Le Thanh Liem, Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee, speaks at the opening of the Asian Mycological Congress 2017 in the city. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA)- Vietnam should have a long-term programme on mycological researches as thecountry has a tropical climate, a favourable condition for developing fungi, saidTrinh Tam Kiet, Chairman of the Vietnam Mycological Association.
“In life, there aremillions of various species of fungi. They involve many issues in life,including use as food for humans. Many species cause diseases or are used asmedicine,” Kiet said on the sidelines of the Asian Mycological Congress2017 conference being held in Ho Chi Minh City.
Compared to other countriesin the world, Vietnam’s mycological research and application is 50 to 70 yearsbehind, Kiet said.
Only research on mushroomcultivation and other fungi applications in agriculture are studied in thecountry, even though Vietnam has the potential to develop fungi as medicine fortreating cancer or other diseases, he said.
The government shouldincrease investment and create long-term, comprehensive programmes related to mycologyin many sectors, he said, adding that more scientists in the country shouldstudy mycology.
Le Thanh Liem, Vice Chairmanof the HCM City People’s Committee, said the city had recently made severalinvestments in modern scientific facilities, mostly at the Biotechnology Centreand Hi-tech Agricultural Park.
These institutes, withteams of young scientists, have many significant contributions to agriculturalscience as well as mycology, according to Liem.
Professor Lei Cai of theState Key Laboratory of Mycology at the Chinese Academy of Science’s Instituteof Microbiology said: “Diversity of fungi is largely ignored as a publicconcern”, noting that there was a boom in emergent fungal diseases.
The Asian MycologicalCongress 2017 is being organised by the Mycological Society of HCM City.
Kiet said that more than250 participants from all over the world will have an opportunity to exchangeexperiences, technology and research work.
The congress, which ends onOctober 13, is focusing on basic to applied research on fungi in ecosystems,fungal biochemistry and physiology, and mushroom cultivation.-VNA
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