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My interest in orchids was sparked over 40 years ago. When I stepped out of the forest onto a Lech river heath, there stood a group of the "Emerald Orchid" (Orchis morio, now known as Anacamptis morio/Herorchis morio). Since that moment, I have been fascinated by these plants. When I found initial information about our native orchids in books, my desire to learn more about their ecology grew – especially about their unique symbiosis with root fungi, the so-called orchid mycorrhiza.

Academic education and qualifications:

Years 1981-1985

Diploma in Horticulture and Landscape Construction


at the Technical University of Munich-Weihenstephan. Diploma thesis: “Mycorrhizal fungi of orchids: Isolation of the symbiont and in vitro synthesis.”

Years 1985-1988

PhD, TU Munich-Weihenstephan


Topic: "Mycorrhizal synthesis in orchids of the genus Dactylorhiza".

1988 Course on the supervision of trainees in horticulture

Years 1989 – 1993

Feodor Lynen Fellowship of the Alexander-von-Humboldt Foundation, Adelaide, Australia

Projekt:“Biochemical characterisation of mutualistic and parasitic interactions between orchids and mycorrhizal fungi“ (funded by Australian Research Council, Dr. S.E. Smith). Am Waite Agricultural Research Institute, Agricultural Biochemistry Department and Department of Soil Science

Year 1994

Start-up of Myorchids


In 1994, I started my own business in Augsburg with Myorchids, a small horticultural company specializing in terrestrial orchids.

Years 1989-2025

International conferences and lectures


1989: 3rd Asia Pacific Orchid Conference, Adelaide.
1990: 4th International Mycological Congress, IMC 4 Regensburg.
1990: 13th World Orchid Conference, Auckland.
1991: Perth, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Dr. Kingsley Dixon.
1992: The International Symposium on Management of Mycorrhizas, Perth.
1991: Australian National Botanic Gardens, Dr. David Jones, Canberra. 1996: Third Australasian Native Orchid Conference, Adelaide. 1997: European Orchid Congress, Genova. 2000: Forth Australasian Native Orchid Conference, Melbourne.
2025: NOSSA Members Meeting October 2025, Adelaide.

Consultations:


Native Orchid Society of South Australia: Identification of a viral disease in native orchids.
McDowell Flower Trading Ltd: Identification of Botrytis cinerea as the cause of disease in cut Phaleonopsis flowers.
From 1994 to 2001: Hiller Jungpflanzen KG: Dactylorhiza hybrids as garden plants

Student supervision:


*1988 Soil fungi and other germination-promoting factors for difficult-to-germinate European orchids. (Diploma thesis, Technical University of Munich-Weihenstephan).
*1991 Tissue culture of vanilla and effects of glyphosate on orchid mycorrhiza. Honours degree student. (Project, University of Adelaide).
*1992 Tissue culture of orchids and conservation of soil fungi. High school student for work experience (project, University of Adelaide).
*1993 Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity and defense reactions in protocorms of Orchis morio during colonization with mycorrhizal fungi. Honours degree student (University of Adelaide Project).

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