Today on Mushroom Hour we are joined by the distinguished Dr. Matthew Smith. Dr. Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida and the curator of the UF Fungal Herbarium (FLAS). He teaches the UF mycology course and takes on the responsibility of identifying unknown fungi for a variety of Florida stakeholders, including the UF Plant Disease Clinic, UF-IFAS Extension Service, and the UF Veterinary School. His broad range of interests spans fungal ecology, evolution, and systematics. Dr. Smith has worked extensively on the biology and systematics of hypogeous fungi (“truffles”) and the ecology of plant-symbiotic ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. However, he has also studied a variety of other fungal groups, including plant pathogens Armillaria mellea ("oak root fungus") and Claviceps purpurea (Ergot disease of grasses) as well as the nematode-destroying fungi (Orbiliales and other Ascomycota). Dr. Smith’s work combines the synergistic use of molecular, morphological, and culture-based methods in both laboratory and field settings.
Topics Covered:
Episode Resources:
Ep. 176: Biochar, Soil Remedation & the Community Agriculture Project (feat. Emily Davis)
Ep. 175: Farwest Fungi & The Santa Cruz Mountain Mushroom Festival (feat. Kyle Garrone)
Ep. 174: All Things Fungi Festival - Myco-Culture, Slime Molds, Biofluorescence (feat. Jana Nicole & Max Mudie)
Ep. 173: Forage. Gather. Feast. - Truffles, Seasonal Harvests & Uncertain Futures (feat. Maria Finn)
Ep. 172: The Very Merry Mushrooms - Mycology for All Ages, Learning through Play (feat. Tess Lassman)
Ep. 171: A Magical Dutchman's Journey - Building Community at Fungi Academy (feat. Jasper Degenaars)
Ep. 170: Oklahoma Fungi - Building Future Generations of Mycologists (feat. Jacob Devecchio)
Ep. 169: Mycological Analytics, Community Science, Entheogenic Genomes (Ian Bollinger)
Ep. 168: The Myco Zine - Psychedelic Chemistry, Mushroom Cultivation, Mycelial Connections (Tomás Garret)
Ep. 167: Behind the Scenes & Across the Universe with William Padilla-Brown
Ep. 166: Mycosymbiote - Regenerating Ecologies, Expanding Consciousness, Being Human (William Padilla-Brown)
Ep. 165: Hongos in Patagonia - Pedomorphosis & Rethinking Evolution (feat. Dr. Francisco Kuhar)
Ep. 164: Which Fungi - The Edibles, The Deadlies, The Wild Ones (feat. Elise Rothman)
Ep. 163: Fruits of the Forest - Pacific Northwest Edible Mushrooms (feat. Daniel Winkler)
Ep. 162: The Flowering Wand - Rewilding the Sacred Masculine (feat. Sophie Strand)
Ep. 161: Minnesota's Mushroom Valley - Mushroom Caves & the Unexplored Underworld (feat. Dr. Greg Brick)
Ep. 160: Osmose Studio - Biomaterials Reimagined, Mycelium Futures & Regenerative Design (feat. Ashley Granter & Aurelie Fontan)
Ep. 159: Mycorrhizal Ecology, Soil Biodiversity & Political Instability in South America (feat. Dr. César Marin)
Ep. 158: The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi - Exploring the Microscopic World in Our Forests, Homes & Bodies (feat. Dr. Keith Seifert)
Ep. 157: Psychedelic Adventures into Microscopic Mushroom Worlds (feat. Irene Antonez)
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