Surface fungal community diversity change and potential pathogens of Ginkgo biloba seed during cold storage

The final high-quality sequences of stored Ginkgo biloba seed (SS, 37,027) and harvest Ginkgo biloba seed (HS, 25,119) samples were obtained using Illumina sequencing technology. Among the 212 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected, SS and HS samples harbored 208 and 17 OTUs, respectively. The alpha and beta diversity analysis indicated that SS samples were more rich, diverse and abundant in fungal communities than HS samples. Diversity at the genus level showed that both samples had six shared genera including Penicillium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Debaryomyces, Fusarium, and Talaromyces, which had a higher relative abundance during cold preservation. SS samples were enriched with more diverse and relatively higher abundance of other fungal species (Saccharomyces, Auricularia, Wallemia, Thermomyces, and Torulaspora) compared with HS samples. The increased abundance of fungi belonging to Penicillium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Fusarium, and Mucor in SS samples indicates a high potential risk for seed mold and decay by these pathogens.