Fact, Fiction & Folklore:
Fabulous Fungus!
Dr. Michael Davis
September 3, 2010
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From slimy blobs to cute little buttons, fungi come in all shapes, textures, colors and sizes. They can be deadly toxic with a just a bite or they can be life-saving medicine; used for everything from textile dyes to herbicides - fungus plays a large part in our every day lives.
Dr. Micheal Davis will give us an inside look at how important mushrooms are as integral parts of a healthy ecosystem.
We’ll examine their role in the natural world as 
pathogens of trees, decomposers of wood and as beneficial symbiotic partners with most trees in a forest. Dr. Davis will present the mushrooms of coastal forests, the Sierra Nevada, deserts, and urban areas.
Learn about edible and poisonous species and discuss why some fungi species are considered the largest organisms on earth. We’ll take a special look at species of California and especially those found in Placer County and surrounding areas.
About Dr. Michael Davis
Dr. Michael Davis is a Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and a Cooperative Extension Specialist at UC Davis.
The Davis lab studies the epidemiology and control of diseases of vegetable and field crops, especially those caused by fungal and bacterial pathogens. Diseases of carrots, corn, cotton, cucurbits, garlic, onion, potatoes, and tomatoes are emphasized. Dr. Davis is involved in many collaborative projects, which recently include:
- Epidemiology of bacterial diseases in potato with the support of the California Potato Research Advisory Board
- Management of fusarium wilt of cotton, funded in part by Cotton, Inc and ANR
- Management of soilborne diseases of carrot and potato with the support of the EPA
- Biological control of white rot in onion and garlic with the support of the California Garlic and Onion Research Advisory Board
In addition, Dr. Davis is the UC liaison officer for the California Leafy Greens board.
Thanks to Our 2010-2011 Supporters!
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Further Reading
- Read our mushroom blog post by intern Kaylen Wade:
Fairy Rings, Puffballs and Smurfs - Fabulous Fungus
- Visit The Fungi of California
- Listen to the recording of Dr. Davis on Insight on Capital Public Radio, from August 30th!
- Interested in mushrooming (Going on a foray to hunt mushrooms)? Or learning more? Join a Mushroom Club! www.mssf.org/