Looking for Israeli partner in Research

[L.J.L.D. Van Griensven]

Dear mycology list receivers

In 1995 pre-proposals for research projects in agriculture will be  
accepted by a Dutch-Israeli joint steering committee. This is based  
on an official agreement  between the governments of the two states.  
The projects have a duration of 3 years and are (among others)  
directed at product innovation of vegetables and flowers based on  
market demand.( Info Israel: DIARP, POB 6, Bet Dagan 50250, tel:  
(0)3-9683209/675 )
Our institute, The Mushroom Experimental Station in Horst, The  
Netherlands, is  successfully involved in conventional breeding of  
mushrooms; in fact, Gerda Fritsche in our institute developed the  
first (and only) hybrid strains that now make out the majority of  
Agaricus production in the world. We also work in molecular genetics,  
i.e. isolation of genes and genome mapping in Agaricus. We have close  
collaboration with University groups involved in transformation of  
both ascomycetes and basidiomycetes.

We are looking for an Israeli partner to jointly work out a research  
proposal.

Possible areas:
-The cascade of events making white Agaricus turn brown upon  
harvesting. Especially the signals that induce protease activity. 

-The events that make Agaricus turn soft i.e. destruction of cell  
wall structure and  loss of turgor and water after harvesting.
-Influencing the flushing pattern of Agaricus to obtain more even  
flushing.
-Any area in gene disruption of Agaricus leading to resistance  
against diseases of viral or fungal origin. 

-Genetics of Pleurotus, especially meiosis. Pleurotus sporulates very  
strongly. Workers exposed to spores develop high antibody titers and  
eventually risk to become affected by type lll alveolitis. Purpose is  
to develop Pleurotus with delayed or no sporulation.
-Substrate studies of Pleurotus directed towards inability for  
Trichoderma to grow in same substrate.
-Domestication of Morchella spp.

Prof. Dr. L.J.L.D. Van Griensven.
Mushroom Experimental Station
POB 6042
5960 AA Horst, The Netherlands
FAX: 31 4764 1567
TEL:  31 4764 1944
Email: mushex!vg at relay.nluug.NL