NATIONAL COLLECTION OF FUNGI (NCF)

 

​​​​​The South African National Collection of Fungi (NCF) is comprised of two major components, namely a Dried Herbarium Collection and a Live Culture Collection. The culture collection and associated herbarium holdings are registered with the World Federation for Culture Collections' World Data Center on Micro-organisms and the International Association of Plant Taxonomists' Index Herbariorum under the acronyms PPRI and PREM respectively. The goal of the South African National Collection of Fungi is to provide fundamental support for basic and applied research on the fungal diversity in South Africa. It also provides invaluable support for taxonomic research on, and diagnosis of fungal pathogens. Key activities pertaining to the National Collection of Fungi, from 1772 to 2009, have been summarised and are available here .

DRIED HERBARIUM COLLECTION (PREM)

This collection is denoted by the international acronym PREM, which refers to the city in which the collection is situated, i.e Pretoria (PRE), and M identifying the collection as mycological. PREM was established in 1905 with the appointment of the first South African plant pathologist, Dr Pole Evans, in the newly established Transvaal Department of Agriculture. His successor, Dr Ethel M. Doidge, made a huge contribution towards the development and expansion of the collection and is best known for her work on the South African fungi and lichens published in Bothalia Vol. 5. Background information and historical facts regarding the collection were published by Isabel Rong & A. Baxter in 2006 (Studies in Mycology 55: 1-12). PREM celebrated its 100th birthday in 2005; in recognition of this, all contributions published in the 2006 volume of the Studies in Mycology, deal with South African fungi only.

The collection, mainly developed through various surveys undertaken over the past 116 years houses material from all continents. Numerous specimens from international, and other South African collections have been received and most have been incorporated into PREM. Sixty three thousand specimens, including 4 000 type specimens, are housed in this collection, of which approximately 20 000 are exotic and which include donated, duplicate specimens from collections of renowned European mycologists, such as Gotlob L. Rabenhorst. A list of these donated collections is available, as well as a record of specimens received from the Stephens collection. Electronic capturing of all specimen data is in progress.

Microbiologists are encouraged to deposit material in the National Collections of Fungi's PPRI and PREM collections. Depositors are requested to follow the relevant guidelines on the deposition of material.

LIVE CULTURE COLLECTION (PHP)

This collection was started as a research collection in 1981 by Dr Cecile Roux to accommodate the strains of her study on Pithomyces chartarum, a pathogen of rice and sorghum, and responsible for facial eczema in sheep. Since its establishment, this collection has served as a general research resource for the isolation, collection, preservation and distribution of fungal strains. Basic research associated with the collection includes fungal systematics and methodology for fungal cryo-preservation.

​The collection is affiliated with the World Federation of Culture Collections and houses ca. 29 000 cultures, including numerous important plant-pathogenic and mycotoxigenic genera isolated from various mono-cultural crops and natural ecosystems in South Africa.

Live fungal cultures, mostly isolated from plant material, are preserved under water and oil, as well as under cryo-preservation. Some cultures are also freeze-dried. All records are kept in an electronic database (please contact the curator for a list of available strains) and catalogue books. Cultures are for sale; please contact the curator for a quote. Once accessioned, cultures are given a unique PPRI number for publishing purposes.

All publications, including or referring to strains obtained from the collection should acknowledge the National Collection of Fungi and state the PPRI accession numbers of these strains when referred to in scientific literature.

PHP public collection:

Strains deposited in the PPRI public collection are maintained and preserved to the highest standards, according to well-recognised preservation methods. However, preservation of strains is not guaranteed by the NCF. Deposits are free of charge and depositors are entitled to receive their first requests for strains free of charge. A deposit form  requesting basic collection data should be completed and supplied with all cultures. Strains from the PPRI public collection are available to the public and research institutes, subject to a material transfer agreement, for research purposes only.

PHP reserved collection:

Strains deposited in the PPRI-reserved collection are maintained and preserved to the highest standards, according to well-recognised preservation methods. The NCF guarantees restricted access to strains of cultures maintained in this collection on behalf of clients. Reserved strains will not be made available to the general public or other researchers for the duration of the reservation period. The maintenance of these strains does however form part of the routine maintenance regime followed in the public collection and a fee will therefore be charged for the duration of the reservation period.

Deposition of material in the National Collection of Fungi

Deposition of the following types of material into the National Collection of Fungi's PHP and PREM collections is encouraged: 

• Material collected within the borders of South Africa, in accordance with Act No. 10 of 2004: National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 regulations

• Strains used in published studies

• Voucher and reference specimens for the PREM fungorium.

• Strains that have been studied extensively for metabolites or other properties

Depositors may reserve the right to limit re-distribution of any culture deposited with PHP for a specified period of time upon consultation with the curator. Depositors may receive subcultures of their own cultures at any time.

Strains that represent, or may represent, either new species or other new taxa should be sent to the NCF prior to publication to ensure allocation of a unique PREM and/or PHP number to be cited in any subsequent publications. Authors of strains of living cultures may request reservation (restriction of use) when depositing such strains in the collection, which will be unavailable for use by anybody else. Reservation is guaranteed and strictly enforced.

The institute is always grateful to receive reprints of publications arising from work on its specimens.

When submitting cultures and/or specimens, it is important to include as much of the following information as possible:

1. ​Valid permits or PICs of landowners. 

2. Scientific name (and taxonomic authority) of the fungus. 

3. Common and scientific name (with taxonomic authority) of the host. 

4. Order and family of the host. 

5. Date and site of collection. 

6. Name of collector. 

7. Date and name of isolator. 

8. Any collection, accession or other reference number(s) assigned by the collector or sender. 

9. Medium on which a culture is submitted. 

10. Any special requirements or conditions for growth (such as medium, temperature, pH), as indicated on the deposit form.

A​ll material deposited must be accompanied by a PHP/PREM collection data form.

Enquiries:  (PHP): Mrs Grace Kwinda /  (PREM): Dr Adriaana Jacobs-Venter

Kinds of material that may be deposited

• PHP

The NCF accepts fungal strains that can be maintained with routine laboratory techniques without significant modification during storage in ultralow temperature, freeze drying or on agar slants. Strains requiring special cultural conditions may be accepted under special conditions and are subject to additional fees (on request).

If cultures are considered to be hazardous (e.g. new quarantine species, new plant disease or species of economic importance), the curator should be contacted before sending the strains. We do not accept human or animal pathogens.

• PREM

Dried fungorium material i.e. fungal cultures or host material that represents a specific species, first report, etc. should be deposited according to the guidelines provided in the PREM material deposit protocol. Depositors are requested to deposit ample material for future evaluation.

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Administrative and technical requirements and procedures

• Requirements to be met by the depositor (PREM & PHP)

The depositor is required to complete the supplied deposit form. The depositor must inform the curator timeously in the event of a later indication or amendment of a scientific description and/or proposed taxonomic designation.

• Format and quantity (PHP)

Fungi submitted for deposit as agar slants are preferred. A minimum number of two replicates should be supplied. No culture will be accepted without full collection data.

• Time required for viability testing (PHP)

The average period required for testing viability is three weeks; occasionally viability testing may take longer, particularly if specialised media are required.

• Checking and supplementing of stocks by the depositor (PHP)

The depositor may be asked to check the authenticity of the deposited strains after sub-culturing. New batches of cultures are prepared whenever it is necessary to supplement diminishing stocks.

• General (PREM & PHP​)

The preferred language for correspondence is English.

The NCF does not enter into any written contract with the depositor defining the liabilities of either party but, by signing the deposit form, the depositor surrenders any right to withdraw his deposit during the storage period.

Certain micro-organisms are subject to import and/or quarantine regulations. The depositor should contact the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to obtain the necessary information and forms.

Curator: Dr Adriaana Jacobs-Venter

Types of samples

Large specimens (e.g. mushrooms and bracket fungi): May be submitted fresh or dried and sent in paper bags or envelopes.  The specimen must be removed from the substratum without damage to its stem or attachment point.  Soft tissue may be cut into smaller parts and dried.  Notes should be made of any feature that is likely to change as the specimen dries, e.g. colour, form, type of surface, whether the specimen 'bleeds' when cut or changes colour (bruises) when it is crushed or pressed. A spore print on white and black paper will facilitate identification.

Enquiries: Dr Adriaana Jacobs-Venter