Diversity of wood-inhabiting marine fungi from muthupet mangrove
environs of Tamilnadu, India

Abstract :

The study of powdery mildews carried out in Tamil Nadu during the year 1989 to 1994, revealed infection on 159 angiosperms belonging to 51 host families and of which 23.27% were cultivated plants. These fungi produced both anamorph and teleomorph states. The study resulted in recording 106 fungal taxa belonging to the genera Erysiphe, Leveillula, Microsphaera, Oidiopsis, Oidium, Ovulariopsis, Phyllactinia, Sphaerotheca and Uncinula. The study revealed that there is a host range for certain species, while, some are host specific. The temperature range from 19-31oC in January was found be ideal for the occurrence and raise of temperature during summer months resulted in decline in the disease incidence and total disappearance in May. The minimum rainfall (27 mm) was recorded in January during which maximum number of fungal collections were made. Moderate relatively humidity 63% in January was found to favour conidial production. The shorter duration of sunshine, together with a moderate temperature and relatively humidity, may probably have resulted in the germination and development of powdery mildews from July onwards. Ascomata of Uncinula fici-nervosae, U. fici-religiosae, U. garugae and U.religiosae were collected at an altitude of about 1000-1500 m I the hilly regions of Kotagiri and Kodaikanal in February. However, the other powdery mildew species recorded from the same regions failed to produce ascomata under these environmental conditions.