Subject: Introduction

From: "Bentivenga, Stephen P" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 2 Feb 1995 11:06:22 EST

Greetings Symbioticists and Symbiologists (whichever you prefer)

since everyone is taking turns introducing themselves I thought I would
break my habit as a lurker and have a crack at it as well.

I am a Post-doc Research Associate in a lab that works on endomycorrhizae -
specifically VA mycorrhizae.  Our main efforts are to serve as a germplasm
bank of these fungi.  Our collection, called the International Cuture
Collection of Arbuscular and VA Mycorrhizal Fungi (INVAM) is the
largest living collection of VA fungi in the world.  As many of you know,
VA mycorrhizal fungi are obligate symbionts and so just keeping them alive
can be a challange.

My research interests involve the systematics and ecology of VA mycorrhizal
fungi.  My approaches in taxonomy and systemstics include the use of
morphology, ontogeny, and fatty acids.  We are also involved
in the application of mycorrhizae to disturbed sites (surface mines)
to enhance crop growth.

Personally, I'm interested in many other symbioses, particularly plant-
microbe interactions (my training is in plant pathology).  I'm glad that
Jim White took the initiative in moderating this list and I look forward
to discussing issues in symbiosis with all of you.

Steve Bentivenga
Division of Plant and Soil Sciences
West Virginia University