My interest in orchids started 20 years ago, in the year 1982. It is just a fact, I stepped out of the forest on a reserve by the river Lech close to my home in southern Bavaria and looked on a patch of Anacamptis (Orchis) morio. Since that moment, I was caught by these plants. As I obtained some information, I decided to learn more about its ecology, especially abouts its symbiosis with soil fungi, called orchid mycorrhiza.

 Dr. Heinrich Beyrle

Present Address:   86316 Friedberg, Germany,

  ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:

 M.Sc. 1981-1985 Technical University of Munich  at Weihenstephan  M.Sc. degree. Thesis: "Mycorrhizal fungi from orchids: Isolation of the symbiont and in vitro synthesis"

 Ph.D.  1985-1988  Technical University of Munich at Weihenstephan  Ph.D. degree. Thesis: "Mycorrhizal synthesis in orchids in the genus Dactylorhiza"

1988 Course for supervision and teaching of apprentices in horticulture.

 Awards: 1989 - 1992  Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung  Feodor Lynen-Fellowship

Post-doctoral experience:   1989-1993  Waite Agricultural Research Institute, Agricultural Biochemistry Department and Department of Soil Science Project: "Biochemical characterisation of mutualistic and parasitic interactions between orchids and mycorrhizal fungi". (funded by Australian Research Council, Dr. S.E. Smith)

 Supervision of students: 1988 University of Munich Project: Soil fungi and other   germination enhancing factors for hard to germinate European orchids. M.Sc. student. 1991 University of Adelaide Project: Tissue culture of Vanilla and effect of glyphosate on orchid mycorrhizal interactions. Honours degree student. 1992 University of Adelaide Project: Tissue culture of orchids and maintenance of soil fungi. High school student for work experience. 1993 University of Adelaide Project: Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity and defence responses in   protocorms of Orchis morio during the colonisation by a mycorrhizal fungus. Honours degree student.

Consultancies: Native Orchid Society of South Australia: Determination of virus disease in a native orchid. Mc Dowell Flower Trading Ltd: Identification of Botrytis cinerea as cause of disease in cut flowers of Phaleonopsis. From 1994 to 2001: Hiller Jungpflanzen KG: Dactylorhiza-hybrids as gardenplants.

International Conferences and professional visits:  3rd Asia Pacific Orchid Conference, Adelaide 1989. 4th International Mycological Congress, IMC4 Regensburg 1990. 13th World Orchid Conference, Auckland 1990. Perth, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Dr. Kingsley Dixon, 1991. The International Symposium on Management of Mycorrhizas, Perth 1992. Australian National Botanic Gardens, Dr. David Jones, Canberra,1991. Third Australasian Native Orchid Conference, Adelaide, 1996. European Orchid Congress, Genova, 1997. Forth Australasian Native Orchid Conference, Melbourne, 2000.