Japanese species of the Longibrachiatum Clade of Trichoderma

• The Longibrachiatum Clade of the genus Trichoderma in Japan was evaluated.
• Two new species and three new records were herewith reported.
• These species showed a wider geographic distribution including cool region.
• They showed the adaptation to a wide range of growth temperatures and habitats.
• These results will lead to further discovery of new Trichoderma species in Japan.

The Longibrachiatum Clade of the genus Trichoderma in Japan was examined, among which two new species and three new records are herewith reported. The new species, T. tsugarense and T. kunigamense were isolated from a bed log (cultivation of Lentinula edodes) and volcanic ash soil, respectively. These species are distinguished from closely related species by growth and morphological characteristics and in phylogenetic analysis. Additional species new to Japan were T. ghanense, T. parareesei and T. sinense. The significance of their distribution is discussed. Most species of the Longibrachiatum Clade are tropical rather than temperate in distribution. Their in vitro optimum growth tends to be >35 °C but the optimum temperature for some Japanese species was lower. Some species are endophytes of temperate plant species, some of which are endemic in Japan.