Research project C4/11/013 (Research action C4)
Over 26,000 strains of filamentous and yeast-like fungi, representing more than 3,600 species of Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, Deuteromycetes, Zygo-mycetes and Oomycetes. The mycological herbarium contains over 40,000 specimens.
BCCM/MUCL houses the Penicillium collection of P. Biourge (founder of the collection in 1894) and the general collection of G. L. Hennebert, as well as the UCL brewery yeast collection, numerous type strains and isolates of ecological and/or biotechnological importance. In particular, it holds numerous saprophytic and plant pathogenic fungal strains from tropical and subtropical areas, including the J.A. Meyer collection of hyphomycetes from Central Africa. It is starting a monoxenic and in vivo collection of endomycorrhiza. The collection’s biotechnological and agro-industrial focus is reflected in its extensive holding of starter cultures, for e.g. the manufacture of fermented foods, animal feed, biopesticides and biofertilisers, as well as by the availability of cultures for the cultivation of edible mushrooms or the production of important primary (enzymes and polysaccharides) or secondary metabolites (e.g. antibiotics). Test and control strains used in bioassays, biodeterioration and biodegradation tests are also available.
