In this study, we have investigated the effects of three lipopeptides (fengycin, surfactin and mycosubtilin) produced by different strains of Bacillus subtilis against the phytopathogenic fungi Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. iridacearum, which affects the ornamental bulb plant populations of Iris sp. The antifungal effects were tested using minimum inhibitory concentration assay, determination of mycelium growth and spore germination inhibition rates. Also, in vivo tests on infected rhizomes and scanning electron microscopy were employed. Mycosubtilin alone and in combination with fengycin or/and surfactin showed potent inhibitory activity at concentrations as low as 5 μg ml which is 100 times lower compared to Topsin M, a common chemical fungicide frequently used against fusariosis in ornamental plants. An enhancement of mycosubtilin antifungal activity was observed when it was used in combination with surfactin due to a synergistic effect. At a concentration of 20 μg ml, mycosubtilin inhibited the growth of the mycelium up to 49% and the spore germination ability up to 26% in comparison to control. In addition, significant changes on the macro- and micro-morphology have been observed. The antifungal activity is related to the inhibition of spore germination and the irreversible damage of the hyphae cell wall. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to propose the lipopeptides as biopesticides against the fusariosis of ornamental plants.

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Lignicolous fungi plays are a vital part of forest ecosystems in Europe. They are involved in Carbon cycle, through decay processes of woody debris. Very fine woody debris (VFWD) forms an important component of this dead wood, being found in any forest in the World. Among European and Romanian forests, Fagus spp. dominating forests are the most important broadleaved ecosystems, of great biotic and abiotic complexity. The present distribution of lignicolous fungi is mainly linked to trees distribution. In the context of climate change, European beech forests will also shift in distribution, structure and composition, triggering changes in lignicolous fungal communities and diversity as well. Considering this background, VFWD lignicolous diversity might be a future beech forests climate change indicator. This will bring the necessity of assessing the main climatic factors that are influencing the lignicolous fungal diversity distribution across European beech forests in Romanian's NorthEast Region. In the present study, our findings confirms the fact that macroclimate have a great influence on lignicolous mycodiversity in beech forests. It seems that minimum temperature and Gams Continentality Index explains approximately 48% of the mycodiversity variation. While dropping minimum temperatures and increasing Gams CI values, the lignicolous fungal richness will rise. While minimum temperature of January might be linked to a complex ecological and phonological framework, Gams CI is a known ecological indicator for optimum habitat of beech forests, which in turn influence lignicolous diversity distribution. Those climatic variables might characterize the relation between plants-fungi-climate in the near future, as increasing atmospheric temperatures will manifest at different scales. Thereafter, VFWD mycodiversity might function as a valuable macroclimatic changing indicator.

In order to increase the biological activity, some novel molecules, esters, hydrazides, hydrazones of N-(2-bromo-phenyl)-2-hydroxy-benzamide, were obtained in good yields (86-93%), working at 150 �C, 500 W, 7-11 min, under microwave irradiation. All synthesized compounds were characterized using modern physico-chemical methods (FTIR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and elemental analysis). Eight dilutions in dimethyl sulfoxide of these derivatives were tested against two phyto-pathogenic fungi, Fusarium oxysporum, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and one common yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The antifungal activity was assessed using disc diffusion method, both negative, pure DMSO, and positive control, nystatin, were used. S. cerevisiae was slightly more sensitive than filamentous fungi, the strongest inhibition, MIC=0.3125g/L, was observed for N-(2-bromo-phenyl)-2-hydroxy-benzamide and N-(2-bromo-phenyl)-2-(4-dimethylamino-benzylidene-hydrazinocarbonylmethoxy)-benzamide. The most active compounds against F. oxysporum and S. sclerotiorum were N-(2-bromo-phenyl)-2-hydroxy-benzamide (MIC= 0.625g/L), N-(2-bromo-phenyl)-2-hydrazinocarbonylmethoxy-benzamide (MIC=1.25g/L) and N-(2-bromo-phenyl)-2-(4-dimethylamino-benzylidene-hydrazinocarbonyl-methoxy)-benzamide (MIC=0.625g/L), N-(2-bromo-phenyl)-2-hydrazinocarbonyl-methoxy-benzamide (MIC=1.25g/L), respectively.

Eight species of macromycetes which grow in phytocoenosis from "Călimani National Park" (Eastern Carpathians, Romania) have been analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Among the analysed species, five species are being considered edible (Clitopilus prunulus, Pleurotus eryngii, Macrolepiota rhacodes, Lacaria laccata and Suillus luteus) and three species are being considered toxic (Lyophyllum connatum, Paxillus involutus şi Gyromitra infula). The results of first derivatives of the spectra "finger print" domain have been statistically processed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. The use of these methods permitted the grouping of studied macromycetes species in two categories toxic.

Plastic waste inefficiently recycled poses a major environmental concern attracting attention from both civil society and decision makers. Counteracting the phenomenon is an important challenge today. New possibilities are being explored to find alternatives to plastics, and one of them refers to mycelium-composite materials (MCM). Our study aimed at investigating the possibility of using wood and litter inhabiting basidiomycetes, an underexplored group of fungi that grow fast and create strong mycelial mats, to produce biodegradable materials with valuable properties, using cheap by-products as a substrate for growth. Seventy-five strains have been tested for their ability to grow on low-nutrient media and to form compact mycelial mats. Eight strains were selected further for evaluation on several raw substrates for producing in vitro myco-composites. The physico-mechanical properties of these materials, such as firmness, elasticity and impermeability, were analyzed. Abortiporus biennis RECOSOL73 was selected to obtain, at the laboratory scale, a real biodegradable product. Our results suggest that the strain used is a promising candidate with real possibilities for scalability. Finally, corroborating our results with scientific available data, discussions are being made over the feasibility of such technology, cost-effectiveness, scalability, availability of raw materials and, not least, where future studies should be directed to.

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Abstract. Lignicolous macrofungi are the most important group of wood decomposers. Among the enzymes involved in wood decomposition, ligninases play an important role in this process and species that produce those enzymes degrade both cellulose and lignin. In this study we hypothesized that ligninases are influencing the ecological success of lignicolous macrofungi. Three hypotheses have been tested: h1 -the species producing several types of ligninases have a broader spectrum of hosts / substrates; h2 -the obligate saprotrophic species have a greater potential in degrading lignin and related compounds than the other groups; and h3 -the frequencies of lignicolous species is related to the production of highly active enzymes. Scientific data compiled from literature and completed with our own experimental results have been statistically interpreted using XLStat and MaxLite Software. Our results confirm the first two hypotheses, proving that ligninases play a direct role in colonizing a wide range of wood types, with chemical particularities. The third hypothesis should be rejected as no correlation has been observed. The present study offers new insights into ecological meanings of ligninases, and is the first attempt to connect the ligninolytic enzyme system to host range.