Isolation of Anagonistic Fungi Associated with the Lichens Distributed in Southern Parts of Korea

Lichen-forming (LFF) or lichenicolous fungi (LCF) were isolated from the lichens collected at‘Backwoon’mountain area,‘Chiri’mountain area and‘Sorok’island in the southern regions of Korea and were screened for antagonistic efficacy against several phyto-pathogenic fungi. Symbiotic algae-free LFF and LCF were isolated by the following methods: I) discharged spores (ascospores), II) macerated thallus suspension and III) direct use of thallus fragments. Among 58 isolates obtained from 34 lichens, 8 isolates showed antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani. Antifungal activities of the strongest antagonistic isolate (LB9810) originated from the thallus of Parmelia quercina lichen were evaluated against 15 phyto-pathogenic fungi. When crude methanol extract of mycelia of the LB8910 isolate was employed at the rate of 0.5% (v/w), fungal growth of Magnaporthe grisea and Rhizoctonia solani was severly and Rhizoctonia solani was severly inhibited as much as approximately 60% compared to control. Growth of various food-borne same extract. The extract was successively partitioned with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. n-Hexane fraction displayed the strongest antifungal activities against R. solani. The LB9810 isolate was finally identified as Fusarium equiseti (Corda) Sacc., which has not been reported as LFF or LCF yet. Therefore, it is very likely that F. equiseti isolated it the study was originated from the contaminants associated with thallus fragments rather than from LFF or LCF.