Smut fungi: a compendium of their diversity and distribution in India

A compendium of Indian smut fungi with respect to their diversity and distribution is provided in this paper. After compiling all the information available in online and offline resources, it was revealed that Indian smut fungi comprise 18 genera and 159 species belonging to five families. About 189 host plant species belonging to eight families are reportedly infected by smut fungi, Poaceae being the most infected. Similarly, Ustilago was reported with highest number of species (48) from India that accounts for 30.38 % of total number of species. Ustilago was followed by Sporisorium and Anthracocystis. Other genera recorded from India are Ahmadiago, Bambusiomyces, Cintractia, Clinoconidium, Eriocaulago, Farysia, Franzpetrakia, Macalpinomyces, Melanopsichium, Melanotaenium, Moesziomyces, Pericladium, Stollia, Tolyposporium and Tranzscheliella. Inaccessibility of literature on online platforms and ceased publications of many journals are the reasons for the dispersed literature of Indian smut fungi. This causes difficulties to researchers, especially young and emerging mycologists working on, or starting taxonomic work on smut fungi. The present paper provides a complete account of diversity and distribution of Indian smut fungi in a single-source document, for the benefit of national and international students and plant pathologists working on smut fungi.