Chiang Mai Journal of Science

Current Insight into the Understanding of Fungal Diversity and Applications Based on Research in the Tropics

Special Issue Editors:
Dr. Nakarin Suwannarach (Diversity and taxonomy of microfungi)
Dr. Jaturong Kumla (Taxonomy and cultivation of mushrooms)
Dr. Sinang Hongsanan (Taxonomy and evolution of fungi)
Dr. Sirasit Srinuanpan (Microbial technology)

Type of Manscript:
Manuscript may be submitted in the form of 
- Review Articles
- Research Articles
(Must be clearly and concisely written in English)

      Fungi represents one of the world's eukaryotic kingdoms with estimated between 2.2 to 3.8 million species. Although about 120,000 species have already been described. During the last years, new fungal species have been described using morphological and molecular approaches, but the presence of cryptic species or species complexes has frequently led to overestimated geographic distributions of certain taxa. Tropics are considered the diversity hotspot for well-studied terrestrial organisms. However, knowledge regarding fungal diversity and distributions is still not well-studied. In the last century, tropical fungi have been recorded by mycologists, but identified only by their morphological characteristics. Of these, most have previously been found in temperate areas and there may have been mis-classification as tropical mycota are poorly understood.
     Fungi are very important for ecosystem as decomposer, symbiotic association and parasite. They also produce, bioactive compounds, enzymes, and other secondary metabolites with biotechnological importance for humans as industrial and commercial products. Some fungi can be used in environmentally friendly agriculture processes as a biocontrol and plant growth promoting agent. After two decades, fungi still and continue to be potential sources of various applications in agriculture, biotechnology, and medicine.
     The special issue welcomes outstanding contributions on taxonomy, diversity, ecology, evolution, biogeography, and applications of fungi in the tropics.

Keywords: Fungal application; Fungal diversity; Fungal taxonomy and systematics; Interactions of fungus with other organisms; Tropical fungi