In close collaboration with the FAO, the first International Meeting on the Conservation and Utilization of Genetic Resources of Mushrooms for Food and Agriculture & the Second Meeting of the Board of Coordinators of the FAO Global Network on Mushrooms were organised by INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) in Bordeaux, France from 9-13 March 1998, with the participation of scientists from 14 countries (Australia, Brazil, China, Cote d’Ivoire, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Zimbabwe).

During the opening ceremony of the meeting on 9 March 1998, the President of INRA Bordeaux and the President of the University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2 extended welcome remarks to the participants.

The meeting was organised within the framework of the FAO Global Network on Mushrooms, with the objective of reviewing the situation in different regions in mushroom genetic resources and their management, and developing a policy and strategy approach for addressing the issues, with a particular focus on Africa, in order to build up elements of a coordination mechanism for better guiding research in the mushroom field, and disseminating technical information.

A programme of presented papers and discussions was structured in different technical sessions: mushroom germplasm conservation and characterisation; global mushroom genetic resources; utilisation of mushroom genetic resources and training activities. These led to the determination of conclusions, challenges and strategy lines for future collaborative work on mushroom genetic resources, to be addressed within the framework of the FAO Global Network on Mushrooms, and in particular by its subnetwork on Mushroom Germplasm Science. The meeting also provided an opportunity for review of progress achieved by the Global Network and for a revision of its working mechanism and coordination arrangements.

The vagaries of classical morphological characterisation make identification the weak link in research.

The use of molecular methods has potential to give greater objectivity to approaches to characterisation of species and strains, enabling to look past the influence of habitat on morphology.

Mushroom classification and taxonomy is still not an exact science; molecular techniques will help but definitive tools for objective characterisation are still a long way off (different methods giving convergent results or comparable ease of utilisation).

In Agaricus, restricted genetic diversity in cultivated lines represents a risk factor and breeding is needed to incorporate greater variability from wild types.

The collection, characterisation and conservation of wild types is critical to assure availability of breeding material for commercially cultivated mushrooms.

In developing countries, natural mushroom genetic diversity combined with the application/adaptation of presently available cultivation technologies offers potential for improving productivity of small-scale mushroom growing.

Potential advantages that can be obtained from better international coordination in mushroom germplasm include:

• Generation of better/more complete knowledge of habitat/organism diversity
• Opportunities to develop appropriate protocols for collecting, identifying and conserving mushroom germplasm
• Strategic use of scarce resources
• International collaboration facilitated
• Opportunities for training

Mushroom genetic resources can contribute significantly to the solution of food supply problems.

There is a need for world-wide agreement on how and where to store mushroom germplasm in order to ensure there can be a future for breeding edible mushrooms.

Demonstration of serious coordinated pooling efforts on the part of research institutions could be helpful in encouraging industry players to appreciate the interest for them in participating and helping finance mushroom germplasm collection and conservation work.

Development of high temperature cultivated strains is a major objective in many warm countries and germplasm collection efforts need to be oriented to identifying useful characteristics in wild types.

A crash programme to document, collect and conserve wild edible and useful mushroom germplasm is needed in developing countries, especially in Africa, tapping indigenous knowledge as much as possible.

Research in several African countries can usefully focus on identification and domestication of local taxa/strains, with the aim of leading to higher diversity within cultivated mushrooms and reduced vulnerability of the sector.

There is a need for training in methods of identification, conservation characterisation and utilisation of mushroom genetic resources, including training in preparation of high quality spawn.

Ex-situ mushroom germplasm collections – including also associated characterisation and evaluation functions – need to be correlated with research and training activities.

In Africa, it is important to

• harness local peoples’ knowledge of edible/useful mushroom habitat and characteristics, and
• establish local human capacity to survey, characterise and conserve useful mushroom GR

Storage techniques for mushroom strain isolates and cultures needs further work to develop low-cost, feasible, reliable protocols and alternatives that minimise risk of stress-induced degradation.

The group’s attention should be focused on macrofungi, in terms of collection, conservation, and characterisation of genetic resources.

Mushroom genetic resource conservation strategies need elements of cooperation, coordination and strategic planning.

Cooperation between different laboratories is needed to develop molecular techniques as a tool to help species/strain identification and characterisation.

Responsibility for mushroom genetic resource conservation strategies starts with governments; ex-situ conservation through mushroom collections at research institutions in each country should be supported by governments and links established with other banks within and among regions.

It is necessary and opportune to establish concrete strategic objectives and working arrangements for achieving them first; then address funding issues accordingly.

The functioning mechanism of the Global Mushroom Network and the terms of reference for coordination responsibilities at different levels were retained on the basis of the conclusions of the Hong Kong and Prague meetings (reports of these meetings distributed to all participants) and these were updated in order to provide for strengthened communication functions see summary of terms of reference in Annex 1.

It was stressed that the designated coordinators who have accepted such responsibilities should undertake initiatives in order to strengthen inter-country cooperative work within the spirit of the network which is functioning on a voluntary basis.

It was reconfirmed that the coordination responsibilities in the Network, global or regional, will be reconsidered for possible rotation every three years, on the occasion of the general meetings of the Network. Additionally, the designation of coordination responsibilities will be subject to periodic review and revision whenever necessary, with the view to ensuring that the Network and its working groups continue to receive all the support and leadership required. In this regard, questions related to the functioning of the Network will be referred to FAO for advice and guidance.

The importance of developing the role of country focal points within the functioning mechanism of the network was underlined, and the meeting invited the General Coordinator and FAO to make arrangements with respective countries/institutions to secure nomination of scientists and facilitate their active role at national level.

The meeting reviewed the output and working arrangements of the Global Mushroom Network, with the view to updating and improving mechanisms for coordination and communication, and with the particular aim of developing the framework for strengthened collaborative work on mushroom genetic resources collection, conservation, characterisation and utilisation.

It was determined opportune to retain the technical structure of the Global Network as it was set up during the Hong Kong meeting in 1993, vis.

as well as the dedicated task force on research and development of mycorrhizal mushrooms

and a working group on Mushroom Economics and Trade Intelligence

The importance of ensuring that research on mushrooms leads to results that can benefit poor farmers was underlined and the Global Network’s major emphasis on mushroom growing as an issue in food production and agriculture, was thus reiterated.

It was agreed that objectives and activities to be pursued by the Global Network should continue to include:

The meeting called for rotation of the coordination responsibilities, as provided for under the Network operating arrangements that were agreed upon during the Hong Kong 1993 and the Prague 1994 meetings of the Network.

Coordination responsibilities were designated as follows:

General Coordinator of the Global Mushroom Network: Prof. Dr Jacques Labarere INRA France

Mushroom Germplasm Science – Prof. Dr Jacques Labarere, INRA France

Mushroom Production Technology – Dr Dan Levanon, MIGAL, Israel

Mushroom Biotechnology and Environmental Applications – Prof. Corrado Fanelli, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy

Selective Delignification and Production of Animal Feed – Dr Frantisek Zadrazil, Institute fur Bodenbiologie, Braunschweig, Germany

Sustainable Exploitation of Forest and Wild Mushrooms – Dr Krystian Szudyga Institute of Vegetable Crops, Skierniewice, Poland, in collaboration with Dr Auguste Kouassi, University of Cocody, Côte d’Ivoire

In renewing nominations within the coordination arrangements for the Network, the meeting also expressed recognition for the efforts and contributions of the retiring coordinators.

The meeting recognised the role and importance of mushroom germplasm conservation, with particular attention to the diversity that needs to be identified and protected with the view to creating new genetic lines to be addressed to mushroom growers living in developing countries. Therefore, the mushroom germplasm science group has taken the shape of a global network and its functioning mechanism will be coordinated by a recognised scientist and guided by a board of coordinators representing the different participating regions of the globe. Furthermore, for each region, initiatives will be taken to constitute regional networks, in line with the experience developed in Africa during the Harare meeting in 1996.

In terms of strategic objectives and technical activities to be pursued, the original terms of reference for the mushroom germplasm science network were retained and updated, vis.

• collection, characterisation and utilisation studies on species and strains of edible mushrooms and related fungal organisms.
• development of conservation methodologies for mushroom germplasm to protect against degradation or mutation
• development of molecular techniques as tools (to be applied in association with morphological/taxonomic approaches) for characterisation and as markers for classification and certification of mushroom strains
• data base establishment and maintenance

It was also underlined that the Network should promote close cooperation between taxonomists and molecular biologists for identification of macrofungi.

The Structure of the Mushroom Germplasm Science Network is shown in the following chart.