announcement - Systematic Botany and Mycology

jointly organized by the
First West African mycological training course
Togo, 12th to 24th June 2011
Laboratory of Systematic Mycology
Department for Biology I, LMU München, Germany
coordinator: Dr. Yorou, Menzinger Str. 67, D-80638, Munich,
Tel +498917861203, email. n.s.yorou@bio.lmu.de
and
Department of Botanic and Plant Ecology,
University of Lomé, Togo
Contact. Dr. Guelly, BP 1515 Lomé Togo
tel. +2282255094, email. atsuguelly@yahoo.fr
under scientific mentorship of
Prof. Dr. Reinhard AGERER
Laboratory of Systematic Mycology
Department for Biology I, LMU München, Germany
Tel. +498917861234, email. reinhard.agerer@bio.lmu.de
1. Justification and background
West Africa is commonly indexed as a mycological desert in the scientific community of
mycologists. The reasons are not that this area is poor in fungi. The Fungus/plant ratio 6/1
provides a conservative estimate of 18 000 fungal species for Benin as an example, among them
larger fungi account for about 20% (about 3600 species for Benin). This figure taken from Benin
attests on the very high fungal diversity in West Africa due not only to the presence of important
symbiotic tree species but also to the great diversity patterns of the vegetation. Fungal diversity in
West Africa is beyond expectations, but the quite paucity of local mycologists coupled with
insufficient infrastructures resulted in a poor and scant documentation on West African fungi and
subsequent collection centres. On the other hand, the limited time devoted to mycological teaching
(which is sometimes totally untaught in some universities) and research yielded incomplete life
science curricula at the universities and insufficient biological skills of local students. There is an
obvious need to rethink academic curricula so as to devote more time to mycology at West African
universities and schools, whilst actions to secure local collection centres and subsequent
infrastructures should be undertaken by decision makers and academics. The lack of national
mycological capacities resulted in a poor valorisation of Wild Useful Fungi, an absence of
domestication policies of wild species and a paucity of subsequent national programmes of
mushrooms´ cultivation/valorization. There is no doubt that wild edible fungi play a paramount
nutritional role for local inhabitants. Fungal resources can be used to increase cash incomes of
villagers whilst accurate ecological applications of their symbiotic relationship with forest trees can
substantially increase the growth and regeneration of selected trees in national re-forestation
programmes. Unfortunately, due to the lack of national capacities, fungal resources are actually
under-utilized. During the last decade however, great effort has been invested to build mycological
capacities in West Africa. Thanks to fruitful collaborations with the National Botanic Garden of
Belgium, the University of Munich (Germany, through financial support from the German Academic
Exchange Service-DAAD and the German Research Foundation-DFG) and the University of
Aarhus (Denmark), few local mycologists have been trained in Benin (i.e. Dr. Ir. Yorou), Togo
(Maba Dao, currently a PhD student) and Burkina Faso (i.e. Dr. Guissou). These pioneering local
mycologists are currently acting to perpetuate/boost local mycology. At the same time, few MSc
and PhD students in Mycology from other West African countries (Niger, Ghana, Mali, Guinea,
Ivory Coast) are experiencing tremendous coaching problems related to taxonomy, ecology, uses,
specialized literature and access to required infrastructures. To fill the gaps, key actions are

currently undertaken for the enhancement of mycological capacities in West Africa under financial
support of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD, see details in MycoAfrica next issue)
and the German Research Foundation (DFG). A regional workshop was held in Burkina Faso in
November 2010 (see report in MycoAfrica, next issue) in order to explore local facilities, challenges
and to identify affordable actions to boost local Mycology forward. This first Workshop (which was
attended by 16 participants) was a big success and resulted in the elaboration of action plans to
promote local mycology. Intensive training courses in mycology have been unanimously pointed
out by the participants as key actions for the promotion of West African Mycology. The training
courses are indeed one of the best strategy to convince students, to combine theory and practise
whilst reaching a large audience at the same time. In West African context, we expect to address
the biodiversity, taxonomy, ecological role of fungi and potential applications/exploitation of west
African Fungal resources. It is after such training courses that we can expect some student to meet
the decision to pursue a carrier in mycology, with the hope to improve a better utilisation of fungi in
near future. For this to be achieved, the training course will be coached by a team of 5 international
experts.
2. Objectives of the training course
The overall goal of this training course is to contribute to the building of mycological capacities in
West Africa. Educating local experts will undoubtedly result in a better documentation and
exploitation of local fungal resources. Specific objectives are, to:
• teach local students on how to conduct full mycological research,
• teach local students on patterns of field mycology: how to collect, describe, dry and make
scientifically good herbarium (= fungarium) specimens,
• help local students to be familiar with, and/or to improve their mycological laboratory skills
and techniques,
• bring local students to perceive the diversity, the ecological importance and local uses of
fungal resources in West Africa,
• Identify motivated students who are able to undertake MSc and or PhD studies in
Mycology,
• Improve taxonomic skills of local students in term of discriminating fungal genera and
species,
• explore the various applications/exploitations of Wild Useful Fungi
3. Expected outputs
• Motivating at least a few students to undertake their MSc/PhD thesis on patterns of
taxonomy, ecology and exploitations of fungi,
• Participants know where, and by whom (which Professor) they can get supervision if they
want to make a MSc and or a PhD study,
• Participants are able to discriminate West African common fungal genera,
• Participants are able to produce scientifically sound fungarium material,
• Each participant is able to undertake mycological research from the collection in the field to
the description of the material in the laboratory,
• Participants are better informed about the usefulness of fungal resources and their potential
applications
• Taxonomic/identification problems faced by current MSc and PhD students are improved.
4. Relevance of the training course
4.1. Academic and quality of higher education
The course aims at training a critical mass of local students (minimum 12) in mycology, a biological
field that has been neglected in West Africa for long time. Through this course, participating
students will get the opportunity to complete biological training they received from their respective
universities. Furthermore, participating students are potential future lectures at the universities and/
or secondary schools. At any case, they will act to perpetuate mycological teaching either at the
universities or at schools. In near future, they will bring substantial changes in curricula of life
science at their home institutions whilst improving the quality of higher education and schools.

4.2. National experts and capacities to fulfil international commitments
The training course contributes to enhance mycological capacities of the participants. In a close
future, these participants will act as national experts or reference persons in mycology. This
constitutes a big gain for their country of origin in term of diversity and quality of teaching
resources. Alternatively, the participants can actually contribute to national monographs of
biodiversity (at least in regard to fungi that are commonly disregarded in national monographs) and
advice decision makers and politicians about fungi-oriented national conservation plans. At
international level, many countries ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which
recommended the contracting parties to undertake national monographs of biodiversity and to
subsequently elaborate a conservation plan. Such national monographs are still lacking for some
West African countries. At the same time, many other countries submitted incomplete reports
disregarding totally fungal biodiversity due to the lack of national human capacities. National
mycological experts will help their country of origin to improve the quality of its commitments
towards international conventions on biodiversity monograph and conservation.
4.3. Economic and developmental approaches
During the training course, the local uses and ecological importance of fungi will be explored.
Participants will get the chance to explore potential applications of fungi in different fields. From
this point, we expect that students are engaged to undertake various investigations on the use of
fungal resources including mushroom cultivation, valorisation of wild edible and medicinal species,
assistance to local inhabitants in increasing cash incomes (through establishing channels of wild
edible fungi) and/or the application of symbiotic species in national re-forestation programs. As Non
Timber Forest Products, wild edible fungi can substantially increase not only cash incomes of
villagers but also the National Gross Product under the conditions that they are exploited in an
accurate way.
5. Target groups and teaching staff
The training course is suitable for West African Students in the field of Biology/Botany and/or
Agronomic Sciences. Priority is given to MSc or PhD studies in Mycology. Other local students
intending to make their works in Mycology may apply. Applicants should have completed 2 years
studies at the university in Biology/Botany or in Agricultural Sciences. A total of 15 students is
expected.
The teaching team is composed of 5 senior international lecturers in mycology. The lecturers have
been selected in regard with their teaching experience, their familiarity and publications records in
tropical mycology (the CVs of the lecturers may be provided upon request). Following mycologists
have been contacted.
• Dr. Ir. Nourou S. YOROU (approved), mycologist, University of Munich (Germany),
n.s.yorou@bio.lmu.de
• Dr. André De Kesel, (approved) mycologist, National Botanical Garden of Belgium
(Belgium), adk@br.fgov.be
• Prof. Dr. Reinhard Agerer (approval pending), mycologist University of Munich
(Germany), reinhard.agerer@bio.lmu.de
• Prof. Dr. Meike Piepenbring (approval pending), mycologist, University of Frankfurt,
piepembr@daad-alumni.de
• Prof. Dr. Annemieke Verbeken (approved), mycologist, University of Gent,
mieke.verbeken@ugent.be
6. Organising committee and contact details
• Coordinator: Dr. Ir. Nourou YOROU: Department Biology I, University of Munich,
Menzinger Str. 67, 80638, Munich, GERMANY, tel. 00498917860304, Email:
n.s.yorou@bio.lmu.de , n.s.yorou@gmail.com
• Organisation in Togo: Dr. Atsu GUELLY & Dao MABA, Laboratoire de Botanique et
Écologie Végétale, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Lomé, B.P. 1515, Lomé, TOGO,
Email: atsuguelly@yahoo.fr
• Dr. Marie-Laure GUISSOU: Laboratoire de Biologie et Écologie Végétale, Université de
O u g a d o u g o u , 0 3 B P 7 0 2 1 , O u a g a d o u g o u , B U R K I N A FA S O , E m a i l .

guissoulaure@gmail.com
• Ngolo Aboudoulaye Koné, Station d´Écologie Tropicale de Lamto, BP 28 N'douci, CÔTE D
´IVOIRE, Email. ngolo197804@yahoo.fr
7. Venue and dates of the training course
The training course will be organised in Togo from 12 th to 24 th of June 2011. In order to bring
together the theory and the practise, the course will be organised in two phases.
The first phase (from 12 th to 17 th June 2011) consists of field works and material collections in the
Fazao-Malfakassa National Park (FMNP). The FMNP is located in the Prefecture of Sotouboua in
the central western park of Togo, at the boarder with Ghana about 300 km north of Lomé. The
FMNP is composed of a succession of hills which constitute the prolongation of the Atacora Chain
originating from Benin and oriented North-East to South-West. It is one of the remaining forests of
Togo which still hosts undisturbed ecosystems with remarkable plant and animal species. The
forest is composed of various ecosystems with numerous ectomycorrhizal trees members of the
Caesalpiniaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Dipterocarpaceae. Such diversity of ecosystems and
ectomycorrhizal trees make it one of the mycologically most important forests. Mycological
investigations conducted there in 2008 and 2009 yielded numerous fungal species with many new
species currently being described. The park is equipped with an old 3-stars unoccupied hotel which
will be used to host the participants of this training course.
The second phase of the training course will be held at the University of Lomé (Department of
Botany and Ecology). A laboratory equipped with a total of 8 microscopes is booked to host the
laboratory phase of the training course.
8. Tentative programme
First week: Sunday 12th to 17th of June: Field works, specimens collection in Fazao-Malfakassa
National Park.
Sunday, June 12th: Arrival and installation of the participants at the FMNP Hotel,
Monday, June 13th
• 7h00-8h00: Breakfast
• 8h00-8h30: Talk1- Opening statement: Context, objectives and organisation/structure of the
training course (Lecturer: Dr. Yorou, Germany),
• 8h30-9h00: Talk2- Collecting fungi in the field: Materials needed, techniques and important
advices for preserving important features during collection (Lecturers: Dr. De Kesel,
Belgium, Prof. Agerer, Germany),
• 9h00-12h00: Visit of the forest and specimens´ collection: Three different groups of 5
participants. Group leaders: Dr. De Kesel, Dr. Yorou and Dr. Guelly,
• 12h00-13h30: Lunch
• 13h30-14h00: Talk3- Higher level organisation of fungi: Important groups and common
fungal genera in West Africa (Lecturer: Dr. Yorou)
• 14h00-14h30: Dispatching of the collections into morphological groups (coaching Dr. De
Kesel, Prof. Agerer, Prof. Verbeken)
• 14h30-17h: The Order Boletales: morphology, diversity of fruit bodies, diversity of genera
and their features, ecology, important field and fresh data to record during collection
(coaching Dr. De Kesel), illustrated with collected bolete specimens.
• 17h00-18h00: Drying techniques: Selection of specimens and drying (coaching: Dr. De
Kesel)
• 18h00-20h00: Dinner
• 20h-: Social Event: Drinks and relaxed chat on a general topic: History of protected areas +
national politic for nature/biodiversity conservation in Togo (Dr. Guelly).
Tuesday, June 14th
• 7h00-800h: Breakfast
• 8h00-9h00: Talk- The Agaricales, diversity of genera, ecology, morphology (lecturers: Prof.

Agerer and or Prof. Verbeken)
• 9h00-12h00: Visit of the forest and specimens collection: Three different groups of 5
participants. Group leaders: Dr. Guissou, Prof. Agerer and Prof. Verbeken.
• 12h00-13h30: Lunch
• 13h30-14h00: Dispatching of the collections into morphological groups (coaching: Prof.
Agerer, Prof. Verbeken)
• 14h30-17h: The Order Russulales: morphology, diversity of fruit bodies, diversity of genera
and their features, Ecology, important field and fresh data to record during collection
(coaching: Prof. Verbeken), illustrated with collected Russulales specimens.
• 17h00-18h00: Selection and drying of nice specimens (coaching: Prof. Verbeken)
• 18h00-20h00: Dinner
• 20h00-: Social Event, drinks and relaxed chat : the Fouta Djallon (Guinea) or the cradle of
Fulani people: Cultural patterns and living style of Fulani people (by the student from
Guinea),
Wednesday June 15th (no forest visit, works on materials collected during the previous days)
• 7h00-800h: Breakfast
• 8h00-9h00: Talk-The Agaricales, diversity of genera, ecology, morphology (continued, Prof.
Agerer)
• 9h00-12h00: The Agaricales (other genera): Agaricaceae, Crepidotaceae, Inocybaceae,
Tricholomataceae: morphology, diversity of fruit bodies, diversity of genera and their
features, Ecology, important field and fresh data to record during collection (Prof. Agerer),
explanation based on collected materials.
• 12h00-13h30: Lunch
• 13h30-17h00: Resupinate Thelephorales plus other non-gilled fungi: morphology, diversity
of fruit bodies, genera and their features, Ecology, important field and fresh data to record
during collection (Dr. Yorou), illustrated with collected specimens
• 17h00-18h00: Selection and drying of nice specimens (coaching Prof. Agerer, Dr. Yorou)
• 18h00-20h00: Dinner
• 20h00-: Social Event, drinks and relaxed chat : The “Mossi Kingdom” and origin of current
ethnic diversity in Burkina Faso (by Dr. Guissou),
Thursday, June 16th
• 7h00-800h: Breakfast
• 8h00-9h00: Talk- The rust and smut fungi: Diversity, habitat, morphological recognition, how
to collect them in the field (Lecturer: Prof. Piepenbring)
• 9h00-12h00: Forest visit and collecting of smut and rust fungi. Two different groups of 7
participants. Group leaders: Prof. Piepenbring, Prof. Agerer.
• 12h00-13h30: Lunch
• 13h30-17h00: The smut and rust fungi. Morphology, diversity of infection types, diversity of
genera and their features, ecology, important field data to record during collection (coaching
Prof. Piepenbring), illustrations with collected rust and smut specimens.
• 17h00-18h00: Selection and conservation of nice specimens (coaching Prof. Piepenbring)
• 18h00-20h00: Dinner
• 20h00-: Social Event, drinks and relaxed chat: From one to two different countries.
Consequences of political divergence on scientific community and programs, example from
Belgium (Dr. De Kesel & Prof. Verbeken).
Friday, June 17th
• 7h00-800h: Breakfast
• 8h00-9h30: Talk- Mycorrhizal symbiosis: diversity, morphology, Ecology, Focus on important
ectomycorrhizal genera in the tropics, potential application, techniques in the study of
ectomycorrhizae (EcMs)... (Lecturer: Prof. Agerer)
• 9h00-12h00: Forest visit and collecting of EcMs. Two different groups. Group leaders: Prof.
Agerer, Dr. Yorou

• 12h00-13h30: Lunch
• 13h30-18h00: Morphotyping of the collected EcMs with binoculars and subsequent
conservation in Formol and CETAB buffer: important morphological features to be
addressed (Prof. Agerer, Dr. Yorou).
• 18h00-20h00: Group Dinner
• 20h-: Social Event (Folk fest): chat and drinks with the inhabitants of Fazao village.
Saturday, June 18th
9h00: Departure/travel back to Lomé for the second phase of the training course
Sunday 19th: Free day
Second week: Monday 20th to Friday 25th, Laboratory works at the University of Lomé
Monday, June 20th
• 7h00-8h00: Breakfast
• 8h00-9h00: Talk- Microscopic preparations of Boletales-Important anatomical discriminative
features among and within genera of Boletales (Lecturer: Dr. De Kesel), which characters
should be observed by the participants?
• 9h00-12h00: Microscopy of collected/dried Boletales (coaching Dr. De Kesel, Prof. Agerer)
group of 2 participants on one microscope, microscopic preparations and observation by
each student,
• 12h00-14h00: Lunch
• 14h00-17h00: Microscopy of Boletales (continued) (coaching Dr. De Kesel, Prof. Agerer)
• 17h00-18h00: Synthesis: Important anatomo-morphological features of Boletales (this
should be summarized by interactive teaching by the lecturers with the participants as
course support)
• 18h00- Free
Tuesday, June 21st
• 7h00-8h00: Breakfast
• 8h00-9h00: Talk- Microscopic preparations of Russulales-Important anatomical
discriminative features among and within genera of Russulales (Prof. Verbeken), which
characters should be observed by the participants?
• 9h00-12h00: Microscopy of collected/dried Russulales (coaching Prof. Verbeken, Prof.
Agerer):
• 12h00-14h00: Lunch
• 14h00-17h00: Microscopy of Russulales (continued) (coaching Prof. Verbeken, Prof.
Agerer)
• 17h00-18h00: Synthesis: Important anatomo-morphological features for Russulales (to be
summarized by interactive teaching by the lecturers with the participants as course support
by )
• 18h00-: Free
Wednesday June 22nd
• 7h00-8h00: Breakfast
• 8h00-9h00: Talk1- Microscopic preparations of other Agaricales (Agaricaceae,
Crepidotaceae, Inocybaceae, Tricholoataceae)-Important anatomical discriminative
features, which characters should be observed by the participants (Lecturer: Prof. Agerer).
• 9h00-12h00: Microscopy of collected/dried specimens by the particcipants (coaching Prof.
Agerer, Dr. De Kesel)
• 12h00-14h00: Lunch
• 14h00-14h30: Talk2: Microscopic preparations of Thelephorales -Important anatomical
discriminative features, which characters should be observed by the participants (Lecturer:
Dr. Yorou)
• 14h30-17h00: Microscopy of Thelephorales and others Aphyllophorales (coaching Dr.
Yorou, Prof. Agerer)

• 17h00-18h00: Synthesis: Important anatomo-morphological features of Thelephorales (to
be summarized by interactive teaching by the lecturers with the participants as course
support)
• 18h00-: Free
Thursday, June 23rd
• 7h00-8h00: Breakfast
• 8h00-9h00: Talk- Microscopic preparations of smut and rust fungi-Important anatomical
discriminative features among and within the smut and rust fungi, which characters should
be observed by the participants (Lecturer: Prof. Piepenbring)
• 9h00-12h00: Microscopy of collected/dried smut and rust fungal specimens (coaching Prof.
Piepenbring, Prof. Agerer)
• 12h00-14h00: Lunch
• 14h00-17h00: Microscopy of smut and rust fungi (continued) (coaching Prof. Piepenbring,
Prof. Agerer)
• 17h00-18h00: Synthesis: Important anatomo-morphological features of smut and rust fungi
(summarized by interactive teaching by the lecturers with the participants as course
support)
• 18h00-: Free
Friday, June 24th
• 7h00-8h00: Breakfast
• 8h00-9h00: Talk- Microscopic preparations of EcMs-Important anatomical discriminative
features of EcMs, which characters should be observed by the participants (Lecturer: Prof.
Agerer),
• 9h00-12h00: Microscopy of EcMs specimens (coaching: Prof. Agerer, Dr. Yorou)
• 12h00-14h00: Lunch
• 14h00-17h00: Microscopy of EcMs samples (continued) (coaching Prof. Agerer, Dr. Yorou),
• 17h00-18h00: Synthesis: Important anatomo-morphological features of ectomycorrhizae
(summarized in a course support)
• 18h00-18h30: Evaluation of the training course by the participants,
• 18h30-19h00: Closing statement and perspectives (Drs. Yorou & Guelly)
• 19h00-21hh00- Group diner
• 22h00- Lomé by night (guide Dr. Yorou): Togolese beers, a Germany heritage?
Saturday June 25 th : Departure of participants
9. Needed materials and documents
9.1. Small field materials
Each participant is requested to bring the following materials: a small basket to carry collected
specimens, a field knife to collect fungi, a field notebook, field fungi guides if available, a hand lens,
a camera (optional), field shoes, raincoat.....
9.2. Laboratory equipments
Participants are requested to bring two needles, one forceps, scalpers or razor blades and lab
robe.
9.3. Documentation, literature and specimens
The lecturers are requested to advice/bring specialised taxonomic papers of the group they will
teach. In addition, each lecturer is kindly requested to prepare a course support summarizing
important anatomo-morphological features of his group of interest. In the case a lecturer is not sure
about finding a particular species with very remarkable features; he can bring it from his herbarium
for laboratory investigations.
9.4. Documentations plus consumables
The organising committee will bring following materials: specialised monographs, literature,

glasses, cover glasses, chemicals, plastic bags, Formol, CETAB.....
10. How to apply
Applications should be sent to either Dr. Ir. Nourou S. YOROU (email. n.s.yorou@lrzuni.muenchen.de)
or Dr. Guelly (atsuguelly@yahoo.fr). Priority is given to MSc and/or PhD
students in Mycology or BSc students in Botany, Agricultural Sciences or Pharmacology intending
to work in tropical Mycology. We expect to select about 15 students. Applications include a
motivation letter, a one-page CV and an abstract (maximum of 300 words) of the on-going
MSc/PhD mycological works. Please send your application no later than 30 th March 2011.
Applicants will be informed about the outcome no later than 30 th April 2011.