Mycology Laboratory
Mycology Laboratory of OVR consists of a team of experts engaged in professional and research work on fungi and oomycetes in the field of integrated and organic plant protection.
We are appointed by the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food as Slovenian Official Laboratory for Fungi and Oomycetes.
In addition, we are partners in the consortium of the National Reference Laboratory for Fungi and Oomycetes (on crops, vegetables and fruit plants, oomycetes on all plants).
Figure 1: Culture of a fungus Acaromyces ingoldii isolated from persimmon fruit(Diospyros kaki) excreting red pigment into the medium.
Expert work of the Mycology laboratory:
• Diagnostic Services
We perform the detection and identification of phytopathogenic fungi and oomycetes (fungus-like organisms) using morphological and various molecular identification methods (barcode determination, specific PCR reactions, quantitative qPCR).
Our work is carried out in accordance with the standard SIST EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017, which defines the requirements for the competence of testing laboratories.
The Mycological Laboratory has accredited two methods for the detection and identification of Phytophthora ramorum, which causes phytophthora twig blight:
1. Isolation and morphological identification of Phytophthora ramorum according to the EPPO standard PM7/66(1), Phytophthora ramorum, EPPO Bulletin (2006) 36, 145-155 (MET-MIK-003).
2. Species identification of Phytophthora ramorum using PCR (MET-MIK-004), based on the standard of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures 27 (ISPM 27), Diagnostic Protocols 23: Phytophthora ramorum, ISPM 27 Diagnostic Protocols for Regulated Pests (2017), DP 23-1 – DP 23-24; chapter 3.6.3.1, modified method.
Figure 2. Sporangium (top) and chlamydospore (bottom) of the oomycete mold Phytophthora ramorum, which causes phytophthora twig blight.
Figure 3. Quince (Cydonia oblonga) with pronounced symptoms of infection by Gymnosporangium sp.
Figure 4. Apple showing symptoms of infection by the fungus Neofabraea vagabunda.
Figure 5. Characteristic spores of the fungus Alternaria cucumerina.
• Discovery of new fungal and fomycete secies in Slovenia and beyond.
Figure 6. Seedling damping-off caused by the oomycete Globisporangium (Pythium) mastophorum, which was confirmed in Slovenia among the first in Europe. Pathogenicity test on parsley (Petroselinum crispum) seedlings: left – infected plants, right – healthy plants.
Figure 7. Characteristic oospores with conical projections of the oomycete Globisporangium (Pythium) mastophorum from diseased parsley plants.
• Systematic Research on Fungal Diseases of Selected Agricultural Plants, such as persimmons, olive trees, sweet potatoes, asparagus, and hazelnuts.
Figure 8. Symptoms of persimmon leaf spot disease caused by the fungus Plurivorosphaerella nawae.
Figure 9. Sexual fruiting body of the powdery mildew Erysiphe corylacearum from hazelnut leaf tissue, first confirmed in Slovenia in 2020.
• Consultancy on preventive measures and control methods for managing fungal diseases in agricultural crops.
• Systematic monitoring of quarantine fungal species (Phyllosticta solitaria, Tilletia indica, and other species)
• Monitoring the occurrence of regulated non-quarantine phytopathogenic fungi and oomycetes (NRQP) on planting material and seeds
• Preparation and maintenance of a collection of reference materials and a working collection of fungal isolates.
Figure 10. Culture of the fungus Diaporthe amygdali from the working collection of fungal isolates at KIS.
• Implementation of various tools and methods for resistance management and studying the resistance of selected fungi (e.g., Botrytis cinerea, Zymoseptoria tritici) to fungicides, including determining effective concentrations and detecting mutations in harmful organism populations.
Research work of the mycology laboratory
Our research focuses on:
- the taxonomy, phylogeny and biology of agriculturally important fungi (both pathogenic and beneficial for plant growth or disease control),
- the use of fungi in biotic control,
- the development of methods for identifying and detecting selected fungal species, and
- early detection of fungal diseases in collaboration with other fileds in the Plant protection department.
Figure 12. Water sampling for testing the presence of Phytophthora genus oomycetes as part of the Euphresco project.
We participate in several research projects as project leaders or partners. The project contents with objectives are available here: https://www.kis.si/en/Projects/
Figure 13. Characteristic disease symptoms of ESCA on grapevine leaves.
In 2023, we initiated a new basic research project funded by the Public Agency for Research and Innovation of Slovenia, entitled " Novel biocontrol fungi for sustainable strawberry production" (J4-50140; October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2026) https://www.kis.si/Projekti_1/ARIS-J4-50140-jagode/.
Figure 14. Dual culture of fungi (three colonies at the edge of the medium) inhibiting the growth of gray mold Botrytis cinerea (in the center of the medium).
Micological laboratory team
Janja Zajc Žunič, PhD, research associate, head of the mycological laboratory; janja.zajc@kis.si
Hans-Josef Schroers, PhD, senior research fellow; hans-josef.schroers@kis.si
Urša Prislan, M.Sc, professional - research associate; ursa.prislan@kis.si
Klara Šavli, M.Sc, young researcher; klara.savli@kis.si
Aleksandra Podboj Ronta, professional associate; aleksandra.podbojronta@kis.si
Maruša Trobec, B.Sc, professional - research associate; marusa.trobec@kis.si