Volume 9, Part 3, August 1995

THIRD REGIONAL MYCOLOGY CONFERENCE(RMC3), HARARE, ZIMBABWE

7-10 MARCH, 1995

RMC3 was organized by the International Myco-logical Association's Committee for the Develop-ment of Mycology in Africa (CODMA) and theInternational Mycological Association. TheBritish Mycological Society, together with theUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cul-tural Organisation, the International MycologicalInstitute, and the Technical Centre for Agricul-ture and Rural Co-operation, provided additionalsupport. The conference was attended by over 50delegates, mostly from Southern and EasternAfrica, with delegates from the Republic of SouthAfrica predominating. Countries representedincluded Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar,Mauritius, Namibia, RSA, Tanzania, Uganda,Zambia and Zimbabwe from Africa, and Belgium,Netherlands, Norway, UK and USA from the restofthe world.

The theme for RMC3 was 'The Relevance ofPathology and Mycology to Sustainable Agricul-tural, Scientific and Technology Development inAfrica', although more generalised aspects ofmycology were also covered. The Chairman wasDr. A.J. Masuka from the Tobacco ResearchBoard in Harare, and his efforts resulted in astimulating and successful meeting.

The scientific programme was divided into sixsessions; Fungi in Ecology and Environment,Taxonomy and Biosystematics, Plant PathogenicFungi, Biocontrol, Fungi in the FoodIndustry andMedical Mycology, each of which consisted of oraland poster presentations. Keynote addresses weregiven by Prof. A. Peerally (Mauritius) on 'Myco-logywithin the context ofthe future ofscience andtechnology in Africa'; by Prof. D. Wessels (SouthAfrica) on 'Lichens as bioweathering agents andbioindicators'; by Prof. D.L. Hawksworth (UK) on'The Fungal Dimension of Biodiversity'; by DrJ.M. Waller (UK) on 'Plant Pathogens, Biodiver-

sity and Disease Control'; by Dr H.F. Vismer(South Africa) on 'Fungal infections in SouthernAfrica'; and by Prof. A. Eicker (South Africa) on'Mushrooms: a source of protein for Africa'.

A conference reception, sponsored by the BMS(see Fig 6 on the back cover of this issue), wasenjoyed by all and included addresses by Prof. J.Webster, Prof. D.L. Hawksworth (UK) and Dr A.Masuka (Zimbabwe), which were filmed for'Newsnight' and broadcast later in March. Prof.Hawksworth and Prof. Peerally also appeared forsome 30 minutes on a Zimbabwe BroadcastingCorporation television programme on 10 March.

A brief collecting trip to the Mukuvisi Wood-land Reserve near Harare was organised for theCongress participants. We had the benefit of anexperienced guide and permission to collect hadalready been granted by the Zimbabwe Wildlifeservice. Although the woodland was dry, as only40% of the expected rainfall had occurred, about30 collections, mostly of wood-rotting fungi, weremade including one of the beautiful Hexagonapobliquinii. Some spectacular fungi were alsofound on zebra and antelope dung.

At a meeting of the CODMA committee, aproposal by Prof. A. Peerally to form an AfricanMycology Association (AMA) was approved bythose assembled. Dr R. Mibey (Kenya) was electedits first President and now becomes 'the voice ofmycologyin Africa'. We wish him every success inhis first year of office and hope that he will gainmuch support in the important tasks ahead ofhim. A representative from AMAwill serve on theIMA Committee for Africa.

The conference was both enjoyable and success-ful and we all lookforward to RMC4due to be heldin 1998.

Geoffrey Hall, Steve Moss and John Webster

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