culture collection BCRC FU30167
Detection frequency High
Accession number LC494370
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 46-, 73-, 14-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire, floccose, reverse dark olivaceous to black with white margins.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, brown, flexuous, septate, simple, up to 300 µm, 3.5–4.5 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, often seprated by 1–3 sterile cells at regular intervals, geniculate, sympodial, with darkened and thickened conidial scars.
Conidia Conidia mostly curved, pale brown, with the third cell from the base verruculose, darker and larger than the others, with a thicken hilum at the base, 3-septate, 20–30 × 9–13 µm.
Note This species can be distinguished from other species commonly found on rice seeds by conidia with swollen, echinulate third cell.
Curvularia plantarum was established by Raza et al. (2019). It is morphologically indistinguishable from C. muehlenbeckiae. The separation of both species can be justified by the phylogenetic analyses. However, more characters are required to support their separation. In the three regions of ITS, GPD, EF1a, strain 13009 shows 100%, 100%, 100% identities respectively with Curvularia plantarum LC11986 (ex-type), and 100%, N/A, 98.18% identities respectively with Curvularia muehlenbeckiae LC11992 (ex-type).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jan 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13009
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jan 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13010
Taiwan, Yunlin County, rice grains, Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14047
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 2), Jan 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15003
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14189
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 65), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15013

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Curvularia plantarum. a–c, f. Conidiophores and conidia. d, e. Conidia with verruculose third cell. g. Conidium observed with SEM (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Curvularia pseudobrachyspora
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Curvularia


Authors Y. Marín, Cheew. & Crous 2017
Strain 13058
Culture collection BCRC FU30223
Detection frequency Medium
Accession number LC494368
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 68-, 64-, 5-mm at 24 °C, 28°C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire, floccose, reverse dark, often with orange diffusing pigment, forming dark black, cylindrical stromata after several weeks.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, brown, up to 500 µm long.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, geniculate, sympodial, with darkened and thickened conidial scars.
Conidia Conidia straight or slightly curved, clavate, ellipsoid or fusiform, smooth, with inconspicious hilum, 2–4-septate(mostly 3) , 20–27 × 9–13 µm; first cell of mature conidia often slightly echinulate; third cell from base often larger and darker than the others.
Note Curvularia pseudobrachyspora is morphologically close to C. brachyspora. C. pseudobrachyspora was proposed by Marin-Felix et al. (2017) to separate C. brachyspora based on their differences in ITS, GPD, and EF1a genes, with 99.78%, 98.61%, and 99.30% similarity respectively. C. pseudobrachyspora possessed shorter conidiophores (up to 420 μm), and was reported on (Eleusine indica) in Thailand. C. pseudobrachyspora is also closely related to C. protuberans. C. protuberans differs from C. pseudobrachyspora (type strain CPC 28808) only in 1 bp in EF1a (ITS and GPD are exactly the same). However, Raza et al. (2019) proposed C. protuberans as a new species by the smaller conidia (9.5–25.5 x 6–19.5 μm vs. 21.5–27 x 8–14 μm) and prominent hilum. As the morphological features used to characterize C. protuberans usually vary, this treatment should be reexamined.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13058
Taiwan, Pingtung County, rice grains, Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14029
Taiwan, Kaohsiung City, rice grains, Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14030

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Curvularia pseudobrachyspora. a–c, e. Conidiophores and conidia. d. Vegetative hyphae with brown exudates. f. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Curvularia sp. 13037
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Curvularia


Strain 13037
Culture collection BCRC FU31410
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 47-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, margins entire or undulate, reverse dark olivaceous to black with white margins.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, arising from both aerial and creeping hyphae at right angles, brown, flexuous, septate, simple, up to 120 µm, 3.5–5 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, geniculate, sympodial, with darkened and thickened conidial scars.
Conidia Conidia straight or slightly curved, golden brown, guttulate, with distinct thicken hilum at the base, 3–5(–6) distoseptate, 29–42 × 7.5–11 µm.
Note This species is phylogenetically clustered within a group of species which were previously identified as Bipolaris (with short, straight, distoseptate conidia) and were recently moved to Curvularia. Conidia of strain 13037 are often slightly curved, a character which is not common in this group. The other species in this group having slightly curved conidia are Curvularia ellisii, C. buchloës, and C. beasleyi, but they can be easily distinguished from Strain 13037. Conidia of C. ellisii are significantly wider (21–41 × 12–18 µm) (Danquah, 1975); Conidia of C. buchloës are significantly longer ((34–) 40–69 (–71) × (7–) 8–12 (–15) µm)) (Manamgoda et al., 2015); Conidia of C. beasleyi are significantly smaller ((14–) 26–29 (–34) × (5–) 6.5–7.5 (–9) μm) (Tan et al., 2018)
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13037

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Curvularia sp. 13037. a–b. Conidiophores and conidia. c. Sporulation on CM (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)


Fig. 3 Maximum-likelihood (ML) tree obtained from aligned ITS sequences of the Curvularia sp. 13037 and allied species.
Curvularia tuberculata
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Curvularia


Authors B.L. Jain 1962
Strain 12005
Culture collection BCRC FU30161
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494371
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 54-, 76-, 23-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire, floccose, reverse dark olivaceous to black with white margins, slightly zonated.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, light brown, flexuous, septate, simple or branched, up to 200 µm, 3–3.5 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, geniculate, sympodial, echinulate near the conidiogenous loci.
Conidia Conidia straight, rarely curved, cylindrical, ellipsoidal or clavate, tuberculate, with slightly darkened and thickened hilum, olivaceous brown, 2-4 septate(mostly 3), 25–50 × 12–20 µm.
Note The species was commonly reported on diverse host plants as being saprobic or pathogenic, occasionally on humans as opportunistically pathogenic. Strain 12005 shares 100% identity in ITS region with the iso-type strain of Curvularia tuberculata (CBS 146.63, JX256433).
Pathogenicity This species is often found on rice seeds and may be associated with rice discoloration (Misra & Dharam, 1988). This species was reported to cause leaf spot in Pakistan (Majeed et al., 2016).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12005

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Curvularia tuberculata. a–c. Conidiophores and conidia. d, e. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Curvularia verruculosa
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Curvularia


Authors Tandon & Bilgrami ex M.B. Ellis 1966
Strain 12053
Culture collection BCRC FU30214
Detection frequency Medium
Accession number LC494372
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 45-, 61-, 0-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire, floccose, reverse dark with white margin.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, light brown, flexuous, septate, simple or branched, up to 500 µm, 3.5–5 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, geniculate, sympodial.
Conidia Conidia smooth, straight or slightly curved, fusiform with rounded ends, clavate, ellipsoid or fusiform, with inconspicious hilum, pale brown to brown, mostly concolorous, third cell sometimes slightly darker and larger, verruculose except the apical cell, mostly 3-septate , 24–28 × 9–11 µm.
Note Strain 12053 has narrower conidia in comparison with the epitype strain of Curvularia verruculosa CBS 150.63 (9–11 µm vs. 12–16 μm) (Su et al. 2015). The similarities between both strains in the ITS, GPD, and EF1a regions are 99.78%, 99.76%, and 99.77%, respectively.
This species is morphologically similar to Curvularia americana, but can be clearly distinguished by the differences in ITS and GPD sequences.
Pathogenicity This species has been reported to infect rice leaves and spikelets in India (Aulakh, 1966).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains, Dec 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12053
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14002
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14175

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Curvularia verruculosa. a, d, e. Conidiophores and conidia. b, c. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Daldinia eschscholtzii
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Hypoxylaceae, Daldinia


Authors (Ehrenb.) Rehm 1904
Strain 14154
Culture collection BCRC FU31266
Detection frequency Medium
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 80-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, margins entire, cottony, reverse initially white, becoming olivaceous brown with age.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, erect, hyaline to pale brown, rough-walled, often with 1–3 short lateral branches, terminating in 1–3(–4) conidiogenous cells in whorls.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells cylindrical, hyaline, mostly terminal, rarely intercalary, slightly denticulate near the conidiogenous loci, 9–15(–20) × 2.5–3.5 µm.
Conidia Conidia one-celled, smooth, hyaline, obovoid, with a slightly truncated base, 4.5–7 × 2–3 µm.
Note This species is known for the obvious teleomorphic stromata occurring on wood. The strain obtained from rice seed is anamorphic, and its morphological characteristics are consistent with the description of anamorphic Daldinia eschscholtzii observed in culture by Stadler et al. (2014).
Even though the strain 14154 has slight difference from Daldinia eschscholtzii CALP 11206 (epitype) in the ITS sequence (98.06%), the assignment of this strain to Daldinia eschscholtzii is adequate. This strains was nested within strains of Daldinia eschscholtzii approved by Stadler et al. (2014) in phylogenetic analysis.
Pathogenicity Unknown. This species is generally considered as endophyte.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Oct 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14145
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Nov 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14154
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 194), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14170

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Daldinia eschscholtzii. a–d. Conidiophores and conidia. e. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Diaporthe aff. arecae
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Diaporthomycetidae, Diaporthales, Diaporthaceae, Diaporthe


Strain 14151
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 45-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, margins entire, cottony, initially white, turning yellowish brown from the center, reverse similar.
Note Efforts have been made by culturing strain 14151 on PDA, OA, and WA. It failed to sporulate. Based on ITS sequence comparison, this strain is closely related to D. arengae CBS 114979 (97.4%) and D. arecae CBS 161.64 (97.39%)
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Pingtung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 9), Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14088

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Diaporthe aff. millettia
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Diaporthomycetidae, Diaporthales, Diaporthaceae, Diaporthe


Strain 14152
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 74-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, margins entire, cottony, initially white, turning yellowish brown from the center, reverse similar.
Note Efforts have been made by culturing strain 14151 on PDA, OA, and WA. It failed to sporulate. Based on ITS sequence comparison, it is closely related to D. millettia GUCC9167 (99.13%).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Oct 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14152

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Diaporthe aff. tectonendophytica
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Diaporthomycetidae, Diaporthales, Diaporthaceae, Diaporthe


Strain 14161
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 74-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, margins entire, velvety, initially white, azonate, turning pale brown from the center, reverse similar.
Conidiophores Conidiophores hyaline, branched, cylindrical, arise from swollen pigmented cells.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells phialidic, cylindrical to conical, hyaline, tapering toward the apex, 9–14(–20) × 2–4(–5) µm.
Conidia Alpha conidia not observed. Beta conidia hyaline, filiform, curved, cream-yellow in mass, 19-30(–35) × 1–1.5(–2) µm.
Note Based on ITS sequence, it is closely related to D. tectonendophytica MFLUCC 13-0471 (98.99%). Strain 14161 conformed to the description of D. tectonendophytica by Doilom et al. (2017) in the Beta conidia, but differed in the lack of alpha conidia. The colony morphology was “lobate with concentric rings of dense and sparse hyphae, irregular margin” in D. tectonendophytica (Doilom et al., 2017) on the PDA. However, strain 14161 has colony of "margins entire, velvety, azonate".
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Nov 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14161
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains, Feb 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17033

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Diaporthe aff. tectonendophytica. a, b. Conidiophores, conidiogenous cells and conidia. c. Conidia. d. Conidiomata on PDA (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Diaporthe arengae
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Diaporthomycetidae, Diaporthales, Diaporthaceae, Diaporthe


Authors R.R. Gomes, Glienke & Crous 2013
Strain 13038
Culture collection BCRC FU30209
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 51-, 60-, 0-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins irregular, reverse dark olivaceous.
Conidiophores Conidiophores hyaline, branched, cylindrical, arise from swollen pigmented cells, 10–45 × 2–4 µm.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells phialidic, cylindrical, hyaline, 14–40 × 1–2 µm.
Conidia Alpha conidia fusiform, hyaline, often two-guttulate, 6–7 × 2–2.5 µm. Beta conidia hyaline, cylindrical to fusiform, 19–24 × 1–2(–2.5) µm.
Note Strain 13038 shares 100% identity in ITS region with the ex-type strain of Diaporthe arengae (CBS 114979, KC343034). WA amended with rice grains could induce sporulation.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13038
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains, Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14139

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Diaporthe arengae. a. Conidiomata on WA supplemented with sterile rice grains. b, d. Conidia. c, e. Conidiogenous cells and conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Epicoccum sorghinum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Didymellaceae, Epicoccum


Authors (Sacc.) Aveskamp, Gruyter & Verkley 2010
Strain 14130
Culture collection BCRC FU31413
Detection frequency Medium
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 46-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, pale brown, often with white granules and brown or red exudates diffusing into the medium, margins entire, turning filiform with age.
Pycnidia Pycnidia globose or subglobose, brown, ostiolate, glabrous, superficial or submerged, often in groups, up to 250 µm in diam.
Conidia Conidia ovoid, fusiform or ellipsoidal, hyaline, often with 2 tiny guttules, 3.5–4.5(–5) × 1.5–2.0(–2.5) µm.
Chlamydospores Chlamydospores globose, subglobose or cylindrical, dark brown, guttulate, intercalary or terminal, mostly in chains of 2–9 cells, 8–12 × 5–9(–11) µm.
Note This species produces Phoma-like pycnidia, and was originally named as Phoma sorghina. Based on phylogenetic analysis (Aveskamp et al., 2009), this species has been transferred to the genus Epicoccum, which is characterized by having brown dictyoseptate conidia sometimes with Phoma-like synanamorph. However, this species has only Phoma-like anamorph. This species is commonly associated with sorghum grains. Brown diffusible pigment was produced on the PDA medium, which turned yellow in acid conditions (Boerema et al., 1977). Mycotoxin, namely tenuazonic acid, was produced on sorghum grains (Oliveira et al., 2017).
Pathogenicity This species has been reported to cause glume blight and grain discoloration on rice (Ou, 1985), and also frequently been found on other Poaceae hosts(Boerema et al., 1977).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14009
Taiwan, Kaohsiung City, rice grains, Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14028
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 2), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14122
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14192

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Epicoccum sorghinum. a. Pycnidia on PDA. b, c. Chlamydospores. d. Pycnidial wall and ostiole. e. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Exserohilum rostratum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Exserohilum


Authors (Drechsler) K.J. Leonard & Suggs 1974
Strain 12009
Culture collection BCRC FU30163
Detection frequency High
Accession number LC494373
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 74-, 85-, 50-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margin undulate, floccose, reverse black with white margins.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, golden brown to pale brown, simple or branched, up to 400 µm, 4.5–6 µm wide, occasionally constricted at the base.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, geniculate, sympodial, with darkened and thickened conidial scars.
Conidia Conidia straight or slightly curved, ellipsoidal, obclavate or cylindrical, with distinctly protuberant hilum, olivaceous to pale brown, 3–15 distoseptate, the first and the last septa often darker than the others, 30–185 × 10–25 µm.
Appressoria Hyphopodia often formed in contact with the bottom of the polystyrene petri dish, globose, dark brown, 10–15 µm in diam.
Note This species is commonly found in soils and on grasses. It is pathogenic to some grasses, and occasionally infects humans opportunistically.
Pathogenicity This species infects rice and many other monocots and causes leaf spots (Sivanesan, 1987).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12009
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Dec 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12054
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jul 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13018
Taiwan, Kaohsiung City, rice grains, Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14021
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains, Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14044
Taiwan, Yunlin County, rice grains, Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14052
Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains, May 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14063
Taiwan, Pingtung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 9), Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14093
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14117
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14183

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Exserohilum rostratum. a. Conidia. b, c. Conidiophores and conidia. d. Hyphopodia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fusarium andiyazi
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Nectriaceae, Fusarium


Authors Marasas, Rheeder, Lampr., K.A. Zeller & J.F. Leslie 2001
Strain 18040
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 64-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, pale orange, slightly zonate, margin entire, reverse similar.
Sporodochia Sporodochia not observed on CLA. Sporodochia on PDA orange, composed of both macro- and microconidia. Sporodochial conidiophores short, bearing 1–5 monophialides.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macro- or micronematous, erect or prostrate, hyaline, simple or with 1–2 branches, up to 60 µm long, 2–3 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells mono- or polyphialidic, hyaline, 15–35 × 2–3(–3.5) µm, often reduce to short adelophialide.
Conidia Macroconidia hyaline, falcate, with inconspicuous 4–9 septa, 22–95 × 3–4.5 µm. Microconidia in chains or false head, hyaline, straight or slightly curved, cylindrical or allantoid, 7–12(–14) × 1.5–2.5(–3) µm.
Note This strain is phylogenetically closely related to F. andiyazi (ex-type CBS 119857) with the similarity in ITS and EF1a sequences are 99.51% and 98.37% respectively.
The shape of the microconidia (clavate to ovoid vs. cylindrical or allantoid) and the length of the macroconidia (18–56 µm vs. 22–95 µm) in this strain are slightly different from F. andiyazi described by Marasas et al. (2001). This can be considered as intraspecific variation.
This species is a member of F. fujikuroi species complex, and can be distinguished by the shape of microconidia (obovoid vs. cylindrical or allantoid) and the longer macroconidia (35–59 µm vs. 22–95).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jul 2018, Jie-Hao Ou, 18040

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Fusarium andiyazi. a–c, e. Conidiophores and conidia. d. Sporulation on CLA. f. Sporodochia on PDA. g. Sporodochial conidiophores and conidiogenous cells (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fusarium asiaticum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Nectriaceae, Fusarium


Authors O'Donnell, T. Aoki, Kistler & Geiser 2004
Strain 14140
Culture collection BCRC FU31214
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC499614
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 72-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, sparsely cottony, pale red-violet at the center, paler toward the edge, azonate, margin entire to undulate, reverse similar.
Conidia Macroconidia rarely observed, hyaline, falcate, mostly 3-septate, 20–28 × 3–4.5 µm.
Ascomata Perithecia superficial or partially immersed, dark blue, globose, composed of textura angularis, ostiolate, up to 250 µm in diam.
Asci Asci clavate, 8-spored, 58–75 × 9–15 µm.
Ascospores Ascospores fusiform, slightly curved, 3-septate, slightly constricted at septa, hyaline, light brown when mature, 19–24 × 4–5 µm.
Note This species is a member of Fusarium graminearum species complex, and was proposedby O’Donnell et al. (2004) based on multilocus phylogeny.
Attempts to induce the sporulation on PDA, OA, SNA, CLA, and WA did not success. By following the method of Bowden & Leslie (1999) for the production of perithecia, the strain was cultured in a 9 cm medium containing 10% carrot agar until the whole plate was occupied, followed by adding 1 ml of 2.5% Tween 60, and then the mycelium was "knocked down" (NOT removed or scraped) with a glass spreader. Thereafter the plates were incubated at 24 °C for 7 days under black light. Macroconidia could be found around the perithecia. However, the production is very sparse.
Pathogenicity F. asiaticum was found to be the main casual agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB) on rice by Dong et al. (2020).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Oct 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14140

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Fusarium asiaticum. a. Ascus. b. Ascospore. c. Macroconidia. d. Ascomal wall. e, f. Perithecia formed in culture (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fusarium falciforme
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Nectriaceae, Fusarium


Authors (Carrión) Summerb. & Schroers 2002
Strain 19006
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 50-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, elevated, azonate, margin entire, white, turning pale yellow from the center with age, reverse pale yellow.
Sporodochia Sporodochia not observed on PDA, CLA, OA, WA.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, erect, hyaline, mostly simple, 1–3 cells (mostly 1).
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells phialidic, cylindrical, hyaline, often with collarette, 35–70 × 2–3 µm.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, ellipsoidal to obovoid, 0–3-septate; aseptate conidia straight, 7–11 × 2.5–4 µm; 1-septate conidia straight or slightly curved, 11–19 × 4–5 µm; 2-septate conidia occasionally found, slightly curved, 20–27 × 4.5–6 µm; 3-septate conidia abundant, slightly curved, sometimes falcate, 24–33 × 5–6 µm.
Appressoria Appressoria-like structure can be observed when conidia germinated on the surface of polystyrene petri dish.
Chlamydospores Chlamydospores abundant on WA, OA, SNA, submerge or aerial, globose to subglobose, mostly terminal, in chain of 2–3, 7–10 µm in diam; aerial chlamydospores often warted.
Note This species is known for be pathogenic to sea turtle eggs (Sarmiento-Ramírez et al., 2014). It is interesting for this species happening on rice grains. This species have been reported to be pathogenic on certain plants (Duarte et al., 2019; Vega-Gutiérrez et al., 2019). The presence of sporodochia and macroconidia of this species has been reported to be highly strain dependent (Sandoval-Denis et al., 2019; Sandoval-Denis & Crous, 2018). Strain 19006 did not produced sporodochia. It produced 0–3-septate conidia on aerial simple conidiophores (Fig. 2f). The septate conidia were equivalent to macroconidia, which were reported to only occur on sporodochia (Sandoval-Denis & Crous, 2018).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jun 2019, Jie-Hao Ou, 19006

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Fusarium falciforme. a, b. Conidiophores and conidia. c, d. Chlamydospores. e, f. Conidia. g. Sporulation on OA. h. Appressorium-like structures formed by germinating conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fusarium fujikuroi
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Nectriaceae, Fusarium


Authors Nirenberg 1976
Strain 18063
Culture collection BCRC FU31218
Detection frequency Medium
Accession number LC499623
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 51-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, elevated, azonate, margin entire, white, turning pale salmon from the center with age, reverse salmon with white margin.
Sporodochia Sporodochia occasionally present on CLA, subhyaline, superfical or aerial.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macro- or micronematous, hyaline, simple or repeatedly branched, terminating in 1–3 phialides.
Conidiogenous cells Phialides cylindrical, tapering towards the apex, hyaline, with inconspicuous collarette, often polyphialidic, with 1–3 conidiogenous loci, 15–30 × 1.5–3 µm. Adelophialides often present.
Conidia Macroconidia hyaline, falcate, with a foot-shaped basal cell, 3–5-septate, produced by prostrate phialides; 3-septate conidia 35–43 × 2.5–3.5 µm; 4-septate conidia 44–55 × 3–4 µm; 5-septate conidia 48–59 × 3–4 µm. Microconidia hyaline, obovoid with a truncate base, straight, aseptate, in chains (up to 10) or false head, 5–14 × 1.5–3.5 µm
Note The species is exclusively associated with rice, and causes bakanae disease worldwide. Strain 18063 shares 100% identity in ITS region with the ex-type strain of Fusarium fujikuroi (CBS 221.76, NR_111889). This species is characterized by catenulate obovoid microconidia produced on mono- or polyphialides. The production of sporodochia and macroconidia is highly strain-dependent, and if present, only produced in older cultures (>4 wks).
Pathogenicity This species is an important seed borne disease that causes bakanae disease (Ou, 1985).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains, Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14099
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Oct 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14146
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 2), Jan 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15007
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainung 71), Feb 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17025
Taiwan, Taoyuan City, rice grains, Aug 2018, Jie-Hao Ou, 18063

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Fusarium fujikuroi. a, b. Adelophialides. c–e. Conidiophores, conidiogenous cells and conidia. f. Microconidia. g. Sporulation on CLA. h, i. Sporodochia. j. Macroconidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fusarium longipes
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Nectriaceae, Fusarium


Authors Wollenw. & Reinking 1925
Strain 14026
Culture collection BCRC FU31211
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC499615
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 52-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, sparsely cottony, aerial mycelia pale red-violet at the center, paler toward the edge, with aerial mycelia often turning pale brown with age, reverse similar.
Conidia Macroconidia not observed. Microconidia scanty, aseptate, hyaline, ellipsoidal to obovoid, 4.5–10 × 2.0–2.5 µm
Chlamydospores Chlamydospores abundant on WA, OA, SNA, submerge, globose or ellipsoid, single, mostly intercalary, 10–22 × 5–20 µm.
Note This species is characterized by the long macroconidia with whip-like apical cells and protruding foot cells. Strain 14026 shares 100% and 99.69% identities in ITS and EF1a regions with Fusarium longipes NRRL 20695 (PXOG01000084, GQ915509). This species is supposed to produce a large number of aerial conidiophores (with microconidia) on PDA and SNA, and abundant sporodochia (with macroconidia) on CLA (Maryani et al.,2019). However, strain 14026 only produced sparse microconidia on these media.
Pathogenicity This species has been found on banana (Musa spp.) and rice, but is not considered to be pathogenic (Maryani et al., 2019; Pak et al., 2017).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Pingtung County, rice grains, Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14026

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Fusarium longipes. a. Microconidia. b, c. Chlamydospores. (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fusarium oxysporum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Nectriaceae, Fusarium


Authors Schltdl. 1824
Strain 14067
Culture collection BCRC FU31213
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC499617
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 51-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, elevated, azonate, white, turning pale salmon from the center with age, margin entire, slightly fasciculate, reverse purple with white margin.
Sporodochia Sporodochia not observed on PDA, CLA, OA, WA.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macro- or micronematous, mostly reduced to a single basal cell, prostrate.
Conidiogenous cells Phialides cylindrical or elliptical, tapering towards the apex, hyaline, sometimes with collarette, mostly monophialidic, sometimes polyphialidic, 8–24 × 2.5–3.5 µm. Short adelophialides often present.
Conidia Macroconidia hyaline, falcate, with a foot-shaped basal cell, (1–)3–5(–7)-septate, 27–41(–65) × 3–4.5 µm. Microconidia hyaline, cylindrical or allantoid, straight or slightly curved, with base slightly truncated, 0(–1)-septate, (4–)6–12 × 2–3 µm
Note According to the BLAST result of the IGS region, Strain 14067 has 100% identity to some previously published strains: Fusarium oxysporum strain CPC 27196 (LT746234; on Citrus sinensis), Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. mori strain GL1301 (KY515228; on blackberry), Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cyclaminis strain MIAE01683 (KU128988; Cyclamen persicum), Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vanillae strain NRRL 26448 (FJ985508; on Vanilla sp.). Even though this strain is linked to formae speciales of “mori”, “cyclaminis”, and “vanillae” by IGS sequence blasts, the pathogenicity of this isolate is uncertain. As IGS sequences of these three formae speciales are identical, it imply that different formae speciales may be represented by same fungus.
Pathogenicity This species has been reported to cause rice seed rot and seedling blight (Doumen et al., 2018; Ichihara et al., 2019)
Specimens examined Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains, May 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14067

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Fusarium oxysporum. a–d, f. Phialides and conidia. e. Chlamydospores. g. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fusarium spinosum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Nectriaceae, Fusarium


Authors L. Lombard, Houbraken & Crous 2019
Strain 14023
Culture collection BCRC FU31210
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC499618
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 62-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, red-violet, azonate, margin entire, reverse initially pale brown, turning red-violet from the center with age.
Sporodochia Sporodochia not observed on PDA, CLA, OA, WA.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, erect, hyaline or pale red-violet, smooth or verrucose, simple or repeatedly branched, terminating in 1–3(–4) conidiogenous cells.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cell hyaline, terminal or intercalary, phialidic, often with sympodial proliferation, with 1–6 conidiogenous loci.
Conidia Conidia borne on aerial conidiophores, abundant in culture, hyaline, obovoid, 0–1-septate, 5.5–10(–13) × 2.5–4 µm.
Note This species was recently proposed by Lombard et al. (2019) to separate phylogenetically closedly related F. chlamydosporum species complexes 3-a (O’Donnell et al., 2009), and is characterized by producing only aerial sympodial conidiophores without sporodochia (macroconidia).
Strain 14023 shares 99.48% identity in EF1a with the ex-type strain of Fusarium spinosum (CBS 122438, MN120768).
Conidia of strain 14023 is shorter and has only 0–1-septate, which is slightly different from the description (0–3-septate) provided by Lombard et al. (2019).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Kaohsiung City, rice grains, Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14023
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainung 71), Feb 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17027

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Fusarium spinosum. a, b, g. Conidiophores and conidia. c. Sporulation in culture. d, e. Conidia. f. Chlamydospores (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fusarium tanahbumbuense
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Nectriaceae, Fusarium


Authors Maryani, Sand.-Den., L. Lombard, Kema & Crous 2019
Strain 14038
Culture collection BCRC FU31212
Detection frequency Medium
Accession number LC499616
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 47-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, elevated, azonate, margin entire or undulate, white, turning pale yellow from the center with age, reverse similar, with diffuse pale brown pigment.
Sporodochia Sporodochia abundant in old culture (>3 wks) on PDA, OA and SNA, pale brown, aerial, superfical or submerged.
Conidiogenous cells Sporodochial phialides flask-shaped or elliptical, monophialidic, tapering towards the apex, hyaline, lateral or terminal, often in whorls of 2–6, 7–12 × 2.5–4 µm. Aerial phialides flask-shaped or elliptical, mostly single, often polyphialidic, 11–19 × 3–4 µm.
Conidia Macroconidia hyaline, falcate, with a foot-shaped basal cell, (2–)3-septate, (21–)27–34(–36) × (2.5–)3–3.5 µm. Microconidia not observed.
Note This species was recently proposed by Maryani et al. (2019) to separate phylogenetically closely related Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complexes 24 (O’Donnell et al., 2009), and is characterized by producing aerial macroconidia from branched conidiophores, which will turn into aerial sporodochia with age and without microconidia.
Strain 14038 shares 99.8% and 98.96 identities in ITS and EF1a regions with the ex-type strain of Fusarium tanahbumbuense (InaCC F965; LS479420, LS479448).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14038
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Nov 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14160
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14181
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 147), Jan 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17008

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Fusarium tanahbumbuense. a, b, g. Conidiophores, conidiogenous cells and conidia. c. Conidia. d. Microconidiation. e. Sporodochia on CLA. f. Aerial phialides. h. Aerial conidiophores on SNA. (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fusarium volatile
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Nectriaceae, Fusarium


Authors Al-Hatmi, Sand.-Den., S.A. Ahmed & de Hoog 2019
Strain 17037
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 78-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, sparsely cottony, light violet at the center, paler toward the edge, reverse salmon, dark violet near the center.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macro- or micronematous, erect or prostrate, hyaline, mostly simple or sometimes with a few branches.
Conidiogenous cells Phialides cylindrical, tapering towards the apex, hyaline, mostly monophialidic, 11–25(–40) × 2–3.5 µm. Adelophialides often present.
Conidia Macroconidia hyaline, falcate, with a foot-shaped basal cell, 1–3-septate, produced by prostrate phialides; 1-septate conidia 18–30 × 2.5–3.5 µm; 2-septate conidia 28–40 × 3–4 µm;
3-septate conidia 30–45 × 3–4 µm. Microconidia hyaline, cylindrical to obovoid, straight or slightly curved, aseptate, in chains (up to 10) or false head, (4–)5–8(–12) × 1.5–2.5(–3) µm
Note This species was recently proposed by Al-Hatmi et al. (2019) for the fungus causing human respiratory disease. It is interesting to find this fungus on rice grain. The nature reservoir of this species merits further investigation. Strain 17037 shares 99.29% identity in EF1a region with the ex-type strain of Fusarium volatile (CBS 143874, LR596007). Fusarium volatile is morphologically similar to F. fujikuroi in having catenulate microconidia and conidiophores with few branches. Al-Hatmi et al. (2019) reported the rare presence of polyphialides, a feature which was not observed in Strain 17037.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains, Feb 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17037

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Fusarium volatile. a, b, f. Conidiophores, conidiogenous cells and conidia. c. Conidia. d. Microconidiation. e. Sporodochia on CLA. g. Aerial conidiophores on SNA. (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Gaeumannomyces oryzinus
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Sordariomycetidae, Magnaporthales, Magnaporthaceae, Gaeumannomyces


Authors (Sacc.) Schrantz 1961
Strain 12056
Culture collection BCRC FU30215
Detection frequency High
Accession number LC494375
Colonies Colonies on PDA growth rapidly, attaining 81-, >90-, 0-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C after 5 days, margins entire, floccose, reverse dark with white margin.
Ascomata Perithecia produced poorly on PDA or CMA, abundant on 0.3% yeast extract agar, dark brown, globose, solitary, superficial or submerge, up to 500 µm in diameter, with cylindrical neck, 40–60 µm wide, up to 300 µm long in culture.
Asci Asci cylindrical, 8-spore, 130–160 × 10–20 µm.
Ascospores Ascospores parallel in ascus, hyaline, cylindrical, with three inconspicuous septa, 90–110 × 3–5 µm.
Appressoria Hyphopodia forming on the wall of polystyrene petri dish or the surface of rice plant, dark brown when mature, lobed, 19–40 μm in diam.
Note This species was first discovered by Saccardo (1916) on rice straw under the name of Ophiobolus oryzinus, which was transferred to Gaeumannomyces by Schrantz (1960). Tullis (1933) did a detailed pathogenic test and found that this species caused rice crown (black) sheath rot. Walker (1972) compared the morphological characteristics and considered Opiobolus oryzinus to be the synonym of Gaeumannomyces graminis , which was originally isolated from Cynodon sp. Hernández-Restrepo et al. (2016) reexamined the classification of Gaeumannomyces and confirmed that Opiobolus oryzinus (= Gaeumannomyces oryzinus) is different from Gaeumannomyces graminis. Therefore, the name, Gaeumannomyces oryzinus, is reintroduced.
Pathogenicity This species causes crown (black) sheath rot on rice (Ou, 1985; Tullis & Adair, 1947).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 16), Nov 2016, Jie-Hao Ou, 16040
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains, Dec 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12056
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Dec 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 13016
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14007
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14041
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14116
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Nov 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14159

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Gaeumannomyces oryzinus. a. Perithecia. b. Ascomal wall. c, d. Asci. e. Ascospores. f. Hyphopodia on rice leaf sheath (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Hormographiella aspergillata
Classification: Basidiomycota, Agaricomycotina, Agaricomycetes, Agaricomycetidae, Agaricales, Psathyrellaceae, Hormographiella


Authors Guarro, Gené & De Vroey 1992
Strain 12021
Culture collection BCRC 37989
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494376
Colonies Colonies on PDA growth moderate, attaining 33.5-, 50-, 55-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37 °C in 10 days respectively, margins entire, cottony, reverse white to cream.
Conidiophores Conidiophore macronematous, hyaline, 25–45 × 3–4.5 µm, bearing a cluster of conidiogenous hyphae which will turn into arthroconidia later.
Conidia Conidia uni-nucleate, hyaline, smooth, cylindrical, truncated at both ends, 3–6 × 1.5–2.5 µm.
Sclerotia Sclerotia produced in old culture, spherical, brown, up to 180 µm in diameter.
Note This is the asexual state of a common mushroom Coprinopsis cinerea. Surprisingly, a mushroom can occur on rice grain. The vegetative mycelium of this species has been reported to have the clamp connection (Conen et al., 2011), which is not observed on strain 12021. This implies that this strain may be monokaryotic. Strain 12021 shares 99.82% and 100% identities in ITS and LSU regions with the ex-type strain of Hormographiella aspergillata (CBS 519.91; MH862274, MH873955).
This species can be distinguished from H. verticillata by the production of sclerotia and shorter, cylindrical conidia.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Sep 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12021

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Hormographiella aspergillata. a–c. Conidiophores. d. Sclerotia. e. Arthroconidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Hormographiella verticillata
Classification: Basidiomycota, Agaricomycotina, Agaricomycetes, Agaricomycetidae, Agaricales, Psathyrellaceae, Hormographiella


Authors Guarro, Gené & E. Guého 1992
Strain 12023
Culture collection BCRC 37990
Detection frequency High
Accession number LC494377
Colonies Colonies on PDA grow rapidly, attaining 43-mm in 5 days at 25 °C, floccose, reverse at first cream-colored, later becoming brownish yellow due to the formation of Ozonium state. Young mycelium hyaline, septate, 3–5 µm wide. Pigmented sterile hyphae appearing in old culture, light brown, 2–4 µm wide, which is referred to the Ozonium state.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, sometimes micronematous, hyaline, short, simple, 3–8 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, sympodial.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, straight or curved, 1-celled, multinucleated, cylindrical to allantoidal, smooth, 3–10 µm long, 2–4 µm wide.
Note This species is the asxual state of a common mushroom Coprinellus domesticus, which is characterized by forming golden-colored dense hairy mycelium on wood surface. This golden-colored mycelium is regarded as Ozonium state of this fungi, which can be observed on culture as brown and thick-walled hyphae. Strain 12023 shares 99.68% identity in LSU region with the ex-type strain of Hormographiella verticillata (FMR 3936; AY663837).
Hormographiella verticillata is the anamorph of Coprinellus domesticus.
Fruit body production can be achieved by removing the lid of fully colonized PDA plate, and then placing the plate into a humidified chamber for two weeks.In this study, this species can survive after rice grains are treated with hot water at 60°C for 10 min.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12023
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Nov 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12051
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Dec 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 13003
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains, Jan 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13004
Taiwan, Chiayi County, rice grains, Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13060
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 147), Jan 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17006
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung Native 1), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15020

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Hormographiella verticillata. a, b, d–f. Conidiophores, conidiogenous cells and conidia (nuclei was stained with Saffarin O (f)). c, h, i. Fruit bodies and primordia(i). g. Basidiospores (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Hypoxylon aff. pulicicidum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Hypoxylaceae, Hypoxylon


Strain 14185
Culture collection BCRC FU31270
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 35-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, initially white with scanty aerial mycelium, turning velvety, dark olivaceous brown from the center with age, margins entire, reverse similar, completely turning black in older culture.
Note Sporulation was not observed, even though trials have made on PDA, OA and WA. Base on the phylogenetic relationships inferring from ITS region, this strain belongs to H5 clade defined by Wendt et al. (2018). The most possible identity of this strain is Hypoxylon pulicicidum strain CBS 122622 (98.29%; JX183075). Hypoxylon species are known to have prominent stromata of sexual state growing on wood. It is interesting to have Hypoxylon occurring on rice grains.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14185

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Hypoxylon aff. sublenormandii
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Hypoxylaceae, Hypoxylon


Strain 14169
Culture collection BCRC FU31267
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 23-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, white, velvety, margins entire, reverse brown, paler towards the margin.
Note Sporulation was not observed, even though trials have made on PDA, OA and WA. Base on the phylogenetic relationships inferring from ITS region, the closest species is Hypoxylon sublenormandii strain CBS 138917 (95.9%; KM610291) (Kuhnert et al., 2015). The identity of this strain is still uncertain.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 194), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14169

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Hypoxylon sp. 14171
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Hypoxylaceae, Hypoxylon


Strain 14171
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining >90-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, initially white, turning dark olivaceous brown from the center with age, margins entire, reverse similar, completely turning black in older culture.
Conidiophores Conidiophores erect, brown, rough-walled, often with dark brown exudates, paler toward the apex, with several lateral branches, terminating in 1–6 verticillately arranged conidiogenous cells, 2–3.5 µm wide, up to 300 µm long.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells cylindrical, pale brown, mostly terminal, rarely intercalary, slightly denticulate near the conidiogenous loci, (6–) 9–15(–19) × 2–3 µm.
Conidia Conidia one-celled, smooth, subhyaline, obovoid, with a slightly truncated base, 2.5–3.5 × 1.5–2.5 µm.
Note This fungus produced asxual conidia of Nodulisporium-state very well on PDA medium. Base on the phylogenetic relationships inferring from ITS region, this strain is clustered within H3 clade defined by Wendt et al. (2018). The closest species of this strain is Hypoxylon lenormandii strain CBS 119003 (90.39%; KC968943). The identity of this strain is still uncertain.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 194), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14171

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA

Fig. 2 Hypoxylon sp. 14171. a–c. Conidiophores, conidiogenous cells and conidia. d. Conidiogenous cells. e. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Hypoxylon sp. 19008
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Hypoxylaceae, Hypoxylon


Strain 19008
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 75-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, initially white with scanty aerial mycelium, turning velvety, dark olivaceous brown from the center with age, margins entire, reverse similar, completely turning black in older culture.
Note Sporulation was not observed, even though trials have made on PDA, OA and WA. Base on the phylogenetic relationships inferring from ITS region, this strain is clustered within H5 clade defined by Wendt et al. (2018). The closest species is Hypoxylon pulicicidum strain CBS 122622 (98.76%; JX183075).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jun 2019, Jie-Hao Ou, 19008

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Lasiodiplodia theobromae
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Botryosphaeriales, Botryosphaeriaceae, Lasiodiplodia


Authors (Pat.) Griffon & Maubl. 1909
Strain 15006
Culture collection BCRC FU31238
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 63-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, sparsely cottony, initially white, turning dark olivaceous brown with age, margins entire, reverse similar, completely turning black in older culture.
Conidiomata Conidiomata formed in culture after 3 wks, black, irregular, superficial or submerged.
Paraphyses Paraphyses hyaline, cylindrical, slightly swollen near the base, 50–100(–140) × 1–2.5(–3.5) µm.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells hyaline, cylindrical, tapering toward the apex, 7–18 × 3–6 µm.
Conidia Conidia ellipsoid with rounded ends, thick-walled, smooth, hyaline, aseptate, turning striated , dark brown and 1-septate when mature, 23–27 × 13–17 µm.
Note This is a very common fungus causing diseases on diverse plant hosts and is also ubiquitous as saprobe. Accordingly it is not surprising for its occurring on rice grains. During this study, sporulation of this species can be promoted by adding a sterilized toothpick or filter paper onto the culture medium.
Pathogenicity This species has been reported to cause root rot in rice (Claudius-Cole, 2018). On maize, it causes black kernal rot and death of seedlings via seed-borne inoculum.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Pingtung County, rice grains, Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14027
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 2), Jan 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15006

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Lasiodiplodia theobromae. a. Young conidia. b,d. Mature conidia. c. Conidiogenous cells and conidia. e. Paraphyses, conidiogenous cells and conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Microascus gracilis
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Microascales, Microascaceae, Microascus


Authors (Samson) Sand.-Den., Gené & Guarro 2015
Strain 13005
Culture collection BCRC FU30165
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494378
Colonies Colonies on PDA slow growing, attaining less than 10-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, grey, slightly funiculose neat the center, reverse dark grey.
Conidiophores Conidiophores marconematous, subhyaline, simple or branch, 7–20 × 2–3 µm.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells discrete, cylindrical, annellidic, 7–14 × 1–2.5 µm.
Conidia Conidia catenate, pale brown, globose or oblong with truncated base, 3.5–5 × 2.5–3.5.
Ascomata Perithecia black, subspherical, 170–240 µm in diameter, necks up to 100 µm.
Asci Asci ovoid, containing 8 ascospores, 11–15 × 6–9 µm.
Ascospores Ascospores obovoid, fusiform or reniform, pale brown to golden brown, 5–6.5 × 2.5–3 µm.
Note This species was reported mainly from food and soils, and occasionally pathogenic to humans (Sandoval-Denis et al., 2013). Sexual and asexual state, Scopulariopsis state, can both occur in the same culture medium. Strain 13005 shares 99.71% identity in ITS region with the ex-type strain of Microascus gracilis(CBS 369.70, LM652412).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jan 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13005

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Microascus gracilis. a–d. Conidiophores and conidia. e, f. Perithecia. g. Conidia. h. Asci. i. Ascospores(Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Microdochium albescens
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Microdochiaceae, Microdochium


Authors (Thüm.) Hern.-Restr. & Crous 2015
Strain 14127
Culture collection BCRC FU31178
Detection frequency Medium
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 42-, 47-, 52-, 53-, 35-mm under 16 °C, 20 °C, 24 °C, 28 °C, 32 °C after 5 days, respectively, floccose with abundant white aerial mycelium, azonate, slightly fasciculate at the edge, center turning pale orange with age, sporulation scanty, reverse similar, pale orange. Colonies on OA effuse, aerial mycelium moderate, white, slightly zonate, sporulation moderate, reverse similar.
Sporodochia Sporodochia present, superficial, slimy, pale orange.
Conidiophores Sporodochial conidiophores macronematous or micronematous, hyaline, short, slightly thicker than vegetative hyphae, 2–3.5 μm in width.
Conidiogenous cells Sporodochial conidiogenous cells hyaline, annellidic, mostly discrete, flask-shaped with elongated necks, sometimes reduced to small denticles.
Conidia Sporodochial conidia hyaline, fusiform to oblong, straight or slightly curved, with slightly truncated bases, aseptate or with 1 inconspicuous septum, 10.0–13.0 × 2.5–3.5 μm.
Chlamydospores Chlamydospores not observed.
Note This species is exclusively associated with rice, and is pathogenic. The rice disease caused by this species is very likely seed-transmittable. This species can be distinguished from other Microdochium species occurring on rice seeds by having larger conidia.
Pathogenicity This species has been reported to cause rice leaf scald disease (Ou, 1985).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 2), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14127
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 147), Jan 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17009
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14188

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Microdochium albescens. a–d. Colonies at 25 °C after 5 d. a–b. PDA. c–d. OA. e–f. Conidiophores, conidiogenous cells and conidia. g. Abundant sporulation on PDA induced by scraping off the aerial mycelium with tooth-brush. h. Sporulation from reduced conidiogenous cells. i. Conidiogenous cells with annellated necks j. Conidia.
Microdochium pinatubo
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Microdochiaceae, Microdochium


Strain 12031
Culture collection BCRC FU31185
Detection frequency Medium
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 27-, 39-, 47-, 49-, 42-mm under 16 °C, 20 °C, 24 °C, 28 °C, 32 °C after 5 days, respectively, floccose with abundant white aerial mycelium, pale orange near the center. Reverse pale orange, slightly zonate. Sporulation abundant with submerged sporulation, concentric rings of sporulation occasionally present. White, globose mycelial tufts up to 15 mm in diameter occasionally observed in old culture (> 2 wk). Colonies on OA powdery, white to pale orange, slighty zonate. Sporulation abundant with submerged sporulation, concentric rings of sporulation often present.
Sporodochia Sporodochia present, superficial or submerged in the agar, slimy, salmon. Sporodochial conidiophores macronematous or micronematous, hyaline, short, simple or branched. Sporodochial conidiogenous cells discrete, hyaline, flask-shape, laterally or terminally, sympodial, often in whorls, 6.5–11.0 × 2.0–3.0 μm, necks often elongated, slightly denticulate and geniculate when aged. Sporodochia conidia slimy, hyaline, fusiform with both ends pointed, aseptate, 5.0–6.5 × 2.0–2.5(–3.0) μm.
Conidiophores Aerial conidiophores hyaline, erect, smooth, 1.5–2.5 μm wide near the basal septa, tapering towards the apex, mostly simple in young culture (< 1 wk). Branched conidiophores arised in old culture (> 2 wk), often branched at right angle, especially for the branches at the upper parts of conidiophores.
Conidiogenous cells Aerial conidiogenous cells integrated, hyaline, terminal or intercalary, sympodial, often swollen and denticulate, bearing up to 8 conidia.
Conidia Aerial conidia dry, hyaline, obovoid, base tapered and acute, apex rounded, aseptate, 5.5–8.5 × 2.0–3.5 μm. Elongated, septate conidia can be found in old culture (> 2 wk), 1-septate, often guttulated, 7.0–11.5 × 2.5–3.5 μm.
Chlamydospores Chlamydospores not observed.
Note Manandhar and Mew (1996) reported a new genus with single species, Pinatubo oryzae, which was frequently isolated from rice grains. Based on the morphological and molecular analyses., this species should be transferred to Microdochium. As the name “Microdochium oryzae” has been used previously, a new name, Microdochium pinatubo, for this species is indispensable. In the original description of Pinatubo oryzae (Manandhar and Mew, 1996), the conidia produced on solitary aerial conidiophores were 1-septate, 6.7–10.2 × 2.2–3.3 μm (on rice grains), 6.9–11.3 × 2.4–3.5 μm (on WA). In this study, it was found that conidia from aerial conidiophores were aseptate and shorter in length in young culture (< 1 wk). Elongated, 1-septate conidia conforming the original description could only be observed from old culture (> 2 wk). Certainly the effect of culture age on conidial morphology was overlooked by the original description (Manandhar and Mew, 1996). This character has be confirmed in this study after examining the type material from CBS 158.94. Yellowish, intercalary chlamydospores were observed by Manandhar and Mew (1996) on the surface of PDA from CBS 158.94. However, such chlamydospores were not observed after examining the type material. Hernández-Restrepo et al. (2016) proposed a new species, Microdochium fisheri, typified by CBS 242.91 (from rice stem, misspelled as CBS 242.90 on the website of CBS). In this study, it was found that Microdochium fisheri morphologically resembled Microdochium pinatubo (Pinatubo oryzae) and CBS 242.91 were identical to CBS 158.94 in the ITS, LSU, TUB and RPB2 regions This species should be a synonym of Microdochium pinatubo.



Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains, Jan 2011, Jie-Hao Ou, 12025
Taiwan, Yunlin County, rice grains, Jan 2011, Jie-Hao Ou, 12027
Taiwan, Yunlin County, rice grains, Jan 2011, Jie-Hao Ou, 12029
Taiwan, Yunlin County, rice grains, Mar 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12031
Taiwan, Chiayi County, rice grains, Apr 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12033

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Microdochium pinatubo. Ex-type strain CBS 158.94. a–d. Colonies at 25 °C after 5 d. a–b. PDA. c–d. OA. e–f, i–j. Aerial conidiophores and conidia. g–h. Aerial conidiophores and sporodochia on OA media. k–l. Sporodochia. m. Conidia produced by sporodochia. n. Conidia produced by aerial conidiophores. o. Prolonged, septated conidia produced by aerial conidiophores in aged culture (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Microdochium poae
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Microdochiaceae, Microdochium


Authors J.M. Liang & Lei Cai 2019
Strain 14104
Culture collection BCRC FU31177
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 15-, 21-, 24-, 20-, 20-mm under 16°C, 20 °C, 24 °C, 28 °C, 32 °C after 5 days, respectively, floccose with abundant white aerial mycelium, center turn pale orange with age, sporulation scanty. Reverse pale orange, darkening with age (> 4 wk) due to the formation of chlamydospores, slightly zonate. Colonies on OA effuse, aerial mycelium moderate, white, slighty zonate, reverse similar, scattered, dark brown chlamydospores produced with age (> 2 wk).
Sporodochia Sporodochia present, mostly superficial, slimy, pale orange.
Conidiophores Sporodochial conidiophores macronematous or micronematous, hyaline, short, slightly thicker than vegetative hyphae, 2–3.5 μm in width.
Conidiogenous cells Sporodochial conidiogenous cells discrete, hyaline, flask-shaped, laterally or terminally, often in whorls, annellidic, 5.0–7.0 × 2.0–3.0 μm, necks often elongated, with several annellations when aged.
Conidia Sporodochial conidia slimy, hyaline, fusiform or obovate, straight or slightly curved, base often slightly truncated, 5.5–7.5 × 2.0–3.0 μm.
Chlamydospores Chlamydospores present in aged culture, globose, subglobose, cylindrical or irregular, intercalary or terminal, thick-walled, brown to dark olivaceous, 4.0–8.0 × 4.0–13.0 μm.
Sclerotia Microsclerotia present, forming by aggregation of chlamydospores.
Note Microdochium poae resembles Microdochium bolleyi, another chlamydospore-producing Microdochium, but differs in having annellidic conidiogenous cells. Compared with the strain obtained in this study, Microdochium poae grew faster (40–45 mm / 1 wk) on OA medium in the original description (Liang et al. 2019). The difference in the growth rate could be attributed to the difference in the composition of OA. The OA used in this study was made up of 3% oatmeal in distilled water following the usage of Hernández-Restrepo et al. (2016), while the OA used by Liang et al. (2019) was prepared with 6% oatmeal. The ITS, TUB, RPB2 sequences of Microdochium poae 14104 (BCRC FU31177) obtained in this study were identical to Microdochium poae CGMCC3.19170 (ex-type). LSU region for CGMCC3.19170 was not available.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains, Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14104

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Microdochium poae. a–d. Colonies at 25 °C after 5 d. a–b. PDA. c–d. OA. e–f. Chlamydospores. g–h. Sporodochia and chlamydospores on OA media. i, k. Conidiophores, conidiogenous cells and conidia. l. Conidiogenous cells with annellated necks j. Microsclerotia forming by aggregation of chlamydospores. m–n. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Myrmecridium schulzeri
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Myrmecridiales, Myrmecridiaceae, Myrmecridium


Authors (Sacc.) Arzanlou, W. Gams & Crous 2007
Strain 12015
Culture collection BCRC FU30016
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494379
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 17-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, pale orange, turning orange and slimy with age, margins filiform, reverse dark orange, paler toward the margin.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, arising vertically from the creeping hyphae, with broader basal cell, straight or flexuous, mostly simple, occasionally with one or more branches, subhyaline to brown, subhyaline at the apex, darker towards the base, thick-walled, up to 200 µm long, 2–4 µm wide; basal cell 4–6 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, denticulate.
Conidia Conidia subhyaline, obovoid or fusiform, 1-celled, with acuminate base, 5–9 µm long, 2–4 µm wide.
Note This species has been found in soils or saprophytic on grasses (CBS 304.73 from wheat straw; CBS 325.74 from Triticum aestivum root) and many different plant hosts (Arzanlou et al., 2007). This species is also a opportunistic pathogen to humans. Myrmecridium resembles Ramichloridium, the latter is also commonly found in nature. Myrmecridium can be distinguished from Ramichloridium by having hyaline vegetative hyphae and orange colonies on PDA. Further detail distinction between both genera can refer to Arzanlou et al. (2007).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Yunlin County, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12015

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Myrmecridium schulzeri. a–b. Conidiophores and conidia. c. Sporulation on CM. d. Conidia. (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Nemania sp. 15008
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Xylariaceae, Nemania


Strain 15008
Culture collection BCRC FU31271
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 17-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, velvety or powdery, greyish brown, margin entire, reverse dark brown.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous erect, simple or branched, hyaline, turning brown with age.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, sympodial, with zigzag-shaped and denticulate conidiogenous loci.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, ellipsoidal, straight or slightly curved, with slightly truncated base, 5–7(–10) × 2.0–3.0(–3.5) µm.
Note The Nemania species are commonly found on dead wood, appearing as pulvinate stromata. The similarity between the sequence of strain 15008 and the sequences of Nemania bipapillata, strain N111M (Tang et al., 2009) and HAST 90080610 (Wendt et al., 2018), in ITS region, was 99.76% (AJ390429) and 85.81% (GU292818) respectively. Because most Nemania species lack sequences from type materials, reliable identification cannot be achieved by sequence analysis alone.
Morphologically, asexual morph of Strain 15008 has a proliferating geniculate conidiogenous cells, which is in line with Geniculosporium state of Nemania . The placement of this strain in Nemania is undoubted. The species identity is uncertain.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Kaohsiung City, rice grains, Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 15008

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Nemania sp. 15008. a–d, f. Conidiophores and conidia. e. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Nigrospora oryzae
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Apiosporaceae, Nigrospora


Authors (Berk. & Broome) Petch 1924
Strain 13033
Culture collection BCRC FU30221
Detection frequency Medium
Accession number LC494381
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 0-, >90-, 85-mm at 37 °C, 28 °C and 24 °C after 5 days, margins entire, sparse cottony, reverse white to yellowish, dark olivaceous near center.
Conidiophores Conidiophores solitary or in group, short, simple or branched, hyaline or pale brown, often consisting of 1 to several swollen, globose or irregular cells.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells hyaline, subglobose, cylindrical or irregular, bearing 1–2 conidia, often becoming collapsed after conidia detached
Conidia Conidia globose to subglobose, aseptate, brown to dark brown, 10–13(–16) µm (avg. 11.97 µm) in diameter.
Note This species is commonly associated with diverse plants hosts as pathogens, endophytes, or saprobes. Nigrospora oryzae can be distinguished from Nigrospora sphaerica, another Nigrospora species occurring on rice, by the size of the conidia (10–13(–16) vs. (13–)15–19(–21) µm) and the color of the conidiogenous cells, being hyaline in the former and brown in the latter.
Pathogenicity This species is often found on rice seeds as saprophyte. Occasionally cause secondary infections only when plants are injured, which has little effect on rice production. Reported to cause minute leaf and grain spot (Mew & Gonzales, 2002; Ou, 1985).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainung 67), Aug 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13033
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13036
Taiwan, Pingtung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 9), Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14092
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14114
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14190

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Nigrospora oryzae. a–d. Conidiophores and conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Nigrospora sphaerica
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Apiosporaceae, Nigrospora


Authors (Sacc.) E.W. Mason 1927
Strain 15004
Culture collection BCRC FU31417
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining >90-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, margins entire, sparse cottony, granular, reverse yellowish, turning black with age.
Conidiophores Conidiophores mostly solitary, simple or branched, brown, often consisting of 1 to several swollen, globose or irregular cells.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells brown, terminal or intercalary, subglobose, cylindrical or irregular, bearing 1 conidia, sometimes with collarette, often becoming collapsed after conidia detached
Conidia Conidia globose to subglobose, aseptate, brown to dark brown, (13–)15–19(–21) µm (avg. 17.6 µm) in diameter.
Note The conidia of this species can be actively discharged. Therefore, this fungus is air-borne. This species is commonly found in air, soil, plant debris. It has been reported to be pathogenic to plants.
Pathogenicity Most of them are saprophytic and are often found on rice seeds. Occasionally cause secondary infections only when plants are injured, which has little effect on rice production. Reported to cause minute leaf and grain spot (Mew & Gonzales, 2002; Ou, 1985).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains, Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14148
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 2), Jan 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15004

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Nigrospora sphaerica. a–c, e. Conidiophores and conidia. d. Sporulation on OA. f. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Oedocephalum sp. 14134
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Pezizomycetes, Pezizomycetidae, Pezizales, Oedocephalum


Strain 14134
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 79-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, velvety, pale orange, zonate, margin entire, reverse similar.
Conidiophores Conidiophores erect, simple, hyaline, 1–3-septate, slightly constricted near the septa, up to 250 µm long, 2–7.5 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells discrete, terminal, swollen, subglobose, producing up to 15 conidia simultaneously, up to 16 µm in diam, often becoming collapsed with age.
Conidia Conidia globose to subglobose, hyaline, smooth, 12–15 µm in diam.
Note This is an asexual state of discomycetes. According to the BLAST results of the ITS and LSU sequences of strain 14134, Iodophanus testaceus CBS 301.63 is the closest species, with similarities of 95.67% (MH858291) and 99.6% (MH869899), respectively. Iodophanus testaceus has been found on a variety of plant debris and has also been reported to produce an Oedocephalum asexual state in culture (Kimbrough et al., 1969). Iodophanus species are mostly coprophilous.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Pingtung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 9), Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14134

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Oedocephalum sp. 14134. a–c. Conidiophores and conidia. d. Sporulation on OA. e. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Penicillium oxalicum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Eurotiomycetes, Eurotiomycetidae, Eurotiales, Aspergillaceae, Penicillium


Authors Currie & Thom 1915
Strain 15011
Culture collection BCRC FU31418
Detection frequency Medium
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 39-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, velvety, initially white, turning dark green with heavy sporulation, reverse pale yellow.
Conidiophores Conidiophores erect, hyaline, smooth, mono or bi-verticillate with 2–3 metulae, up to 350 µm long, 2–3.5 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells phialidic, hyaline, cylindrical, in whorls of (2–)3–5(–6), 8–14 × 2.0–3.0 µm.
Conidia Conidia ellipsoid, in chain, subhyaline, dark green in mass, 4–5 × 2.5–3.5 µm.
Note Strain 15011 shares 100% and 98.97% identities in ITS and TUB2 regions with the ex-type strain of Penicillium oxalicum(CCF 2315; HE651152, KF296462).
Pathogenicity This species is considered as saprophyte. It is cosmopolitan and can be found on corn and rice grain (Kozakiewicz, 1992), and it has also been found on rice straw in Taiwan (Yaguchi et al., 1982). This species produces mycotoxin, secalonic acid D (SAD) in artificial culture. SAD has also been detected in the grain dust, but has not been detected in freshly harvested corn (Palmgren & Fleischhacker, 1987).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains, May 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14062
Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains, May 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14071
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains, Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14101
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 65), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15011

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Penicillium oxalicum. a–c. Conidiophores and conidia. d. Conidia. e. Sporulation on OA (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Pestalotiopsis hispanica
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Amphisphaeriales, Sporocadaceae, Pestalotiopsis


Authors F. Liu, L. Cai & Crous 2018
Strain 19010
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 56-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, margin entire to filiform, cottony, white, producing scattered, black, conidiomata after 2 wks, reverse pale orange.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells, hyaline, cylindrical.
Conidia Conidia fusiform, mostly 4-septate, pale brown to brown except the subhyaline end cells, with the median cell slightly darker, 20.5–28 × 5–7 µm (avg. 24.3 × 6.2 µm), bearing 2–4 apical appendages, 9–20 µm (avg. 14.8 µm) long, and 1-2 (mostly 1) basal appendages, 2–5.5 µm (avg. 3.96 µm).
Note Strain 19010 is phylogenetically closely related to Pestalotiopsis brachiata and Pestalotiopsis hispanica. The ITS and EF1a sequence similarities between strain 19010 and P. hispanica CBS 115391 and P. brachiata LC2988 are 100%/99.0% and 99.37%/99.62%, respectively. Morphologically, 19010 and P. hispanica CBS 115391 and
P. brachiata LC2988 has a similar conidia size; the number of apical appendages is 2-4/2-4/1-4 µm, with a length 9–20/2–14/16–28.5 µm, and the number of basal appendages is 1-2/0-1/1-4, with a length of 2–5.5/1.5–4.5/5.5–9.5 µm.
Strain 19010 is morphologically similar to Pestalotia kawakamii found on rice leaves by Sawada (1919). However, it has shorter apical appendages (5-10 µm) and narrower conidium body (4-5 µm).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains, Jan 2020, Jie-Hao Ou, 19010

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Pestalotiopsis hispanica. a. Sporulation on PDA b. Conidiogenous cells and conidia. c–d. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Pestalotiopsis oryzae
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Amphisphaeriales, Sporocadaceae, Pestalotiopsis


Authors Maharachch., K.D. Hyde & Crous 2014
Strain 14064
Culture collection BCRC FU31263
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 64-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, sparse cottony, slightly zonate, white, producing scattered, black, conidiomata after 2 wks, reverse white, turning pale brown with age.
Conidiomata Conidiomata pycnidial, composed of textura globulosa, aerial, superfical or submerged.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells, hyaline, cylindrical or flask-shaped, 10-19 x 2-4 µm.
Conidia Conidia fusiform, mostly 4-septate, pale brown to brown except the subhyaline end cells, with the median and fourth cells slightly darker, 24–35 × 5.0–6.5 µm (avg. 28.5 × 5.7 µm), bearing 2–3(–4) apical appendages (2 appendages:3 appendages= 6:33), 8.5–18 µm (avg. 12.5 µm) long, and 0–1 basal appendages, if present, 1–7 µm (avg. 3.90 µm).
Note Strain 14064 shares 100% identity in ITS region with the ex-type strain of Pestalotiopsis oryzae (CBS 353.69, KM199496). According to the original description (Maharachchikumbura et al., 2014), CBS 353.69 has slightly wider conidia (6–8 µm(avg. 7 µm)).
Another species also isolated from rice, Pestalotia oryzae, has larger spores (33–35 × 7–10 µm) and longer appendages (20–45 µm) (Hara, 1918)
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains, May 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14064

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Pestalotiopsis oryzae. a. Sporulation on PDA b–c. Conidia. d. Conidiogenous cells and conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Pestalotiopsis sp. 13020
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Amphisphaeriales, Sporocadaceae, Pestalotiopsis


Strain 13020
Culture collection BCRC FU30220
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494382
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 80-, >90-, 0-mm at 37 °C, 28 °C and 24 °C after 5 days, margins entire, velvety, white, producing scattered, black, conidiomata after 2 wks, reverse white to pale orange, slightly zonated.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells, hyaline, cylindrical, 10-25 x 1.5-2.5 µm.
Conidia Conidia fusiform, mostly 4-septate, pale brown to brown except the subhyaline end cells, with the median and fourth cells slightly darker, 16.5–22 × 4.0–5.5 µm (avg. 19.5 × 4.9 µm), bearing 2–3(–4) apical appendages (2 appendages:3 appendages= 27:25), 9–19 µm (avg. 12.5 µm) long, and 1 basal appendages, 1–4 µm (avg. 3.18 µm).
Note Strain 19010 is morphologically similar to Pestalotia kawakamii found on rice leaves by Sawada (1919). However, it has shorter apical appendages (5-10 µm).
Strain 19010 is phylogenetically closely related to Pestalotiopsis neolitseae, but can be distinguished from P. neolitseae by slightly narrower conidia (4.0–5.5 (avg. 4.9) vs. (4–)5–6 μm (avg. 6 μm))
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Chiayi County, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Aug 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13020

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Pestalotiopsis sp. 13020. a. Sporulation on PDA b–c. Conidia. d. Conidiogenous cells and conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Phaeosphaeria oryzae
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Phaeosphaeriaceae, Phaeosphaeria


Authors I. Miyake 1909
Strain 15035
Culture collection BCRC FU31216
Detection frequency Medium
Accession number LC499620
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 27-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, velvet, pale brown, slightly zonate, margin entire, reverse similar, pale brown.
Ascomata Ascomata not observed in culture. Ascomata on rice hull globose, superficial or immersed, black.
Asci Asci bitunicate, cylindrical, biseriate, 50–70 × 8–9 µm
Ascospores Ascospores fusiform, slightly curved, golden brown, verruculose, 3-septate, slightly constricted at the septa, 16.5–20 × 3.5–5.0 µm (avg. 18.2 × 4.17 µm)
Note This species is exclusively associated with rice, and may be the causal agent of discoloration of rice grains before harvest during. Strain 15035 shares 98.94% and 98.97% identities in ITS and RPB2 regions with the ex-type strain of Phaeosphaeria oryzae(CBS 110110; KF251186, KF296462)
Pathogenicity Hara (1959) reported that this species causes leaf spot on rice. We found that it is often associated with grain discoloration, but the pathogenicity has yet to be proven by reinoculation.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains, May 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14061
Taiwan, Pingtung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 9), Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14090
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Oct 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14108
Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), May 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15035
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains, Feb 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17034

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Phaeosphaeria oryzae. a, b, d, e. Asci and ascospores. c. Perithecia on rice grain (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Phaeotrichoconis crotalariae
Classification: Ascomycota, Phaeotrichoconis


Authors (M.A. Salam & P.N. Rao) Subram. 1956
Strain 13007
Culture collection BCRC FU31260
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 68-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, pale orange, margin entire, reverse orange with pale brown margin.
Stromata Cylindrical stromata occasionally present.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, brown, straight or slightly curved, septate, simple, percurrent proliferation often observed, bearing 1–4 conidia, up to 400 µm long, 4–7 µm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal or intercalary, geniculate, sympodial, with thickened conidial scars.
Conidia Conidia initially grey, turning dark brown with age, with both ends paler, straight, obclavate or ellipsoid, often with hyaline beak and thickened, truncated hilum. Conidium body 6–7(–8)-septate, (45–)60–80 × 12–18 µm. Beak multiseptate, up to 180 µm long, 1.5–2.5 µm wide. Germ tubes developed from both ends, hyaline, irregular, repeatedly branched.
Chlamydospores Chlamydospores abundant on OA, WA, CMA, especially when incubated in complete darkness, globose, subglobose, cylindrical or irregular, intercalary or terminal, thick-walled, dark brown, 4.0–8.0 × 4.0–13.0 μm.
Sclerotia Microsclerotia present, forming by aggregation of chlamydospores.
Note This species was first reported to cause leaf spots on Crotalaria verrucosa, and was identified as Trichoconis crotalariae (Salam & Rao, PN, 1954). However, Trichoconis crotalariae has dark vegetative hyphae and conidia which are different from Trichoconis; therefore, Subramanian (1956) transferred it to a new genus, Phaeotrichoconis.
Pathogenicity This species has been found on rice seeds and been associated with grain discoloration (S. Kumaraswamy, 1979; Vaidehi, 1971).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jan 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13007

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Phaeotrichoconis crotalariae. a–d. Conidiophores and conidia. e. Microsclerotia. f. Germinated conidia. (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fig. 3 Maximum-likelihood (ML) tree obtained from aligned LSU sequence of the Phaeotrichoconis crotalariae 13007 and members of Pleosporaceae (Korsub et al., 2006).
Phanerodontia chrysosporium
Classification: Basidiomycota, Agaricomycotina, Agaricomycetes, Polyporales, Phanerochaetaceae, Phanerodontia


Authors (Burds.) Hjortstam & Ryvarden 2010
Strain 12011
Culture collection BCRC 37988
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494383
Colonies Colonies on PDA grow rapidly, attaining 45-mm in 2 days at 28°C, cottony, slight granular, reverse at first white, later becoming cream-colored. Hyphae smooth, hyaline, 3-5 µm wide.
Conidiophores Conidiophores branched or unbranched, poorly differentiated, bearing terminal conidia.
Conidia Conidia (aleuriospores) subhyaline, blastic, terminal, smooth, oval, truncate at one end, 6–10 × 4–7 µm. Arthrocondia various in size and shape, fusiform to cylindrical, intercalary, truncate at both ends.
Chlamydospores Chlamydospores produced in old culture, intercalary or terminal, subhyaline, thick-walled, globose to ovoid, 25–45 µm in diameter.
Note This species is a crust-shaped basidimycetes growing on decaying wood, and is well-known as a white rot fungus for its ability in degradation of lignin. The previous name, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, is more known. The asexual state of this species is Sporotrichum pruinosum, which has been reported to be thermotolerant and cause opportunistic infections in humans (de Hoog et al., 2000).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12011

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Phanerodontia chrysosporium. a–c. Branched conidiophores bearing terminal conidia. d–f. Conidia with truncated at one end (aleuriospores) or both ends (arthrospores). g–h. Thick-walled chlamydospores (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Preussia sp. 20002
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Sporormiaceae, Preussia


Strain 20002
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 19-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, white, margin irregular, turning olivaceous brown and wrinkled with age, reverse initially white, turning grey with age, occasionally with yellow diffusing pigment.
Pycnidia Pycnidia abundant on OA after 7 days, superfical, globose, with inconspicuous ostiole, up to 100 µm in diam.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, ellipsoidal to ovoid, 1-guttulate,.2.0–3.0 × 1.5–2.0 µm.
Ascomata Pseudothecia sparsely produced on OA after 14 days, dark brown, globose to subglobose, up to 400 µm in diam.
Asci Asci clavate, bitunicate, mostly 8-spored, occasionally less, 150–220 × 16–25 µm.
Ascospores Ascospores 4-celled, fusiform, dark brown when mature; end cells conical with a straight germ silt, 9–13 × 6.5–8.5 µm; middle cells cylindrical with a curved or sigmoidal germ silt, 7.5–11 × 7.5–9.5 µm.
Note Based on the BLAST result of the ITS sequence, the strain 20002 shares 97.72% identity with Preussia cymatomera strain CBS 396.81 (KX710252).
The genus Preussia is closely related to Sporormiella. Both are characterized by ≥4-celled ascospores with germ silts.
Recent research has found that there are many exceptions to substrate preferences and the presence of ostiole which used to distinguish these two genera, and these taxonomic characters are also not supported by phylogenetic analyses. Therefore, these two genera may be synonyms (Gonzalez-Menendez et al., 2017; Kruys & Wedin, 2009).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan sen No.18), Aug 2019, Lee, Yi Chen, 20002
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Aug 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13056

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Preussia sp. 20002. a. Ascomata (indicated by black arrow) and Phoma-like anamorph (indicated by white arrow) on OA. b, c. Ascomata. d. Ascomal wall. e, f. Asci and ascospores. g, h. Conidiomata. i. Conidia(Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Pseudopestalotiopsis cf. myanmarina
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Amphisphaeriales, Sporocadaceae, Pseudopestalotiopsis


Strain 14149
Culture collection BCRC FU31415
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 66-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, sparse cottony, slightly zonate, white, producing scattered, black, conidiomata after 2 wks, reverse white, turning pale brown with age.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells, hyaline, cylindrical or flask-shaped, 11-18 x 2-3 µm.
Conidia Conidia fusiform, mostly 4-septate, pale brown to brown except the subhyaline end cells, with three median cells concolorous, (23–)24–27 × 5.0–7.0 µm (avg. 25.9 × 6.1 µm), bearing 2–3(–4) apical appendages (2 appendages:3 appendages= 5:37), 23–30 µm (avg. 26.6 µm) long, and 0–1 basal appendages, if present, 2–10 µm (avg. 5.1 µm).
Note Strain 14149 share 100% identity in ITS and EF region with the ex-type strain of Pseudopestalotiopsis myanmarina (NBRC 112264, LC114025, LC114065). However, strain 14149 has distinctly smaller conidia ((23–)24–27 × 5.0–7.0 µm (avg. 25.9 × 6.1 µm)) than Pseudopestalotiopsis myanmarina strain NBRC 112264 (31–38.5 × 6.5–9 µm (avg. 35.9 × 8.1 µm), (Nozawa et al., 2017)).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Oct 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14149

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Pseudopestalotiopsis cf. myanmarina. a, d. Conidiogenous cells and conidia. b, c. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Pseudopithomyces sacchari
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Astrosphaeriellaceae, Pithomyces


Authors (Speg.) Ariyaw. & K.D. Hyde 2015
Strain 13061
Culture collection BCRC FU31412
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 34-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, cottony, light brown, zonate, margin entire, reverse pale brown.
Conidiophores Conidiophores poorly differentiated, hyaline or pale brown, often in group.
Conidia Conidia brown, ellipsoidal, constricted at the septa, smooth or echinulate, with (1–)2–3(–5)transverse septa, occasionally with a longitudinal or oblique septum, with ruptured conidiogenous cell near the base (rhexolytic secession), (10–)14–20(–23) × (5–)6–8(–9) µm.
Note This species has poor sporulation in culture. To induce sporulation, refer to the note of Pyricularia oryzae.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13061

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Pseudopithomyces sacchari. a–b. Conidiogenous cells and conidia. c. Sporulation on OA. d, e, g. Conidia. f. Sporulation on the trichomes of rice grain (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Pyrenochaetopsis indica
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pyrenochaetopsidaceae, Pyrenochaetopsis


Authors (T.S. Viswan.) Gruyter, Aveskamp & Verkley 2010
Strain 18046
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 28-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, with irregular margin, velvety, pale grey, often with radial furrows, reverse dark brown, paler towards the margin.
Pycnidia Pycnidia present on OA after 2 wks, globose to subglobose, dark olivaceous brown, superfical or submerged, ostiolate, setose, up to 400 µm diam.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, ellipsoidal, cylindrical or obclavate, 2-guttulate, 4–5 × 1.5–2.5 µm (avg. 4.48 × 1.98 µm).
Chlamydospores Chlamydospores abundant on OA, aerial or submerged, dark brown, single or consist of a few globose or subglobose cells, 5–8 µm in diam.
Note Strain 18046 share 99.81% identity in ITS region with the ex-type strain of Pyrenochaetopsis indica (CBS 124454, LT623224).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Hualien County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 16), Jul 2018, Jie-Hao Ou, 18046

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Pyrenochaetopsis indica. a. Pycnidia. b. seta. c. Pycnidial wall. d, e. Chlamydospores. f. Conidia(Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Pyricularia oryzae
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Sordariomycetidae, Magnaporthales, Magnaporthaceae, Magnaporthe


Authors Cavara 1892
Strain 12055
Culture collection BCRC FU30217
Detection frequency Medium
Accession number LC494384
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 34-, 38-, 0-mm at 24 °C, 28 °C and 37°C after 5 days, white to pale brown, margins entire, velvety, azonated, reverse brown, paler towards the margin.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, mostly simple, 1–4-septate, pale brown, paler toward the apex, up to 250 µm long.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrate, terminal or intercalary, sympodial, geniculate and denticulate near the conidiogenous loci.
Conidia Conidia pyriform to obclavate, with short, protruding hilum, slightly pigmented, 2-septate, often constricted at the second septum, 23–30 × 7.5–9.5 µm.
Note In addition to rice, this species also cause blast disease on many other grasses. This species is capable of producing a large number of conidia on the tissue surface of necrotic symptom, but it rarely sporulates once cultured under laboratory conditions. For the method of inducing sporulation, methods provided by National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS) or International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) (Hayashi et al., 2009) can be referred. Firstly, the strain is cultured on a suitable medium (e.g. OA or prune agar). After about two weeks incubation, the lid of the petri dish is removed, followed by using a sterilized toothbrush to gently brush the aerial hyphae on the surface, and then the petri dish is displaced in a large plastic box, which is covered with plastic wrap and poked several holes to keep ventilation. After another 3 to 4 days, a large amount of conidia can be induced on the surface of the medium.
Pathogenicity This species is an important rice seed-borne pathogen, and causing rice blast at all stages of rice growth.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Hualien County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 16), Jul 2018, Jie-Hao Ou, 18043
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Dec 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12055
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14008

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Pyricularia oryzae. a. Sporulation on leaf lesion. b. Sporulation on WA. c. Conidia. d–f. Conidiophores and conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fig. 3 Symptoms of rice blast.
Rhizopus microsporus
Classification: Mucoromycota, Mucoromycotina, Mucoromycetes, Mucorales, Mucoraceae, Rhizopus


Authors Tiegh. 1875
Strain 15025
Culture collection BCRC FU31239
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA grow rapidly, attaining 85-mm in 5 days at 28°C, cottony, elevated, with undulate margin, initially white, turning grey with sporulation, reverse white to pale brown.
Sporangiophores Sporangiophores born on stolons, slightly swollen near the base, often in groups of 2–4, dark brown, paler towards the apex, 250–400 µm long, 8–15 µm wide.
Columellae Columellae globose to subglobose, pale brown, 40–65 µm in diam.
Apophyses Apophyses short, 2–10 µm.
Sporangiospores Sporangiospores globose to suglobose, smooth or slightly echinulate, subhyaline, 4–5 µm (avg. 4.6 µm) in diam.
Chlamydospores Chlamydospores abundant on OA after 2 wks, globose or subglobose, hyaline, intercalary, up to 25 µm in diam.
Pathogenicity This species has been reported to cause rice seedling blight, and the main virulence factor is a phytotoxin called rhizoxin (Sato et al., 1983). Partida-Martinez & Hertweck (2005) found that the phytotoxin was not produced by Rhizopus microsporus itself, but by its endosymbiotic bacteria Burkholderia spp.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung Native 1), Feb 2015, Jie-Hao Ou, 15025

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Rhizopus microsporus. a–d. Rhizoid, sporangiophores and sporangia. e. Sporangiospores. f. Chlamydospores (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Sarocladium attenuatum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Sarocladiaceae, Sarocladium


Authors W. Gams & D. Hawksw. 1976
Strain 17035
Culture collection BCRC FU31124
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC461460
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 10-, 14-, 13-, and 7-mm diam. after 7 days at 24 °C, 28 °C, 32 °C, and 37 °C, respectively, elevated, wooly, white, sometimes becoming dark olive green when grown below 24 °C, margin entire, reverse salmon with white margin. Colonies on MEA attaining 16-, 17-, 18-, and 4- mm diam. after 7 days at 24 °C, 28 °C, 32 °C, and 37 °C, respectively, sparsely cottony, white-yellow at center, translu- cent at margin, reverse yellowish.
Sporodochia Sporodochia present in some strains, consisting of short and densely aggregated branches bearing whorls of 9–18- μm-long and 1.5–2.5- μm-wide phialides.
Conidiophores Conidiophores mononematous, macro- or micronematous, arising from sub- merged hyphae or aerial mycelium. Conidiophores reduced and bearing single phialides, simple and up to 70 μm high, terminating in 1–4 verticillately arranged phialides, repeatedly verticillately branched, where the central primary axis extends in growth with successive 1–3 lateral secondary axis arising along the primary axis or is determinate in growth and termi- nates in usually 2 and up to 4 verticillate branches, 1 or 2 of which being independent secondary new axis and the others of which being phialides, appearing monochasial, dichasial, or pleiochasial, the secondary axis developed in a similar manner as primary axis, with or without tertiary axis. Conidiophore axes usually strongly adpressed, turning to slightly divergent toward the distal part, occasionally with additional branches arising vertically from the lateral sides of secondary or tertiary axes.
Conidiogenous cells Phialides cylindrical, 33–45 × 1–2 μm, terminally forming solitary or in whorls of 2–4, or intermixed with conidiophore axes to form a whorl of 2–4 at the branching points, amounting to maximum of 40 individuals on each conidiophore. Short lateral adelophialides sometimes present.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, one-celled, non-guttulate, cylindrical with rounded ends, 3.5–8 × 1.0–2.0 μm (length/width ratio 3.1–8.5), forming a slimy mass on top of phialides. Additional conidia, if present, usually guttulate, ovoid to cylindrical with sharply pointed ends, var- iable in length, up to 25 μm long, sometimes triradiate (three-armed).
Note There has been a debate about the status of S. attenuatum. Gams and Hawksworth (1975) established this species, and distinguished it from S. oryzae in having verticillate branching pattern of conidiophores and longer sized conidia. Bridge et al. (1989) observed the continuum of conidial size between S. oryzae and S. attenuatum, and suggested that S. attenuatum is a synonym of S. oryzae. Bills et al. (2004) sequenced the ITS and LSU regions of ex-type material of S. oryzae (CBS 180.74) and S. attenuatum (CBS 399.73) and reported that these two strains had 100% identity in ITS and LSU regions, and consequently supported the synonymous treatment of Bridge et al. (1989). However, Summerbell et al. (2011) re-sequenced the ITS region of CBS 399.73 and especially stated that they obtained a sequence (not deposited in database) different from the sequence of Bill et al. (2004) (AY566995) in 6 base pairs and two gaps. Summerbell et al. (2011) then concluded that the status of S. attenuatum required further studies. Giraldo et al. (2015), by comparing ITS, LSU. and ACT sequences, indicated that the similarity between S. oryzae isolates CBS 180.74 and S. attenuatum CBS 399.73 was in the range between 98.4% and 98.8%. They acquired an ITS sequence (HG965027) of CBS 399.73, differing from Bill et al. (2004) (AY566995), conforming to the analysis of Summerbell et al. (2011). Apparently there was a mistake made by Bill et al. (2014). The ITS sequence, AY566995, should not be from S. attenuatum, but from S. oryzae instead. However, Giraldo et al. (2015) preferred to maintain S. attenuatum as a synonym of S. oryzae.
In addition to the cylindrical shape in conidia, elongated cylindrical, ovoid and tri-radiate shapes were occasionally observed in S. attenuatum. Elongated conidia have also been reported by Bridge et al. (1989) and Brady (1980), whereas ovoid and tri-radiate conidia were here observed for the first time. We found that these additional kinds of conidia were formed only occasionally and always dislodged and encountered on the colony surface. These conidia were always associated with free water. The intergradation in conidial sizes found with S. attenuatum and S. oryzae by Bridge et al. (1989) was likely an artifact of including transformed conidia in the measurements. Accordingly, when the size range of conidia is based on those freshly produced in masses on phialides, a distinction could be clearly made in conidial size between S. attenuatum and S. oryzae.
Sporodochia, composed of aggregated conidiophores, were observed for the first time. Phialides produced from sporodochia are clearly shorter, and differ between S. attenuatum and S. oryzae. They are subulate in S. attenuatum and flask-shaped in S. oryzae.
Bill et al. (2004) noted that S. attenuatum CBS 399.73 and S. oryzae CBS 180.74 can produce green colonies. During the growth tests, we found that temperatures below 24°C were crucial to induce the green pigment. However, only a few strains of S. attenuatum were able to produce green pigment in this condition.
Pathogenicity was confirmed by artificial inoculation with 3 strains (BCRC FU31124, BCRC FU31127, BCRC FU31118). Grain discoloration, unfilled grains, and lesions on leaf sheaths were observed on inoculated rice plants.
Pathogenicity This species causes rice sheath rot disease.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains, Sep 2018, Jie-Hao Ou, 18076

Fig. 1 Sarocladium attenuatum. a–d. Colony on PDA (a), with reverse in b and MEA (c), with reverse in d. e–h. Conidiophores and phialides, with conidia in g and h. i, l. Transformed and triradiate (three-armed) conidia. j. Conidia. k. Adelophialide with a conidium. m–n, q. Sporodochia., o–p. Phialides bearing liquid droplets consisting of conidial masses. (a–d from BCRC FU31118; e–f, j from strain SA 1- 5; g, m–n, q from strain SA 2-2; h, o–p from strain SA 3-3; i, l from strain SA 3-24; k from strain SA 3-36) (Bars = 5 μm)
Sarocladium oryzae
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Sarocladiaceae, Sarocladium


Authors (Sawada) W. Gams & D. Hawksw. 1976
Strain 13017
Culture collection BCRC FU30166
Detection frequency Medium
Accession number LC461506
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 11-, 13-, 13-, and 6-mm diam. after 7 days at 24 °C, 28 °C, 32 °C, and 37 °C, respectively, elevated, wooly, with sparse radial furrows, white, some- times becoming dark olive green at temperature lower than 24 °C, margin entire, reverse orange with white margin. Colonies on MEA attaining 18-, 22-, 23-, and 4-mm diam. after 7 days at 24 °C, 28 °C, 32 °C, and 37 °C, respectively, sparsely cottony, appearing in a coarsely radiate pattern, white with insignificantly yellow pigmentation, translucent, margin entire, reverse pale yellow.
Sporodochia Sporodochia present in some strains, consisting of short and densely aggregated branches bearing whorls of 8–16 long and 1.5–2.5 µm wide phialides.
Conidiophores Conidiophores mononematous, macro- or micronematous, arising from submerged hyphae or aerial mycelium, occasionally warted near the base. Conidiophores reduced and bearing single phialides; or simple and up to 60 μm high, terminating in 1–3 (rarely 4) verticillately arranged phialides; or repeatedly verticillately branched, where the central prima- ry axis extends in growth with successive 1–3 lateral sec- ondary axis arising along the primary axis or is determinate in growth and terminates in 2 or rarely 3 verticillate branches, 1 or 2 of which being independent secondary new axis and the others of which being phialides; appearing monochasial to dichasial, the secondary axis developed in a similar manner as primary axis, with or without tertiary axis. Conidiophore axes usually strongly adpressed, turning to slightly divergent toward the distal part, occasionally with additional branches arising vertically from the lateral sides of secondary or tertiary axes.
Conidiogenous cells Phialides cylindrical, 27–45 × 1.0–2.5 μm, arranged in terminal or intermediate whorls of up to 4, amounting to a maximum of 10 individuals on each conidiophore. Short lateral adelophialides sometimes present.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, 1-celled, cylindrical with rounded ends, 3.5–5.5 × 1.0–2.0 µm (length/width ratio 3.5–4.3), forming a slimy mass on top of phialides. Additional conidia, if present, usually granulate, cylindrical, variable in length, up to 25 µm, with rounded to pointed ends, tri-radiate conidia not observed.
Note Conidiophores in S. oryzae are much poorly branched in comparison with S. attenuatum, and typically form less than 10 phialides in each conidiophore architecture. Additional forms of conidia with elongated and tri-radiate shapes were occasionally present. Unlike S. attenuatum, the elongated conidia were not always pointed at ends in S. oryzae. Only a few strains of S. oryzae obtained in the current study could produce green pigment at 24°C.
Pathogenicity was confirmed by artificial inoculation with 3 strains (SA 3-1, BCRC FU31120, BCRC FU30166). Grain discoloration, unfilled grains, and lesions on leaf sheaths were observed on inoculated rice plants.
Pathogenicity This species causes rice sheath rot disease.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jan 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13017
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13039
Taiwan, Yunlin County, rice grains, Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14035
Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains, May 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14066

Fig. 1 Sarocladium oryzae. a–d. Colony on PDA (a), with reverse in b and MEA (c), with reverse in d. e–g, j. Conidiophores and phialides, with slimy conidial mass in j. h–i. Sporodochia. k. Adelophialide with a conidium. l. Non-transformed and transformed conidia. m. Conidia. (a–d and i–j from strain BCRC FU31120; e–g from strain SA 1-12; f from strain BCRC FU30166; h from strain SA 3-18; k from strain SA 2-15; l–m from BCRC FU31116) (Bars = 5 µm)
Sarocladium sparsum
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Sarocladiaceae, Sarocladium


Authors J.H. Ou, G.C. Lin & C.Y. Chen 2020
Strain 18075
Culture collection BCRC FU31126
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC461527
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 12, 15, 16, 7 mm diam. after 7 days at 24°C, 28°C, 32°C, 37°C respectively, elevated, wooly, white, reverse salmon with pale yellow margin, producing diffuse pale brown pigment in some strains. Colonies on MEA attaining 20, 23, 24, 3 mm diam. after 7 days at 24°C, 28°C, 32°C, 37°C, respectively, flat, coarsely cottony, pale salmon, translucent, reverse salmon.
Sporodochia Sporodochium-like structure occasionally present, as a single conidiophore bearing densely compact branches fasciculate terminal flask-shaped phialides, 5.5–12 × 1–1.5(2.0) µm.
Conidiophores Conidiophores mononematous, macro- or micronematous, arising from submerged hyphae or aerial hyphae at nearly right angle. Conidiophores reduced and bearing single phialide, simple and 5–40 µm long, 1.5–2.0 µm wide at the base, terminating in 1–3 verticillately arranged phialides, or dichotomously branched, where the central primary axis indeterminate in growth with one or occasionally two lateral secondary axis arising along the primary axis, or where the central primary axis is determinate in growth and terminates in 2 branches, 1 of which being an independent secondary new axis appearing monochasial, and the other of which being a phialide; secondary axis developed in a similar manner as primary axis, tertiary axes hardly present.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, 1-celled, ovoid to ellipsoidal with rounded ends, 2.5–3.5 × 1.0–1.5(2) µm (length/width ratio 2.15–2.8), guttulate, forming a slimy mass on top of phialides. Additional conidia, if present, granulate, cylindrical, up to 17 µm long, with rounded ends.
Note Although Sarocladium sparsum, S. attenuatum and S. oryzae are closely related, there are many characters distinct in S. sparsum. Conidiophores in S. sparsum are only sparsely branched and branches and phialides are typically at least slightly diverging and rarely adpressed. Length/width ratio of conidia is significantly smaller. A brown pigment diffusing into the medium was observed in some S. sparsum strains (BCRC FU31125, BCRC FU31126, SA 3-49, BCRC FU31122). A similar pigment produced by an unidentified Sarocladium strain was observed by Bridge et al. (1989) and S. spinificis by Yeh and Kirschner (2014). In S. sparsum, an additional type of conidiophore, characterized by lying on medium surface and producing short and compact branches with clearly shorter phialides, was seen, and accordingly interpreted as a sporodochium-like structure. Strain CBS 414.81 was identified by Giraldo et al. (2015) as S. oryzae. All the nine strains of S. sparsum have identical ITS/LSU/ACT sequences, and did not produce a green pigment. ITS/LSU/ACT sequences of CBS 414.81 and strains of S. sparsum show 100% identity. Evidences provided clearly identify CBS 414.81 as a strain of S. sparsum, which also explains the lack of a green pigment.
Sarocladium sparsum strains and S. oryzae CBS 180.74 show 8/0/23 base differences in ITS/LSU/ACT sequences. Incidentally S. sparsum strains and S. attenuatum CBS 399.73 also show 8/0/23 base differences in ITS/LSU/ACT sequences.
Pathogenicity was confirmed by artificial inoculation with 5 strains (SA 1-15, BCRC FU31121, BCRC FU31122, BCRC FU31126, BCRC FU31125). Grain discoloration, unfilled grains, and lesions on leaf sheaths were observed on inoculated rice plants.
Pathogenicity This species causes rice sheath rot disease.
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains, Jul 2018, Jie-Hao Ou, 18042
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains, Sep 2018, Jie-Hao Ou, 18075

Fig. 1 Sarocladium sparsum. a–d. Colony on PDA (a), with reverse in b and MEA (c), with reverse in d. e–g, h. Conidiophores and phialides, with slimy conidial mass in h. i. Adelophialide and conidia. j. Sporodochium-like structure. k. Conidia. l. Transformed conidia. (All from strain BCRC FU31121, except f from strain SA 3-48) (Bars = 5 µm)
Sarocladium spirale
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Sarocladiaceae, Sarocladium


Authors J.H. Ou, G.C. Lin & C.Y. Chen 2020
Strain 12047
Culture collection BCRC FU31123
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC461490
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 5, 6, 7, 0 mm after 7 days at 24°C, 28°C, 32°C, 37°C, respectively, flat, velvety, yellow-orange, slightly slimy in appearance, whitish at outer part, inner sector appearing funiculose composed of rope-like mycelial bundles, margins irregularly filiform, reverse yellowish with whitish outer area. Colonies on MEA attaining 20, 20, 12, 0 mm diam. after 7 days at 24°C, 28°C, 32°C, 37°C, respectively, pale yellowish, turning whitish towards the margin, translucent, reverse pale yellowish and turning whitish towards the margin, translucent.
Conidiophores Conidiophores mononematous, macro- or micronematous, arising from submersed hyphae or aerial mycelium. Conidiophores simple and up to 30 µm long, terminating in single or occasionally two divergent phialides, occasionally the conidiophores having one lateral branch with single terminal phialides, or conidiophores reduced and densely scattered when arising from funiculose bundles of mycelium.
Conidiogenous cells Phialides cylindrical, 25–50 × 1–2 µm µm, tapering towards the apex, arranged in terminal or intermediate whorls of up to 2(3), shorter when arising directly from hyphae (or reduced conidiophores), 10–35µm long, amounting to maximum 6 individuals on each conidiophore. Short lateral adelophialides sometimes present.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, 1-celled, cylindrical with rounded ends, 2.5–4.0 × 1–2.0 µm (length/width ratio 2.3–3.2), forming a slimy mass on top of phialides.
Note Hyphal coils occur abundantly on surface of medium.
Sarocladium spirale is more distinctly related to S. attenuatum, S. oryzae and S. sparsum and clusters with S. hominis and S. spinificis (Fig. 1, clade IV). Sarocladium spirale and S. hominis are morphologically similar in having mostly simple or poorly branched conidiophores, occasionally with two terminal divergent phialides, and having funiculose bundles of mycelium. However, S. spirale did not form aerial mycelium; colonies produced a yellow-orange pigmentation on PDA, and formed characteristically abundant hyphal coils. Additionally the phialides are longer in S. spirale (30–45 μm) compared with the phialides in S. hominis (22–37 μm). All the three strains of S. spirale could not grow at 37°C. Growth temperature limitation well distinguishes S. spirale from other species we obtained from rice. ITS/LSU/ACT sequences of S. spirale and the ex-type strain of S. hominis (UTHSC 04-1034) differ at 8/4/39–40 nucleotide positions. Sarocladium spirale resembles S. spinificis in having funiculose bundles of mycelium, but significantly differs in having branched conidiophores. Sarocladium brachiariae is the other species producing hyphal coils, but can be distinguished from S. spirale by shorter conidiophores (14–30 (40) × 2–2.5 μm) and longer conidia (3–8 (11) × 1–1.5μm) (Liu 2017).
No observable symptoms occurred after the inoculations of rice sheaths and grains by 3 strains (BCRC FU31126, BCRC FU31119, BCRC FU31123).
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Nov 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12047

Fig. 1 Sarocladium spirale. a–d. Colony on PDA (a), with reverse in b and MEA (c), with reverse in d. e. Funiculose bundle of mycelium, with lateral phialides. f, h–j. Conidiophores, phialides from vegetative hypha (j) or hyphal coil (h), and conidia. g. Hyphal coils. (a–d from strain BCRC FU31126; e–f from strain BCRC FU31123; g–j from strain BCRC FU31126) (Bars = 5 µm)
Sarocladium terricola
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Sarocladiaceae, Sarocladium


Authors (J.H. Mill., Giddens & A.A. Foster) A. Giraldo, Gené & Guarro 2014
Strain 18041
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 10-mm in 5 days at 25 °C, cottony, elevated, white, reverse initially white, turning pale orange with age.
Conidiophores Conidiophores mostly reduced, bearing single phialide, simple.
Conidiogenous cells Phialides hyaline, cylindrical, tapering towards the apex 18–25 × 1.0–2.5 μm. Adelophialides and schizophialides present.
Conidia Conidia hyaline, 1-celled, fusiform, dry, in long chain (> 50 conidia), 3.5–5.0 × 1.0–2.0 µm (avg. 4.21 × 1.68 µm; length/width ratio 2.2–3.0)
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jul 2018, Jie-Hao Ou, 18041

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Sarocladium terricola. a. Phialides. b. Schizophialides. c. Adelophialide. d. Conidia. e. Sporulation on OA. (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Setophoma sp. 14136
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Phaeosphaeriaceae, Setophoma


Strain 14136
Culture collection BCRC FU31414
Detection frequency Medium
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 19-mm at 25 °C after 5 days, white to pale brown, slightly wrinkled, margin entire, reverse dark brown near the center, paler towards the margin, with diffusing brown pigment.
Pycnidia Pycnidia not observed on PDA. Pycnidia present on OA after 3 wks, globose to subglobose, dark olivaceous brown, superfical or submerged, ostiolate, setose around the ostiole, up to 300 µm diam.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells phialidic, flask-shaped, hyaline, 4–6.5 × 2.5–5.0 μm.
Conidia Conidia wet, hyaline, cream-colored in mass, ellipsoidal or ovoid, often guttulate, 3.0–5.0 × 2.0–3.0 µm (avg. 4.17 × 2.40 µm)
Note Strain 14136 shares 99.80 and 99.80% identities in ITS and LSU regions with the ex-type strain of Setophoma poaceicola (MFLUCC 16-0880; KY568988, KY550386).
However, in the original description, only sexual reproduction on the leaf of grass was observed. The colony morphology is also significantly different. The colonies of Setophoma poaceicola MFLUCC 16-0880 are dark brown, but the colonies of strain 14136 are white to light brown.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14017
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains, Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14040
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Oct 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14136

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Setophoma sp. 14136. a. Sporulation on OA. b. Pycnidia. c. Pycnidial wall. d. Conidiogenous cells. i. Conidia(Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Stemphylium lycopersici
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Stemphylium


Authors (Enjoji) W. Yamam. 1960
Strain 14037
Detection frequency Low
Conidiophores Conidiophores erect, simple or branched near the base, smooth or echinulate, up to 200 μm long, 4–5.5 μm wide.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cell integrate, terminal, slightly swollen, with 1–2 percurrent proliferations.
Conidia Conidia cylindrical or obclavate, brown, echinulate, with 1–2 major darkened, constricted transverse septa and several longitudinal or oblique septa, 35–45(–50) × 15–20 µm
Note Strain 14037 shares 99.41% identity in ITS region with the ex-type strain of Stemphylium lycopersici (CBS 122639; KU850611).
This species has poor sporulation in culture. To induce sporulation, refer to the note of Pyricularia oryzae.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Yunlin County, rice grains, Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14037
Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains, May 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14065

a–c. Conidiophores and conidia. d–g. Conidia. (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fig. 2 Stemphylium lycopersici. Maximum-likelihood (ML) tree obtained from aligned ITS sequence of the Stemphylium lycopersici and allied species.
Tilletia horrida
Classification: Basidiomycota, Ustilaginomycotina, Exobasidiomycetes, Exobasidiomycetidae, Tilletiales, Tilletiaceae, Tilletia


Authors Takah. 1896
Strain 17069
Culture collection BCRC MU30528
Detection frequency Low
Accession number LC494385
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 10-mm in 5 days at 25 °C, margin irregular, white to light grey, reverse grey, often with reddish diffusing pigment.
Teliospores Teliospores globose or subglobose, dark brown, tuberculate, (17–)20–25(–30) μm in diam. Teliospores germinated with in 24 hours at 25 °C on WA.
Basidia Basidia (promycelia) simple, hyaline, up to 200 μm long, bearing 30–50 basidiospores terminally.
Basidiospores Basidiospores filiform, straight or curved, hyaline, 30–40 × 1–2 µm.
Note This species was found on fresh organically cultivated rice grain.
Pathogenicity This species has been reported to cause rice kernel smut (Ou, 1985). It has been suggested that T. horrida is a synonym of T. barclayana which infect Panicoideae (Tullis & Johnson, 1952). However, it was subsequently identified as a distinct species based on its host range and molecular data (Castlebury et al., 2005; Pimentel et al., 1998).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains, Nov 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17069

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Tilletia horrida. a. Germinated teliospore and basidia. b. Basidiospores. c–f. Teliospores and tuberculate ornamentation (d, e). (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Fig. 3 Rice kernel smut caused by Tilletia horrida.
Trichoconiella padwickii
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Dothideomycetes, Pleosporomycetidae, Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae, Trichoconiella


Authors (Ganguly) B.L. Jain 1976
Strain 12001
Culture collection BCRC FU31231
Detection frequency High
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 28-mm in 5 days at 25 °C, azonated, fluffy, margins even, initially white, turning grey with age, reverse dark olivaceous brown with white margin.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, simple, rarely branched, subhyaline to light brown, multiseptate, up to 200 µm in length.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells integrate, terminal, slightly swollen, bearing single conidium.
Conidia Conidia fusiform to obclavate, subhyaline to light brown, smooth to slightly echinulate, body with (3–)4–5 septa, slightly constricted at the septa, subtruncate at slightly thickened hilum, 45–70 × 12–22 µm, beaks present in most conidia, hyaline, with 1–5 septa, 50–120 × 2.5–3.5 µm.
Sclerotia Sclerotia produced abundantly when keep in complete dark or in old culture, globose, mostly submerge, wall reticulate, 70–100 µm in diameter.
Note With few exceptions, this species is mostly associated with rice. Morphologically this species is liable to be misidentified as Alternaria, and accordingly has been named under Alternaria. This species has poor sporulation in culture. To induce sporulation, refer to the note of Pyricularia oryzae.
Sclerotia can be induced under nitrogen limited and complete darkness condition.
Pathogenicity This species causes leaf spot (stackburn disease) and grain discoloration on rice. The detection rate on rice seeds can often be very high, up to 100% (Mew & Misra, 1994).
Specimens examined Taiwan, Chiayi County, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Nov 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12052
Taiwan, Chiayi County, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jan 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13011
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains, Aug 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14105
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14112
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 2), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14126
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 139), Nov 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14153
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 194), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14168
Taiwan, Ilan County, rice grains (cultivar Kaohsiung 147), Jan 2017, Jie-Hao Ou, 17003
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Jun 2012, Jie-Hao Ou, 12001

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Trichoconiella padwickii. a, b. Conidia. c. Conidiophore. d. Conidiogenous cell. e. Sclerotium (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)　

Fig. 3 a. Sclerotia on the surface of brown rice. b. Sclerotia produced in culture.
Trichoderma asperelloides
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Hypocreaceae, Trichoderma


Authors Samuels 2010
Strain 18035
Culture collection processing
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining >90-mm in 5 days at 25 °C, raised, cottony, pale yellow, with sparse radial furrows, producing brown, sticky exudate and diffuse yellow pigment with age. Dark green, slimy conidial mass produced on the surface after 7 days.
Conidiophores Conidiophores macronematous, hyaline, erect, with extensively, sometimes verticillately rebranching at right angle, slightly swollen at the branching points, 3.5–5 µm wide near the base of main axis.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells phialidic, hyaline, lageniform, laterally or terminally, solitary or in whorls of 2–5, 7–15 × 2.5–3.5 µm.
Conidia Conidia globose to obovoid, slightly pigmented, dark green in mass, 3.0–4.0(–4.5) µm.
Chlamydospores Chlamydospores abundant on OA after 7 days, globose to subglobose, borne terminally, solitary, 5–7 μm in diam.
Note This species grows fast. When the petri dish is sealed with parafilm, it may lead to poor sporulation and the colony will remain pale yellow due to poor ventilation.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Hualien County, rice grains(cultivar Hualien 20), Jul 2018, Jie-Hao Ou, 18035

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Trichoderma asperelloides. a. Sporulation on OA. b–d. Conidiophores, conidiogenous cells and conidia. e. Conidia. f. Chlamydospore (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Xylaria arbuscula group
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Xylariaceae, Xylaria


Strain 14057
Culture collection BCRC FU31262
Detection frequency Medium
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 36-mm in 5 days at 25 °C, white, cottony, slightly funiculose near the margin, reverse white, turning black from the center with age.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainung 67), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13050
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14010
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14016
Taiwan, Changhua County, rice grains, May 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14057
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 2), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14124

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Xylaria badia group
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Xylariaceae, Xylaria


Strain 14172
Culture collection BCRC FU31268
Detection frequency Medium
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 29-mm in 5 days at 25 °C, white, slightly zonate, margin entire, reverse white, turning pale brown with age.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Jan 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14003
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14036
Taiwan, Tainan City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Mar 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14049
Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Taichung 194), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14172

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Xylaria curta group
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Xylariaceae, Xylaria


Strain 13045
Culture collection BCRC FU31261
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 52-mm in 5 days at 25 °C, white, cottony near the center, forming rope-like strands toward the margin, turning black with age.
Stromata Stromata formed on PDA after 3 wks, cylindrical, up to 1 cm high. Basal parts sterile, dark brown, composed of textura epidermoidea. Upper parts covered with dry, brownish grey conidia,
Conidiophores Conidiophores pale brown, repeatly branched, arising from stroma or aerial hyphae.
Conidiogenous cells Conidiogenous cells mostly terminal, hyaline or pale brown, cylindrical, with several denticulate conidiogenous loci.
Conidia Conidia obovoid to obclavate, hyaline, with a acute or slightly truncated base, (6.5–)7–8 × 3.5–4(–4.5) µm.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taichung City, rice grains (cultivar Tainan 11), Sep 2013, Jie-Hao Ou, 13045
Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taiken 2), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14131

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Fig. 2 Xylaria curta group. a, d, e, f. Conidiophores, conidiogenous cells and conidia. b. Sterile base of the stromata. c. Stromata formed on PDA. g. Conidia (Bars= 5 μm, unless otherwise specified)
Xylaria papulis group
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Xylariaceae, Xylaria


Strain 14174
Culture collection BCRC FU31269
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 36-mm in 5 days at 25 °C, white, cottony near the center, forming rope-like strands toward the margin, margin undulate, reverse white, turning olivaceous brown with age, .
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Sep 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14115
Taiwan, Miaoli County, rice grains (cultivar Miaoli 2), Dec 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14174

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA
Xylaria sp. 14147
Classification: Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Sordariomycetes, Xylariomycetidae, Xylariales, Xylariaceae, Xylaria


Strain 14147
Culture collection BCRC FU31265
Detection frequency Low
Colonies Colonies on PDA attaining 40-mm in 5 days at 25 °C, white, cottony, with chrysanthemum pattern, reverse white, turning olivaceous brown with age.
Pathogenicity Unknown
Specimens examined Taiwan, Taitung County, rice grains (cultivar Taitung 30), Oct 2014, Jie-Hao Ou, 14147

Fig. 1 5-day-old colony on PDA.
Fig. 2 Xylaria sp. 14147. 14-day-old colony on PDA