Abstract: In this study, high-throughput sequencing combined with mathematical statistical software analysis was used to systematically investigate the structure and characteristics of fungal flora in environmental samples from different fermentation rounds of Maotai-flavor liquor in Maotai town. A total of 4 fungal phyla and 212 fungal genera were detected in seven fermentation rounds. According to their relative abundance, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the dominant phyla in each round, and Wallemia and Saccharomycopsis were the absolute dominant fungal genera. The fungal compositions in the seven rounds were highly similar to each other, but there were fungal genera characteristic of each round. A total of 56 fungal genera were found to be common to the seven rounds, which were dominant in each round; the number of fungal genera characteristic of each round was great, but their relative abundance was small. The strongest node of Ascomycota was Debaryomyces and the strongest node of Basidiomycota was Rhodotorula. The results of this study can lay a scientific foundation for further studies on the mechanism behind the brewing of Maotai-flavor liquor and on microorganisms in the brewing environment.

Key words: Maotai-flavor liquor; high-throughput sequencing; brewing environment; core fungal community; microflora structure