Three New Soil-inhabiting Species of Trichoderma in the Stromaticum Clade with Test of Their Antagonism to Pathogens

Trichoderma is a dominant component of the soil mycoflora. During the field investigations of northern, central, and southwestern China, three new species in the Stromaticum clade were encountered from soil, and named as T. hebeiense, T. sichuanense, and T. verticillatum. Their phylogenetic positions were determined by analyses of the combined two genes: partial sequences of translation elongation factor 1-alpha and the second largest RNA polymerase subunit-encoding genes. Distinctions between the new species and their close relatives were discussed. Trichoderma hebeiense appeared as a separate terminal branch. The species is distinctive by its oblong conidia and aggregated pustules in culture. Trichoderma sichuanense features in concentric colony and produces numerous clean exudates on aerial mycelium in culture. Trichoderma verticillatum is characterized by its verticillium-like synanamorph and production of abundant chlamydospores. In vitro antagonism towards the new species was tested by dual culture technique.