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DIVISION
OF PLANT PATHOLOGY & MICROBIOLOGY |
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Dr. Robert L. Gilbertson e-mail: rlg@ag.arizona.edu |
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| Area of Interest: Mycological systematics and floristics; wood-rotting basidiomycetes; biological diversity in world ecosystems. |
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| Research Goals:
My research concerns several aspects of the biology of wood-rotting basidiomycetes. These aspects include systematics, floristics, cultural morphology, genetics of sexuality including homogenic and heterogenic incompatibility, biochemical and ultrastructural changes in wood during decay, and the use of these fungi for commercial degradation of wood and the biological breakdown of toxic phenolic environmental pollutants. Our research on species of the genus Ganoderma has shown that several are capable of selective delignification, degrading lignin at a faster rate than they do the polysaccharide components of the wood cell wall. The most promising of these is Ganoderma colossum, a thermophilic soil inhabiting fungus of subtropical forest ecosystems. Current research with this and other species of Ganoderma is directed at determining the relation of temperature and length of exposure to delignification and rate of decay. Research on the systematics and floristics of wood-rotting fungi is directed at the urgency to elucidate biological diversity in world ecosystems. Current research in this field involves preparation of a monograph of the genus Inonotus with Dr. Leif Ryvardenflora of the University of Oslo and preparation of a flora of wood-decaying basidiomycetes of Hawaii. |
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| Selected Publications:
Gilbertson, R.L. and D. E. Hemmes. 1997. Notes on fungi on Hawaiian tree ferns. Mycotoxon 62:465-487. Bigelow, D.M., M.E. Matheron, and R. L. Gilbertson. 1996. Biology and control of Coniophora eremophila on lemon trees in Arizona. Plant Disease 80:934-939. Gilbertson, R.L. 1995. Taxonomy and nomenclature of Polyporoid Hymenochaetaceae with special reference to Phellinus weirii and related species. Proc. 43rd Ann. West Int. Forest Dis. Work Conf. p. 6-14. Alleman, B.C., B.E. Logan and R.L. Gilbertson. 1995. Degradation of pentachlorophenol by fixed films of white rot fungi in rotating tube bioreactors. Water Research 29:61-67. Adaskaveg, J.E., R.L. Gilbertson, and M.E. Dunlap. 1995. Effects of incubation time and temperature on in vitro delignification of silver leaf oak by Ganoderma colossum. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61:38-144. |
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| For further information, contact:
Dr. Robert L. Gilbertson Phone: (520)621-7212 |
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