Gustavo, who is from Chile, has been in Viçosa since 2018, when he started his master’s degree

PhD student Gustavo Andrés Iglesias Barrera was the only representative from Minas Gerais at the workshop “The role of Fungi in the Amazonian bioeconomy”, organized by the State University of Maranhão (UEMA) and Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), through the Amazônia+10 programme, funded by the British Council. Gustavo was one of 30 researchers selected from Brazil and the UK for the meeting held in São Luís in May. The workshop brought together young researchers from various fields to exchange knowledge and debate how fungi can contribute to the sustainable development of the Amazon economy.

“For me it was an incredible experience, one of those that marks a before and after in life. I felt very honored to be there and, as a researcher still starting my career, it was very good in the sense of giving value to the research we do here at the university. I could see how important they are and how we can really help.” During the event, the group heard lectures from guest mentors, presented their own work, enjoyed various opportunities for debate and practical experiences, such as a visit to the forest to observe and collect fungi. “The exchange was excellent because we were a very diverse group. There were people from fungal taxonomy, edible mushrooms, mycotourism, genetics, biotechnology and the more agricultural side, as was my case.”

The 30 selected researchers received a grant to cover the cost of food, transportation and accommodation in São Luís. Now, after the meeting, they are continuing to develop the connections started at the workshop and are working on an article that will be published soon. “This connection between researchers was another objective of the event, so that we can continue doing research that can help with the preservation and bioeconomy of the Amazon. Through this network of connections, we can find out about new funding opportunities to boost our research.”

During the workshop, Gustavo presented the work carried out at the Microbial Ecology Laboratory, coordinated by Professor Maurício Dutra Costa. “We work with growth-promoting fungi, looking for alternatives so that they can be used for sustainable agriculture.” Gustavo’s thesis, in particular, deals with phosphate-solubilizing fungi, which can be used as biofertilizers. “These are fungi that transform forms of phosphorus that plants can’t use into forms that can be used by crops. This is of great interest to agriculture, because it enhances healthy plant growth.”

Graduated in agronomic engineering in his native Chile, Gustavo arrived at the Graduate Program in Agricultural Microbiology in 2018 to study for his master’s degree. His arrival was made possible by a program of the Organization of American States (OAS), which financed the studies of young people from all over the Americas in Brazil. “I just fell in love with Viçosa, the university and our PPG and decided to stay on for the doctorate. I went through the selection process like everyone else and got my place.” In the final stretch of his doctorate, Gustavo hopes that new opportunities will allow him to extend his stay in Brazil.

Workshop brought together 30 young researchers working in Brazil and England