New records of Lignicolous fungi from Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat, India

Thirty species of lignicolous fungi belonging to Ascomycetes and Basidiomycete are reported from the Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat, India. The new species are Coriolus versicolor , Coriolopsis gallica, Daedalea quercina, F. resupinate, D. unicplor var. hydnoidea, Fomitopsis rosea, Hypodontia comptopsis and Lenzites betulina. F. varigatum is reported for the first time from India. All the species are new to studied area.


INTRODUCTION
Fungi are diverse group of heterotrophs, some of they cause diseases to plants, animals and human beings. They are responsible for decay of wood. These produce secondary metabolites that may be used for biotechnological purposes. Wood deteriorating fungi belonging to Aphyllophorales (Basidiomycetes) are economically important as many of them are pathogens of forest trees and cause serious damage. These wood-rotting fungi are also important in the forest ecosystem as active decomposers of organic matter (Natarajan and Kolandavelu 1998). Wood inhabiting Basidiomycetes can be a valuable resource for few pharmaceuticals, food production, and bioremediation of toxic chemical pills (Lamar et al 1994). Biopulping of paper and other industrial uses (Akhtar et al 1993). These fungi maintain the productivity and contribute to a clean environment. A sustainability of natural resource increased understanding of fungal diversity and natural history of fungi will contribute to the Knowledge of the local biota and will greatly strengthen initiatives to protect and use sustainably our natural resources (Rossman et al 1998).
According to available record, wood deteriorating fungi were first collected in Gujarat state in 1992 by S. D. Sabnis and later by Arya

1. Study area
Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary is an area of 55.65 Sq. Km consisting of dry deciduous forest. The total existing sanctuary area lies between the river panama and orsang. It's location is Panchmahals district, Limkheda taluka. Ratanmahal is 45 km from Baria. It is situated between 74º 37' to 70º 11' East longitude and between 22º 32' to 22º 35' North latitude. The flora of Ratanmahal forest is 543 species of plants, out of which 119 species are trees, 40 species are shrubs, 238 species are herbs, 48 species are grasses, 87 species are climbers, 2 species are partial parasites and 9 species are orchids. Amongst all tree species, Teak was found to have the maximum density and comprised 19.6 % of the total trees cover composition. The next dominant species is the Badaro, constituting 15.7 % of the total composition.
The climate is subtropical arid, which turns to humid during the monsoon, i e during July to October. Gradually it becomes exceedingly dry and cold during November to February followed by a long hot summer the hottest month being May and June. Mean annual temperature of the sanctuary is 25.3 ºC with a maximum of 44.9 ºC and minimum of 6.1 ºC. annual rain fall is about 980 mm and rain fall occurs between June and September.

Identification
A survey was undertaken in RWS and various areas in Vadodara city during June 2006 to February 2010 to find out various wood deteriorating fungi. Basidiomes were studied using macroscopic (eg: size, colour, number of pores/mm, length of tubes) and microscopic (presence/absence of structures, dimensions, vegetative and reproductive characters (Ryvarden 1991, Singer 1975).
Measurements were made from slide preparations. Fungi were stained with 1 % aqueous Pholoxine and 5 % KOH. Specimens were identified to species using specialized references and CBS Aphyllophorales database. Certain specimens were sent to The Royal Botanical Garden Kew U. K. for final confirmation. These fungi are kept in fungal collection of Botany Department of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat, India.  (Singh jagjit 1994). Fomitopsis pinicola is one the most damaging decay fungi in old-growth forests. It is a less serious problem in second-growth stands but infected dead trees are subjected to wind throw and top breakage making them high-risk hazard trees (Etheridge 1973).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
F. rosea causes brown top rot of conifers forming a tan to reddish-brown, soft cubical rot on both living and dead wood. Infection usually originates in the upper part of the stem or crown. ( Pegler and Waterston 1968). Hypoxylon rubiginosum causes a traumatic disease in Hevea and also associated with the decay of hard wood timber. Cankers occur on Catappa bignonioides following injury. It is mild pathogen on most hosts (Hawksworth 1972).

1. A checklist of the wood deteriorating fungi form RSW Gujarat, India
In the following list those species that are new records to the state are marked with an asterix (*). New records to India are indicated in bold type.

CONCLUSIONS
Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary has rich biodiversity in Gujarat. From this sanctuary so many fungal samples were collected and identified as new to that area for the first time. The lignicolous fungi like Hypodontia comtopsis, Daedalea unicolor var. hydnoidea, Daedalea quericina F. resupinata, Lenzites betulina F. variegate, and Fomitopsis rosea are new report to India. For the first time lignicolous Ascomycetes members were studied.