A brief Report on COEIC-2017 held at Centre of Excellence
in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand, during
11-13 Jan 2017.........
Prologue:
International Conference, ‘Towards a
Natural Classification & Industrial Utilization of Fungi (COEIC-2017)’,
held during 11-13 Jan 2017 at the Centre of Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang
University, Chiang Rai, Thailand, was conceptualised by Dr Kevin D. Hyde,
Director of Centre of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University,
Chiang Rai, Thailand, and his research students to mark 80 years of
distinguished living and service of the world renowned marine mycologist, Prof
E B Gareth Jones under whose guidance Prof. Hyde and a host of students were graduated
with doctoral degrees on varied mycological subjects, viz. taxonomy, biology,
ecology and utilization of fungi...
A day-before:
Invited guests and registered delegates
from Thailand and overseas arrived a day before and a few of them even before
that.... I was invited as one of the keynote speakers at the Conference and
reached MFLU on 10 Jan 2017. The delegates
and invited speakers were accommodated in various guest houses in the picturesque
Mae Fah Luang University campus which is popularly called ‘A University in a
Park’! Undoubtedly, Mae Fah Luang University located about 15 km away from the
city of Chiang Rai on the Chiang Rai-Mae Sai highway, is a magnificent campus.
The main building-complex is very imposing and taking a picture with the
buildings in the background will be anybody’s dream-come-true wish...
Within the University campus, I was
put up at ‘Wanasom Resort & Spa’, with an overview of a serene lake, is a wonderful
place to stay in Chaing Rai......!
Day-1(11/01/2017)
Inauguration:
Dr Kevin D. Hyde, chief organiser of
the programme welcomed the guests and delegates. In his opening remarks, he narrated
the reason for holding the event and traced in detail the family and academic
life of Prof E.B. Gareth Jones whose 80th birthday celebration was
part of the programme. A documentary on
Prof Gareth’s life prepared by his students was presented during the inaugural
session. Dr Hyde added that another renowned mycologist Dr Eric McKenzie,
Landcare Labs, New Zealand, closely associated with the Centre of Excellence in
Fungal Research, also completed 70 years of distinguished service and living. A
number of students graduated under the guidance of Prof Gareth Jones during his
long service in Portsmouth Polytechnic, UK, and in Thailand had attended the
Conference.
The President of Mae Fah Luang
University, Dr Vanchai Sirichama, in his inaugural address elaborated on the
academic and research activities and highlighted the major achievements of the
University in the short span of 18 years of its existence and specially lauded the
efforts made by the Director, staff and students of Centre of Excellence in
Fungal Research by contributing high quality research publications since
inception and declared the conference open.
Session I: Marine and Freshwater Fungi:
In his Keynote Address, taxonomy and
diversity of wood-degrading marine fungi, Prof E.B. Gareth Jones, formerly
Professor in Portsmouth Polytechnic, UK, reviewed the growth of marine mycology
in general and his personal contributions towards the understanding of
taxonomy, biology, ecology and utilization of marine mycota. Prof Gareth was
felicitated at the hands of Dr Eric McKenzie who chaired the first session.
Five papers, presented during the session, dealt in detail on diversity of
marine, freshwater, mangrove and manglicolous fungi in sea waters and fungal diversity
and sec metabolites of deep-sea sediment fungi in the s-e-Asian region. Some of
the papers presented on the subject by young scholars were rich in their
contents and truly excellent.....
Session II: Plant Pathology:
Dr Joanne E. Taylor of Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, in her keynote
address dealt at length on ‘The tree microbiome as part of the extended
phenotypes’. Papers on ecological speciation of phytopathogenic fungi, fungal
plant-biocontrol agents, Botryospheariaceae, genetic diversity of Fusarium oxysporum cubense, Tar-spot
diseases and fruit-crop diseases caused by fungi were presented by different
speakers in this session.
The day was concluded with a grand welcome
diner hosted by the Organisers of the Conference.
Day 2 (12/01/2017)
Session 3: Phylogeny
and Evolution of Fungi:
Chaired by Prof Gareth Jones and Dr Sarenyphath
Boonmee, the session commenced with two keynote addresses entitled (i) ‘Establishing
new fungal species: ramifications and recommendations’ by Dr Rajesh Jeeewon of
University of Mauritius, followed by (ii) ‘OFF, ON – did something change? One
fungus-One name and its effect on Basidiomycetous fungi’ by Dr Eric McKenzie, Formerly,
Landcare Research, New Zealand. Four excellent oral papers were presented on
different aspects of fungal phylogeny and taxonomy by young mycologists of the
region in this session.
Session 4, Fungal Systematics
Chaired by Drs Puttarack Chomnunti
and Ratchadwan Cheewangkoon, the afternoon session began with a keynote address
entitled ‘Conidiogenesis in Ascomycota: A perusal from current taxonomic
perspective’ by Prof. D. Jayarama Bhat, Formerly, Department of Botany, Goa
University, India, followed by 5 oral presentations on subjects such as
bamboolicolous fungi, systematics of Diaporthales, Chaetothyriales and
Sydowiellaceae.
The day ended with a surprise but
wonderfully organised, grand 80th
birthday celebration of Prof E.B. Gareth Jones in whose recognition this
Conference was conducted. I took the opportunity to greet Prof Gareth on his 80th
birthday, with a traditional shawl, from India. The event with several cultural
programmes by research students went on well with plenty to eat and cherish...
Session 5: Ecological and economic roles of fungi across the SE Asian region:
Drs Samantha Chandrakanth Karunaratna
and Peter Motimer chaired the session.
Dr Peter Mortimer of Kunming Institute of Botany, China, delivered the keynote
address entitled ‘Landscape scale distribution models and diversity of
mushrooms in SE Asian forests’. In all, 7 papers were presented on different
aspects of mushroom biology and economics. Mushrooms being a popular culinary
and medicinal subject of the region, topics of these papers became the focal
theme of enthusiastic discussions during the whole day.
Session 6: Fungal Biotechnology
Chaired by Dr Nattawat Booneyen and
Ms Benjarong Thongbai the session, Prof. Marc Stadler, Mikrobielle Wirkstoffe,
Germany, delivered the keynote address entitled ‘Phylogeny and functional
biodiversity of Xylariaceae’. Four papers were presented in the session on
various aspects of fungal biotechnology and economics.
Session 7: Ranking and Evolution
Chaired by Dr. Sinag Hongsanan and
Prof Marc Stadler, of Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand, the session witnessed
presentation of four papers on fungal ranking and evolution. It was interesting
to note that the scholars were able to trace the evolutionary lineages of fungi
based on molecular evidences and statistical analyses.
Poster-paper presentation
During the Conference, 25 excellent
poster papers, on varied aspects of fungal taxonomy, molecular biology,
utilization and bioeconomics, were displayed and explained by young scholars of
the s-e-Asian region.
End of day 3, the conference was
declared closed by Prof. Kevin D. Hyde.
Epilogue:
Undoubtedly, this is a well-organised
International Conference. Excellent papers were presented or displayed during
the 3 days. I congratulate the organisers for their untiring efforts which made
the programme a grand success. This meticulously organised and academically
rich event is one more feather in the achievements of Centre of Excellence in
Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand........
By:
D. Jayarama Bhat
Formerly, Department of Botany, Goa University
Prof. D. Jayarama Bhat in front of Mae Fah Luang University.............
Wanasom Resort & Spa, in Mae Fah Luang University campus, where the invited guests are put up during the Conference........
Prof E.B.Gareth Jones, facilitated by the President of Mae Fah Luang University, Dr. Vanchai Sirichama
Prof. Dr Kevin D. Hyde, Director of Centre of Excellence in Fungal Research and Chief Organiser of the programme welcoming the guests
and delegates....
Prof. E.B. Gareth Jones, delivering his keynote address, Taxonomy and diversity of wood-degrading marine fungi, at Session 1..........
Participants attending the Conference.........
Welcome dinner on day 1....
Keynote address 1, ‘Establishing new fungal species: ramifications and recommendations’ by
Dr Rajesh Jeeewon of University of Mauritius at Session 3...
Keynote address 2, 'OF, ON – did something change? One fungus-One name and its effect on Basidiomycetous
fungi’ by Dr Eric McKenzie, Formerly, Landcare Research, New Zealand at Session 3.....
Keynote address ‘Conidiogenesis in Ascomycota: A perusal from
current taxonomic perspective’ by Prof. D. Jayarama Bhat, Formerly, Department
of Botany, Goa University, India, at Session 4..
Prof. Bhat felicitating Prof E.B. Gareth Jones, on his 80th birthday......
Dr Peter Mortimer, Kunming Institute of Botany, China, delivering keynote address in Session 5..
Dr. Marc Stadler, Mikrobielle Wirkstoffe, Germany, delivering the
keynote address entitled ‘Phylogeny and functional biodiversity of Xylariaceae’ in Session 6.....
Invited delegates at the Conference........
