Fungi in Sustainable Applications and the Circular Economy: A Themed Issue Dedicated to Academician Yu Li

 Dear Colleagues,

The academic Yu Li, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Professor at Jilin Agricultural University, is a mycologist, plant pathologist, and National Poverty Alleviation Model. He was the first Chinese scientist to formally name a new myxomycete species. Over 30 years, he has made major breakthroughs in mycological research and edible mushroom industrialization. His honors include First Prize in the National Science and Technology Progress Award, Second Prize in the National Natural Science Award, and Second Prize in the National Teaching Achievement Award. In 2021, he was named a "Food Hero" by the FAO China Office. He founded mycology as a secondary discipline and established China's first undergraduate program in Mycological Science and Engineering, creating the nation's only comprehensive system offering education in mycology from vocational training to postdoctoral studies. Through decades of persistent efforts, Professor Li has combined "basic research, technological development, industrial applications, and global poverty alleviation" in a cohesive framework. His work has not only set Chinese benchmarks in mycological taxonomy but also revolutionized the use of edible mushrooms.

Yu Li is the scientist who first proposed the concept of the cyclic production of plants, animals, and fungi. Cyclic production represents an advanced agricultural production system that integrates synergistic interactions among animal husbandry, plant cultivation, and mushroom production within a closed-loop ecological framework. Meanwhile, developing economically viable, scalable, and sustainable technologies for the conversion of waste to value-added by-products (food, fuels, and materials) is widely seen as central in the global economy and a key part of a multi-pronged approach to achieving carbon neutrality.

Growing research evidence has indicated that the combined production of biofuels/materials and high amounts of fungal protein could represent an effective and environmentally friendly alternative strategy. While the fungal protein industry and its derivatives (edible oil, medicine, and materials) are greatly contributing to global economic growth in the short term, the selection of fungal species and feedstocks remains a key focus. The main topics for this Special Issue are as follows: (1) fungal protein or edible mushroom production from biomass, (2) fungal materials, (3) bioethanol and methane production from fungal pretreated biomass, and (4) spent mushroom substrate applications.

Prof. Dr. Changtian Li
Guest Editor

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