This is a member-only event.
Face masks and Proof of COVID vaccination required.

6:30 pm – OMS Mushroom Identification Session
If you have found mushrooms that are in good condition, wrap them in waxed paper, aluminum foil, or a put them in a paper bag and bring them (with a spore print, if possible). Bring your field guide to reference the mushrooms that are on display.

7:00 OMS Society Business: Announcements, Introductions, or Short Presentations

7:30 pm Presentation: Impact of pigment from Chlorociboria spp. on wood decay communities.

The blue pigment xylindein produced by Chlorociboria spp. has been studied for sustainable technologies ranging from use as a colorant to a component of opto-electronics, however the benefit it provides to the fungi has been a matter of speculation.

As Chlorociboria spp. are slow growing, it is possible that xylindein has a defensive function against more aggressive competitors. To test this, wild collected samples of pigmented and non-pigmented wood were collected, and total DNA extracted for amplicon sequencing and fungal community analysis. In addition, stakes of several natural substrate species for Chlorociboria were treated with a xylindein-rich extract and set out in ground contact prior to community analysis. Results showed differences in community structure associated with pigment presence. This result is suggestive of a combative role for xylindein, but further experiments and analysis of community structure will provide more information.

Speaker: We are proud to present Ray Van Court, one of our 2020 Scholarship Recipients, who is working on their PhD under Dr. Gerald Presley at Oregon State University.

Ray is a PhD candidate in Wood Science and Engineering at Oregon State University. They initially found a love for fungi as a kid when they found an earthstar in the Colorado Rockies, rediscovering this love as an adult when they quit their job to study fungi. Ray has since been working on various applied fungal technologies, including work on fungal pigment production, sustainable product development, and the history and biology of Psilocybe spp. Current projects include use of ectomycorrhizal fungi for bioremediation of heavy metals from wood preservatives, analysis of the impact of pigment from Chlorociboria spp. on wood decay communities, and assessment of pigmentation and wood decay capabilities of the fungal pathogen Scytalidium ganodermophthorum.