Three New Species of Microfungi for the Mycobiota of Uzbekistan ()
1. Introduction
In Uzbekistan, mycologists such as P.N. Golovin, B.D. Kleiner, T.S. Panfilova, N.I. Gaponenko, S.S. Ramazanova, Ya.S. Solieva, Sh.G. Kamilov, X.X. Nuraliev, Yu.Sh. Gafforov, I.M. Mustafayev, and J.P. Sherqulova have made significant contributions to the study of vascular plant microfungi. Their scientific research has provided valuable insights into the taxonomy, distribution, and ecology of these fungi. Mycological research in Uzbekistan began to develop primarily in the early 20th century. In 1912, K.I. Barbarin, while studying plant diseases, documented fungal infections affecting plants in the Tashkent, Samarkand, and Fergana regions. In 1914, the Turkestan Plant Protection Center was established under the leadership of N.G. Zaprometov. Between 1914 and 1928, mycological and phytopathological studies were conducted across Central Asia, including Uzbekistan. By 1928, 767 species of microfungi from various systematic groups had been identified. From 1935 onwards, mycological research in Uzbekistan expanded under the leadership of P.N. Golovin, with studies conducted in the country’s natural regions, including Fergana, Korzhontog, Ugam, Chotkol, Bobotog, Hisar, and Zarafshan. By 1945, the mycobiota of Central Asia had grown to include 4000 species. In 1950, based on extensive mycological studies in Central Asia, P.N. Golovin documented more than 2378 fungal species, of which 1278 were recorded in Uzbekistan. T.S. Panfilova and N.I. Gaponenko studied the mycobiota of the Angren Basin, identifying 867 species. They reported that five species from the order Peronosporales were newly recorded in Central Asia, and two were previously unknown to science. In her research on the vascular plant microfungi of the Surkhandarya region, Yo.S. Solieva identified 352 species of microfungi, 24 of which were new to the mycobiota of Uzbekistan, and two species were new to science. Additionally, Yo.S. Solieva, Kh.M. Kyrgyzbaeva, and collaborators (1998, 2001) studied the mycobiota of the lower parts of the Kizilkum and Amu Darya deltas. X.X. Nuraliev, in his study of the higher plant microfungi of the Kashkadarya region, identified 364 species, 49 forms, and 2 variations. Among these, 24 species were new to the mycobiota of Uzbekistan, and two species were new to science. Similarly, Yu.Sh. Gafforov, in his research on the higher plant microfungi of the Namangan region, identified 480 species and forms, including four groups and 25 species that were newly recorded in Uzbekistan [1]. In recent years, additional new species of micromycetes have also been identified in Uzbekistan [2] [3].
This article aims to provide information on three phytopathogenic species newly recorded in the mycobiota of Uzbekistan.
2. Materials and Methods
Mycological herbarium specimens were collected from mycological research conducted in various regions of Uzbekistan, including the Nurata, Bobotog, and Northern Turkistan mountain ranges. These specimens were examined using a light microscope and identified based on relevant literature [4]-[8]. Host plant species were determined using Conspectus Florae Asiae Mediae (1968–1993) [9] and Flora of Uzbekistan (1941-1962) [10]. All collected specimens are stored in the Fungarium of the Institute of Botany in Tashkent. The taxonomy and nomenclature of fungi in this article follow international databases, specifically MycoBank (2025) [11]. The nomenclature of host plants follows data from Plants of the World Online (2025) [12].
3. Results and Discussions
As a result of mycological analyses, three species of micromycetes previously unrecorded in Uzbekistan were identified. Below are concise descriptions of these species, including their host plants and the regions in which they are distributed.
1) Stemphylium vesicarium (Wallr.) E.G. Simmons, Mycologia 61 (1): 9 (1969) [MB#339660] (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Stemphylium vesicarium-Tulipa turkestanica: A: affected leaves; B, C: conidia.
Host plant: Tulipa turkestanica (Regel) Regel. The genus Stemphylium was first reported in 1833, with Stemphylium botryosum (Teleomorph: Pleospora tarda) designated as the type species. Stemphylium is a dematiaceous hyphomycete, distinguishable from other hyphomycetes that form phaeodictyospores by the percurrent rejuvenation of its conidiophores and the presence of apically swollen conidiogenous cells [5]. Stemphylium vesicarium causes Stemphylium leaf blight (SLB) and can infect a broad range of crops and weed hosts. Primary crop hosts include onion (Allium cepa L.), garlic (A. sativum L.), leek (A. porrum L.), shallot (A. cepa var. aggregatum), asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.), European pear (Pyrus communis L.), lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), mango (Mangifera indica L.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), radish (Raphanus sativus L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), parsley (Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss), and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) [6]. The disease causes small tan-to-brown lesions on leaves, which rapidly progress, leading to plant defoliation. Identification of Stemphylium species relies on morphological characteristics, particularly variations in conidia and conidiophores. The conidiophore exhibits swelling and produces dark-brown conidia. The conidia are oblong or broadly oval, measuring 21 - 36 × 12 - 17 µm, with 1 - 6 transverse septa and 1 - 3 longitudinal septa per transverse sector (Figure 1).
Distribution: Bobotog mountain range (Bobotog National Nature Park).
2) Phoma punctulata Cooke, Grevillea 6 (40): 133 (1878) [MB#197940]
Host plant: Colutea paulsenii Freyn. The genus Phoma Fries includes approximately 200 species worldwide and is widely distributed across various ecological niches. While some Phoma species are harmless saprobes, others are significant plant pathogens that affect economically important crops. Moreover, certain Phoma species pose quarantine concerns, presenting challenges for plant health regulatory organizations [7]. In Uzbekistan, 60 species of the genus Phoma have been documented [12]. Phoma punctulata affects the leaves of Colutea paulsenii, causing round lesions on the upper leaf surface. These lesions develop with a central area that turns white, while the edges form light brown, liver-colored borders. (See Figure 2)
Figure 2. Phoma punctulata-Colutea paulsenii: A, B: affected leaves; C: pycnidia on the leaf surface; D, E: pycnidia on the surface of the pods; F: stilospores.
These spots are visible on the surface, particularly on necrotic tissues, where small black dots of fungal pycnidia are located. The pycnidia are spherical, measuring 110 - 130 µm, with a round opening, and are embedded in the necrotic leaf tissue. The pycnidial wall is light brown. The stilospores are small (10 - 15 × 2 - 3 µm), single-celled, cylindrical or ellipsoid in shape, and colorless. This species is widely distributed among members of the Fabaceae family.
Distribution: Northern Turkistan Mountain range (Zaamin Nature Reserve, Zaamin National Nature Park), Bobotog mountain range (Bobotog National Nature Park).
3) Monilinia johnsonii (Ellis & Everh.) Honey, American Journal of Botany 23: 105 (1936) [MB#268422]
Host plants: Crataegus turkestanica Pojark. and C. pontica K.Koch. All Monilinia species within the Disjunctoriae group, including M. johnsonii, exhibit a strong synchronization with the phenology of their host. From an evolutionary standpoint, this synchronization occurs because both spore stages of the pathogen can only infect during specific, short periods in the host’s development. Ascospores infect young vegetative tissues exclusively at bud break, while conidia infect open flowers only during the bloom phase [9]. Long-term studies have shown that small, round spots initially appear on the leaves of Crataegus turkestanica and C. pontica. Over time, these spots enlarge and cover a significant portion of the leaf, leading to leaf curling and desiccation. The first recorded emergence of apothecia of M. johnsonii occurred on the ground beneath C. turkestanica trees in early to mid-March of 2023 and 2024 in the Nurata Nature Reserve and Zaamin National Nature Park (Figure 3).
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Figure 3. Monilinia johnsonii-Crataegus turkestanica: A: affected leaf, B: apothecia of the fungus grown from the seed of a diseased fruit.
Distribution: Nurata mountain range (Nurata Nature Reserve), Northern Turkistan Mountain range (Zaamin National Nature Park).
4. Conclusions
The three fungi identified in Uzbekistan—Stemphylium vesicarium, Phoma punctulata, and Monilinia johnsonii—have distinct geographic distributions that extend beyond Uzbekistan. For instance, Stemphylium vesicarium is a known pathogen that affects a broad range of crops worldwide, including onions, tomatoes, and sunflowers. This species has been reported in various parts of the globe, especially in regions with agricultural significance. Phoma punctulata is a widely distributed species within the Phoma genus, which includes plant pathogens with a global presence, particularly affecting legumes like Colutea species. Similarly, Monilinia johnsonii, primarily affecting Crataegus species, has been reported in North America as well as in Central Asia, where it has been documented on hawthorn species. The findings from Uzbekistan are consistent with the broader patterns of these species being present in other regions. The geographic distribution of these fungi in Uzbekistan—specifically within the Nurata, Bobotog, and Northern Turkistan mountain ranges—aligns with the known global patterns, though the presence of these species in Uzbekistan appears to be a novel record. The mountainous regions of Uzbekistan, with widely distributed plant species such as Tulipa turkestanica, Colutea paulsenii, and Crataegus, create specific ecological niches for these pathogens. In other parts of the world, similar fungi have been observed infecting related plant species. However, this study highlights that these fungi have previously gone unrecorded in Uzbekistan, underscoring the country’s distinct mycological biodiversity and the importance of targeted mycological surveys in such ecologically rich areas.
The study underscores the critical need for long-term monitoring to track the spread of these newly identified pathogenic fungi. The introduction of these species into Uzbekistan’s mycobiota signals the potential for these fungi to pose risks to local plant health, particularly in regions where hawthorn species dominate. Monitoring will be essential for tracking the progression of diseases like Stemphylium leaf blight and Monilinia leaf damage, especially given their observed seasonal patterns—like the emergence of Monilinia johnsonii's apothecia in early spring. The study recommends a comprehensive understanding of these fungi’s life cycles to implement timely control measures. Future efforts should include regular surveys of key host plants, coordinated data collection on fungal spread, and the establishment of monitoring plots in the affected regions (e.g., the Nurata Nature Reserve and Zaamin National Nature Park).
In conclusion, the discovery of these fungi expands the knowledge of Uzbekistan’s fungal biodiversity and emphasizes the importance of long-term monitoring, particularly in mountainous regions that are critical to the health of both forest and agricultural ecosystems.
Acknowledgements
The authors sincerely thank the administration and staff of the Bobotog and Zaamin National Nature Reserves for their valuable assistance in conducting field research.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.