 Message
from the President
Cape Town Congress
It’s almost Congress time in Cape Town and the excitement
is building for what will be a tremendous event. There’s
still time for late registrations so if you haven’t
booked yet, do yourself a favour and register today. Just
go to the Congress website: http://www.isms2008.co.za/ where
you can register online or contact someone to help you undertake
the task. You won’t be disappointed with your effort
to make it to South Africa - there’s a great program
in place and the hospitality will be exceptional.
Global Initiative
Everyone should have received a copy of the first edition
of the Mushrooms and Health Global Initiative Bulletin –
please send me an email if you haven’t and we’ll
make sure you get on the email list. Feedback from around
the world has been very positive. Click
here to download the latest issue.
I’m continually amazed almost daily about the new
health related properties being reported by scientists somewhere
around the world. We as an industry need to make sure our
market is finding out about it too. I urge the mushroom
industry in every country to develop a public relations
capacity for their market. A PR capability is important
if the benefits of the Mushrooms & Health Global Initiative
and all the good work by scientists and the significant
investment in science are to be captured.
Administration
The 2007 Annual Summary appears elsewhere in the newsletter,
as does the 2008 Operational Overview. If anyone has any
questions about anything in either report just send me an
email.
The Society’s Executive Committee and also its Council
will meet in Cape Town just prior to the Congress. If there
are any issues you would like on the agenda at either of
those meetings please put it in writing with a brief background
note and send it to me as soon as possible.
I hope to say G’day to as many of you as possible
in Cape Town. See you there!
Greg Seymour
President
Return to top...
Excitement is
building for ISMS 2008.
Global excitement is building in anticipation
of the upcoming International Society for Mushroom Science’s
congress that is being held on the 20 – 24 May 2008
in Cape Town, South Africa. Topterra
besides being one of the major sponsors of the congress,
has assisted the local organizing committee, South African
Mushroom Farmers Association (SAMFA), in the marketing of
the event to mushroom growers in Europe. Topterra, a major
supplier of mushroom casing into Europe, Australia and South
Africa has placed the congress logo on the side of their
trucks which cover great distances throughout Europe delivering
to mushroom farms.
Mr Ross Richardson, the Chairperson of SAMFA says; “We
are extremely grateful to major sponsors of the event such
as Sylvan, Topterra, and the Christiaens Group for their
support. Sylvan’s sponsorship of the registration
process has given a poor community an opportunity to make
the congress bags. Most of the surprise features of these
bags have been made entirely by hand and have taken over
a year to make. This has provided work for this village
and assisted in poverty alleviation. Sylvan has been supporting
the South African mushroom industry since it opened a modern
spawn plant in 1999 supplying nearly 100% of the South African
spawn requirements.”
It seems that the rate of registrations are picking up and
there is much interest from all parts of the world. Delegates
from over 42 countries have registered and are making final
accommodation arrangements.
Dr Martmari van Greuning who is the Chairperson of the Academic
sub committee says, “Our programme is jammed packed
with a variety of interesting, topical and cutting edge
talks. We have also planned an extensive grower’s
programme where industry experts will be putting science
into practical application in a language that everyone can
understand. I can certainly guarantee that there will be
something for everyone and a couple of things to learn about
that you would never have expected.”
Topical keynote speakers have been arranged which include
Peter Romaine, Lise Korsten, Han Wosten, Juluri Rao, Mary-Jo
Feeney and Liangcheng Chen. The growers programme is slated
to include industry renowned speakers not limited to Jan
Gielen on climate, Bart Driessen on compost and Eric Vernooij
on casing. Entertainment throughout the congress is being
provided in the true colorful South African style. The gala
dinner is based on the Cape Malay culture which celebrates
life at bright colorful street parties. Delicious delicacies
which have been passed down from generation to generation
form the center of this fun evening’s entertainment.
This 17th Congress is also boasting a couple of firsts that
SAMFA has arranged. Mr Rod Cairns, a member of the organising
committee says that, “This is the first ISMS congress
that has used the internet as a tool for the submission
of papers. The scientific committee has been made up of
scientists from around the world who have sat in a virtual
forum to evaluate and categorise submissions. We will also
be publishing the papers on a CD which has many advantages
compared to the traditional book format. These benefits
include using search functions that can search through all
the papers extremely fast; it also saves paper, weight and
space.”
Visit www.isms2008.co.za
to register, book accommodation and for all the information
that you need on attending this event. Please remember that
special discounts have been negotiated for air travelers
making use of South African Airways, the national carrier
of South Africa. Information on obtaining this discount
is available on the website.
South Africa is a diverse, energetic and vibrant country
and well worth a visit. The landscape of the country is
ever-changing and has many unique places to visit. If time
allows it is recommended to plan a visit to some of these
interesting places. Making use of the appointed tour operators,
whose details are on the website, will afford the delegate
a truly remarkable experience.
Mr Richardson concludes, “We are ready to welcome
our international colleagues, scientists, and friends. Register
if you have not done so yet, pack your bags if you have
registered and start looking forward to a wonderful ISMS
2008 congress in May.”
Return to top...
Leading US Mushroom Scientist Honoured by China.
Dr. Mark Wach, a leading fungal scientist
in the United States, has received the highest honour China
awards to foreign experts for helping advance the development
of Chinese society, economy, technology, science and education.
Dr Wach, Director of Research for Sylvan Inc., received
the 2007 China’s Friendship Award, one of only 50
foreigners working in China to be so honoured. The award
is akin to the Freedom Medals awarded by the United States
to citizens of merit.
It was Dr Wach’s second honor bestowed by the Chinese.
In 2006, he was awarded a similar medal by the Province
of Fujian, where a vast majority of China’s mushrooms
are grown, for his contributions to improving mushroom production.
Dr Wach, a San Francisco native, earned his undergraduate
degree at the University of California and his master’s
doctorate in diseases of cultivated mushrooms from the Pennsylvania
State University. He joined Sylvan in 1995 after two decades
in the industry, including work for Sylvan's chief competitor,
Monterey Mushrooms of California.
Dr Wach’s employer, Sylvan Inc., is the largest producer
of mushroom spawn in the world. Sylvan has 10 production
facilities worldwide and maintains state of the art research
and development facilities in the US and abroad.
Dr Wach and Sylvan engaged China in 1995, first in concert
with a government research center in Fujian Province, the
main mushroom growing area in China, that was seeking to
reach out to the west.
“The Chinese consume an enormous amount of mushrooms
and export significant quantities to Europe and the Americas.
As the domestic fresh market grew, the goal of the Fujian
group was to create relationships with experts in the west
who could contribute to their knowledge of mushroom propagation
and help them modernize their operations,” Dr
Wach said.
Dr Wach also has developed academic relationships with universities,
regularly takes part in scientific meetings and meets with
and works with graduate students.
While Sylvan has yet to generate a large commercial presence
in China, Dr Wach believes the company will play a significant
role in mushroom farming in the near future.
Return to top...
Students win a school competition
on a mushroom project.
The foundation IMAGEN organizes in the
Netherlands each year a competition between high schools.
The aim is to connect research, education and developing
countries. In this competition, students and researchers
are challenged to translate a western technology on life
science and technology into a project that serves the needs
of a developing country. The choice of country is up to
the students. The students are asked to write a business
plan in which they have to describe the techniques, the
set up of a project and also to give a description of the
country involved. The scientists that proposed the subject
can be consulted by the students. This year 4 project proposals
were selected from subjects provided by scientists. Twenty
four groups of students participated in the competition.
Last April the final took place between
4 remaining groups. On this day the students were asked
to present their project in a presentation that included
also a promotional film. The winners of this year were a
group of students that presented a business plan on the
production of mushrooms in a developing country as a way
to provide protein in a simple and sustainable way. The
jury praised their creativity and enthusiasm. To fight malnutrition
in Ghana, the students designed a cycle where oyster mushrooms
were produced on wasted materials, then preserved in oil
and goats were involved in the further recycling
on waste products. The students and scientists involved
were handed over a symbolic flight ticket to Ghana to see
how a project could be set up. If the projects can be realized,
it will be financially supported by the IMAGEN Foundation.
More information on the project can be found on the website:
http://www.enidado.sgwp.nl/
The competition is also open for other countries. Would
you like to know how to enter the competition? Please read
the invitation http://files.foundation-imagine.org/wedstrijd20072008/invitationscientists.doc
or see the website: http://foundation-imagine.org/groups/editors/english/competition/wetenschappers_en.)
 |
|
The winning students: Marieke
van Dijk, Nico Hulsebos, Nynke Vermeulen en Sandra
Ronde (Winkler Prins College, Veendam). |
The scientists involved: Anton
Sonnenberg and Johan Baars of the Wageningen University
and Research Centre. Left the Dutch TV presenter Jan
Douwe Kroeske |
Return to top...
Book Review - Mushroom Pest
and Disease Control, JT Fletcher and RH Gaze by Johan Baars,
Plant Research International, Wageningen University and
Research Centre, the Netherlands
The most recent standard book on pests,
disease and other deviations from an ideal mushroom crop
dates from 1985-1988. That is more than 20 years ago. A
number of things on pests and diseases have changed in the
mean time.
Diseases such as MVX and Trichoderma aggressivum where not
or hardly known 20 years ago. The initiative of John Fletcher
and Richard Gaze to update the knowledge on pests and diseases
is thus more than welcome. The authors have published now
an extended review on the subject. In almost 190 pages with
nine chapters all aspects of crop protection are covered.
The first chapter describes, more or less as an introduction,
the cultivation, cultivation systems and types of mushroom-production
buildings. Typical for the broad approach the authors have
taken for this book, is chapter 2 that gives an overview
of many factors that can have a negative influence on the
crop. Not only pests and diseases are described but also
attention is paid to abnormalities that are not associated
with pathogens (stroma, mass pin setting, clusters, roze
comb and wheeping mushrooms).
Chapter 3 describes integrated pest management. All factors,
when applied concurrently, that contribute to prevent pests
and diseases are discussed. Especially useful is a list
of critical control point in all stages of compost production
and cultivation.
The subsequent chapters go more deeply into the different
types of pathogens: fungi (chapters 4 and 7), viruses (chapter
5) and bacteria (chapter 6). These chapters pay attention
to symptoms, how diseases develop and ways to fight diseases
(and on lucky occasions to eliminate diseases). The description
of each disease is accompanied by a list of practical recommendations
related to the most important risk factors. In a scientific
perspective, all information given is up to date.
The variety of pests that can afflict a mushroom crop are
described in chapter 8. All types of fauna are itemized
accompanied with a list of action points, useful for a grower
to reduce the damage.
The appendices are also useful. Appendix 1 compares the
crop protection chemicals permitted in Europe, Australia,
South Africa, the USA and Canada. This comparison reveals
the large differences in numbers of chemicals that are permitted
in different parts of the World. In Germany, for example,
only one chemical is permitted, i.e. Dimilin (diflubenzon),
whereas in Spain the list is as long as 14 chemicals. So
far for harmonizing European legislation. The list for the
Netherlands needs an update due to the rapid recent developments
on this issue. Benomyl, carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl
are on the list now.
It is expected that in the Netherlands no chemicals will
be available in the very near future. This underlines the
need for an integrated approach for diseases and the Fletcher/Gaze
publication certainly is a good tool to come to such an
approach. This book will have a prominent place on my book
shelf.
Return to top...
1st Announcement - 2nd
African Conference on Edible & Medicinal Mushrooms
You are invited to the 2nd African Conference on Edible
Medicinal Mushrooms, November 17 - 21, Novotel Hotel, Accra
City Center Accra, Ghana
Who should attend:
- Mycologists, mycology students & Mushroom enthusiasts
- Microbiologists, Doctors & Healers
- Policy makers & Govt. ministries
- NGOs & Rural development agencies
- Ecologists, Bioremediators, biotechnologists &
Environmental experts
- Mushroom farmers and marketers
- Agribusiness specialists
Topics to be covered:
1. Ethnomycology
2. Mushroom cultivation
3. Medicinal properties and pharmacology of active compounds
4. Mushroom supplements ( nutriceuticals)
5. Fungal physiology, biochemistry and genetics
6. Mycoremediation (Fungi mediated bioremediation)
7. Biodegradation & bioconversion of agricultural wastes
Click here to download
the brochure for more information.
Return to top...
ISMS 2007 Annual Report
Welcome to the Society’s 2007 Annual
Report. The Executive Committee (Exco) comprised of: Secretary,
Martmari van Greuning; Treasurer, Anton Sonnenberg, Vice
President, Mr Gu Erxiong (Mr Li Shuping); and Immediate
Past President, Mark Wach met twice during the year.
2007 was another solid year for the Society with just about
everything running according to plan. Corporate membership
increased once again and we welcome Spain, Italy and Denmark
into the fold. The general operations and management of
the organization worked smoothly.
The Society is in a sound financial position. Costs have
been well controlled and expenditure contained to the core
objectives of ISMS in an effective and efficient manner.
Income was € 22,000 with costs of € 11,000. The
€11,000 operating profit was mostly due to an unspent
allocation of funds for the development of our new ISMS
website. The money will be carried forward to the 2008 financial
year.
Scholarship sponsorship of conferences continued during
the year and international co-operation occurred on several
research projects. Digitising of the ISMS library is underway
but unfortunately as mentioned above, completion of our
new website has been delayed due to unexpected and difficult
circumstances for our friends at MushWorld.
Some minor changes to the constitution were approved by
the ISMS Council in October to enable simpler running of
the Society. The organization’s financial position
is such that we are well placed to invest in value-added
services for our members over the coming years.
A big vote of thanks goes to Dr Krystian Szudyga who has
agreed to take on the role of editor of Mushrooms International.
This is a important job so I trust you will help Krystian
by sending him interesting material to include in our newsletter,
The organization of the 2008 Congress in Cape Town South
Africa is progressing smoothly and will be a not-to-be-missed
event. Book early to avoid any disappointment.
On behalf of members, and especially from me, a big thanks
to the other members of our Executive Committee for their
outstanding efforts in helping to run ISMS during another
busy year. The contribution of their valuable personal time,
intellect and experience to our organization, is greatly
appreciated. I would also like to place on record the Society’s
appreciation to their respective employers for the support
they have provided Exco throughout the year.
Greg Seymour
President
January 2008
Return to top...
2008 ISMS Operating Plan
Income - € 24,000
Membership Fees – Budget € 24,000
ISMS derives its income from its annual membership fees.
A breakdown of the 2008 budgeted income for each membership
category is shown in Table 1.
Corporate membership fees will make up the major source
of income. Gaining additional corporate members and expanding
Associate member numbers will be a part of our 2008 membership
initiatives.
Table 1: 2007 Budgeted Income by Membership Category
Other Sources of Income - Nil
No other sources of income have been budgeted for in 2008.
A new initiative is to introduce advertising to the ISMS
Newsletter, Mushrooms International, will beginning mid
year. While the planned revenue will be helpful, it is unlikely
to become a significant contributor to the Society’s
income.
Expenditure - € 30, 000
Table 2: 2008 Budgeted Expenditure by Item
Newsletter – Budget €
9,000
Newsletter costs have been reduced since 2005 due to electronic
formatting and delivery, reduced printing and postage costs.
2008 budgeted costs reflect a sustainable cost for the production
and distribution of Mushrooms International under new editor
Krystian Szudyga.
Website – Budget € 8,000
The MushWorld circumstances will delay the completion of
the project but €7000 has been allocated to scan the
archive material immediately for uploading on the website
when Ivy can return to the task. Some of this allocation
has been carried through for the previous financial year.
Working Groups – Budget Nil
There are currently no working groups active so no budget
has been allocated.
Exco Meetings – Budget € 2,000
€ 2000 has been allocated to pay for meeting expenses
(venue, catering etc) associated with an Exco, Council,
and General Assembly meetings at Cape Town and the teleconferences
(Jan and October) to be held during the year.
Affiliations – Budget € 500
€ 35 has been allocated to pay for ISMS membership
of the International Mycological Society and € 150
has been allocated to maintain membership of the Dutch Chamber
of Commerce to facilitate the ISMS corporate registration
in the Netherlands. Other affiliations may be required so
an allocation has been made.
Scholarships – Budget € 10 000
€ 10, 000 has been allocated to provide support for
students to attend conferences related to mushroom science.
A special allocation to support the ISMS Congress in Cape
Town has been made.
Admin Fees – Budget € 500
ISMS is attempting to reduce admin costs by implementing
electronic communication with members and electronic financial
transactions. Members are being encouraged to pay their
membership fees by electronic deposit in Euros rather than
by cheque in a foreign currency. Credit card facilities
have been made available via AMGA for ISMS payments but
fees are still substantial.
General Comment
A $6000 deficit has been factored in to account for increased
costs in newsletter, website and conference sponsorships
in a Congress year. The newsletter and website budgets were
underspent in 2006 so some funds are being utilized in the
2008 financial year.Greg Seymour
President
January 2008
Return to top... |
