Isolation and evaluation of terrestrial fungi with algicidal ability from Zijin Mountain, Nanjing, China

Approximately 60 fungal isolates from Zijin Mountain (Nanjing, China) were screened to determine their algicidal ability. The results show that 8 fungi belonging to Ascomycota and 5 belonging to Basidiomycota have algicidal ability. Of these fungi, Irpex lacteus T2b, Trametes hirsuta T24, Trametes versicolor F21a, and Bjerkandera adusta T1 showed strong algicidal ability. The order of fungal chlorophyll-a removal efficiency was as follows: T. versicolor F21a > I. lacteus T2b > B. adusta T1 > T. hirsuta T24. In particular, T. versicolor F21a completely removed algal cells within 30 h, showing the strongest algicidal ability. The results also show that all 4 fungal species degraded algal cells through direct attack. In addition, most of the tested fungi from the order Polyporales of Basidiomycota exhibited strong algicidal activity, suggesting that most fungi that belong to this order have algicidal ability. The findings of this work could direct the search for terrestrial fungi for bloom control.