Madurai Kamaraj University held the 53rd annual meeting of the Mycological Society of India on Wednesday. The event explored how fungi can help agriculture and human health. R. Selvarajan said, "We need to bridge academia and industry to create robust employment." Experts discussed using beneficial microbes to replace chemical pesticides.
Madurai Kamaraj University's Department of Microbial Technology-School of Biological Sciences on Wednesday held the 53rd annual meeting of Mycological Society of India alongside a national conference on 'Harnessing fungal diversity for Agriculture, Biotechnology, Industry and One Health.'
The event spotlighted the vast, untapped potential of fungi -- numbering an estimated 13.2 million species globally -- in addressing modern agricultural challenges, environmental protection, and human health.
In his inaugural address, the chief guest, R. Selvarajan, Director of ICAR-National Research Center for Banana, Tiruchi, applauded the society's tireless efforts.
Highlighting the scale of global biodiversity, he noted that out of an estimated 13.2 million fungal species worldwide, only 1.2 lakh had been identified so far, with Professor Manoharachari alone having characterised around 29,000 species.
Mr. Selvarajan pointed to the explosive growth of the global biopesticides market, which stood at $4.8 billion in 2025 and was projected to reach $10 billion by 2032.
He also illustrated the economic power of industrial mycology by citing Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Yeast), which drives the production of 1,200 crore litres of ethanol, generating an annual economic output of ₹1.9 lakh crore.
Drawing a parallel to history, he reminded the audience that while Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, it was engineers who enabled its mass production and commercial success, underscoring the urgent need to bridge academia and industry to create robust employment and viable commercial products.
He called upon the National Biodiversity Authority of India to grant fungal diversity the same level of priority traditionally accorded to plants and animals, while aligning future policy frameworks with the vision of Viksit Bharat.
Welcoming the gathering, S. Chandrasekaran, Chairperson, School of Biological Sciences, highlighted the institution's illustrious research legacy in modern biology. The school had produced four Bhatnagar Awardees, numerous INSA fellows, and 12 Vice-Chancellors for various universities across Tamil Nadu, while currently integrating contemporary research areas such as Artificial Intelligence and 3D printing technologies into biological studies.
V. Shanmugaiah, organising secretary of the conference, outlined the rich history of Mycological Society and underscored the critical need for fungal research. Beneficial fungi and microbes such as trichoderma acted as natural biopesticides, offering a vital biological defense against crop pests and paving the way for gradual phase-out of synthetic chemical pesticides.
Tracing the society's roots, Sudhakara Reddy, Professor at Thapar University and Secretary of Mycological Society, said the organisation had 750 life members. Founded by Professor C.V. Subramanian to support basic research in mycology, the society continued to strengthen academic linkages across Indian and international institutes while publishing the esteemed journal Kavaka.
The journal was officially released alongside two other academic books at the event.
Registrar S. Muthaiah lauded the School of Biological Sciences for consistently hosting high-impact conferences and underlined that mycology was directly tied to modern pest management and pressing human health issues.