An international workshop: mycorrhiza, a biological tool for sustainable development in Africa

Abstract

Althoughmycorrhizal symbiosis are well known on European, North American, South American, Southeast Asian, and Australian plant species from natural or anthropogenic ecosystems, data from Africa are still scarce and neglected. The international workshop on “Mycorrhiza: a biological tool for sustainable development in Africa” held in Dakar, Senegal, February 21–23, 2011, was therefore particularly timely. Eighty-seven participants from 23 countries attended theworkshop, which included oral presentations, poster sessions, excursion and many free-ranging discussions. Abstracts of all the talks and posters, and details of the participants can be found on the website http://www.ird.sn/web-mycorhizes2011/. The aim of the workshop was to present state of the knowledge and perspectives in mycorrhizal research on tropical and Mediterranean plant species in Africa. The contents addressed diversity and function of mycorrhiza associated with forest and agricultural plants, in Mediterranean and tropical, wet and seasonally dry ecosystems. Impacts of mycorrhiza on plant diversity and composition, regeneration and dynamics of ecosystems, and biomass production in forestry and agriculture, were topics for oral presentations and poster sessions. The workshop was also a pretext to put in concrete form the idea of creating of a scientific network that connects researchers working with mycorrhiza in Africa. In the opening lecture, A. Fortin (Canada) introduced mycorrhiza and their role in the evolution and functioning of plants and terrestrial ecosystems. Although symbiotic systems have provided a major impetus to plant speciation and to the development of soils and therefore to terrestrial ecosystems, all concepts at the base of modern agriculture have been developed and applied as if mycorrhiza did not exist. A. Fortin invited scientists working in the field ofmycorrhiza in tropical and Mediterranean ecosystems, political deciders, and partners for development to exchange experience and to set up new strategies on mycorrhizal research in Africa. There was a large discussion about the use of mycorrhiza in agriculture and forestry in Africa. A. Bâ (Senegal) opened a session on diversity and function of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) symbioses, illustrating that Russulales and Thelephorales dominate aboveand belowground ECM fungal communities in open and rain forests in tropical Africa. Following presentations covered the role of ECM in the regeneration and functioning of tropical African forests, their potential use for ecological restoration of sites contaminated by heavy metals and the rich occurrence of edible ECM fungi in these regions (N. Onguene Awana, Cameroon; G. Kudzo Atsu, Togo; K. Sanon, Burkina Faso; M. Ducousso, France). There followed much debate about the importance of ECM fungi in forest diversity, productivity, resilience, and restoration. V. Gianinazzi-Pearson (France) introduced a session on diversity and function of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) by emphasizing the ecosystem services they provide to plant productivity and survival, and the necessity, for their efficient exploitation in plant production systems, to reduce chemical inputs, evaluate in situ fungal potential and plant responsiveness A. Bâ (*) IRD/LCM/LSTM, BP. 1386, Dakar, Senegal e-mail: amadou.ba@ird.fr