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Dr Jordan Bailey from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is seeking expressions of interest to attend a Morphological fungal identification techniquesworkshop.  

It is proposed that this workshop will be held shortly after the Australasian Plant Pathology Society (APPS) Conference 2025, which will run from 26-28 May 2025 at the International Conference Centre in Sydney.  Please note that registration for the workshop is independent of the APPS 2025 Conference registration. 

Event details: 

Date: Friday, 30 May 2025 – Sunday, 1 June 2025  

Trainer: Megan Romberg, National Taxonomist (Mycology), USDA  

Venue: Technology Park, Redfern Sydney (TBC) 

Cost: $500

Workshop topics:  

  • A timeline of mycology, with an emphasis on classification and identification of microfungi 
  • Notes on nomenclature 
  • Morphological classification systems 
  • Sample preparation 
  • Genera of fungi (and other organisms) 

Workshop objective: 

The objective of the workshop is to increase the attendees’ familiarity with the process of morphological identification of fungi on hosts, which involves: 

  • Careful examination of the host under a dissecting microscope for patterns of infection and presence of sporulating structures. 
  • Observation of the fungus under a compound microscope for details of spore shape, size, colour and other attributes, such as conidiophore/conidiogenous cell structure and details, fruiting body size, shape, and tissue type. 
  • Exploration of the relevant literature about the fungus, including original descriptions, monographs and taxonomic studies. Arriving at a name for an unknown fungus involves understanding its naming history and how related fungal groups have been defined. 
  • Participants will examine provided samples to develop or enhance familiarity with fungal groups and their structures. The focus is not necessarily on identification of the specific fungi in this workbook, but rather on learning the examination process and recognising the different structures used in morphological identification. Useful resources for fungal identification will also be covered. 

Register your interest.   

For more information, contact Dr Jordan Bailey on +61 2 6391 3985, or 0438 618 745 or via email.