Lefteris Lahouvaris

Agronomist, mycologist
Born 18/04/1969, married, 3 children.

Higher education studies in the Agricultural University of Athens. Diploma thesis carried out in the Laboratory of General & Agricultural Microbiology in the field of genetics of “coremia-forming” Pleurotus species (supervisors Professor C. Balis and Dr. G. Zervakis).

 

 

Present position

Co-Owner of the “Dirfis Mushrooms” company since 2003. Weekly production; 120tns incubated and 120tns spawned substrate in blocks of 18Kg. Monthly production of 15tns of fresh exotic mushrooms. Harvesting of wild Greek mushrooms; processing, packing, labeling of wild mushrooms (Boletus spp., Cantharellus spp., Morchella spp. etc).

 


Practical experience in the following companies

Cyanamid Hellas S. A (3 months in R&D dept. ). 1994.
Champignonkulturen Dietramzell Lutjenseer (3 months in Agaricus growing). 1992.
Lutjenseer Champignonkulturen Dietramzeller (3 months loader driver in compost yard and casing preparation). 1991.

 

Business experience

From Jan. 1996 to Dec. 1996: Participation in planning-supervising the construction project of the “Hellenic Mushroom Farm S.A.” (21 rooms of 357m2, fancom 765 control system, 4 indoor, 2 pasteurization and 6 incubation tunnels, conserve line, laboratory).
From Oct. 1996 until July 2003: Production Manager (growing, packaging & Q.C. dept.). Annual production of 1000 tons of fresh Agaricus mushrooms.
From 1999 to July 2003: Involved also in Pleurotus mushroom cultivation.

Some visits and activities in abroad:
1. Middlebrook Mushroom Ltd, Bristol. UK. (1995).
2. Horticulture Research Institute, Wellesbourne, UK. (1995).
3. Lesage Kompost, St Louis, Belgium. (1996).
4. Mushroom Experimental Station, Horst, Holland. (1996).
5. Christiaens Agro industries Group, Horst, Holland. ( 1996).
6. Teween Kompost, Holland.(1997).
7. Fancom Agro computer, Holland. (Απρ. 1997).
8. Fungi del Montello, και Italspawn, Italy. (Φεβ. 1998).
9. Campden Chloreywood Food Research Association.Chipping Campden, UK.(1998).Seminar «Mushrooms Quality control ».
10. Keijers Champignons B.V. και Euroveen BVB Holland. (2000).

 

Other Qualifications

Participation in international (Oxford 1996, Maastrich 2000) and national mycological congresses (publications in the proceedings).


Some indicative publications in English and Greek: 

• Lachouvaris E., Balis C., Zervakis G.(1995). Effect of enviromental factors on the germination of Pleurotus cystidiosus basidiospores. In the Sc. and Cult. οf Edible Fungi, pp. 833-841. Edited by Elliott, A. Balkerma, Rotterdam.
• P.Diamantopoulou, A.Philippoussis, E.Lahouvaris, G.Parissopoulos (2000). The effect of calcium chloride irrigation on quality and yield of Agaricus bisporus. Ιn the Science and Cultivation of Edible Fungi, pp. 475-481. Van Griensven (ed.) 2000 Balkema, Rotterdam, ISBN 90 5809 143 0.
• Karahalios S., Papadoulis G., Lahouvaris E. (2000). Investigation on mites associated with the cultivation of Agaricus bisporus in Greece. Poster presentation
1. Λαχουβάρης Ε. (1994). Συμβολή στη διαλεύκανση των ταξινομικών σχέσεων μυκήτων του υπογένους Coremiopleurotus. Πτυχιακή μελέτη ΓΠΑ.
2. Lachouvaris E., Balis C., Zervakis G.(1995). Effect of enviromental factors on the germination of Pleurotus cystidiosus basidiospores. In the Sc. and Cult. οf Edible Fungi, pp. 833-841. Edited by Elliott, A. Balkerma, Rotterdam.
3. Σέρβης Δ., Μόσχος Θ., Λαχουβάρης Ε., Μπρούμας Θ. (1995). Συμβολή του νέου ρυθμιστή ανάπτυξης εντόμων (IGR) CASCADE 10DS (flufenoxuron) στη Καταπολέμηση της ευδεμίδας της αμπέλου, Lobesia botrana Den Schiff. *1
4. P.Diamantopoulou, A.Philippoussis, L.Lahouvaris, G.Parissopoulos (2000). The effect of calcium chloride irrigation on quality and yield of Agaricus bisporus. Ιn the Science and Cultivation of Edible Fungi, pp. 475-481. Van Griensven (ed.) 2000 Balkema, Rotterdam, ISBN 90 5809 143 0.
5. Karahalios S., Papadoulis G., Lahouvaris E.(2000). Investigation on mites associated with the cultivation of Agaricus bisporus in Greece. Poster presentation.
Karachalios, S. A.; E. Lahouvaris and G. Papadoulis. 2000. Investigation on microarthropods associated with the cultivation of the commercial mushrooms Αgaricus bisporus (Lang.) in Greece. 15th International Congress on the Science and Cultivation of Edible Fungi. Maastricht, Netherlands.
6. Ε. Λαχουβάρης . “Mανιτάρια τα παιχνίδια της Φύσης”: Περιοδικό «Οξυγόνο» σελ. 88-96, τεύχος 14, Μάρτιος 2000.
7. Λαχουβάρης Ε., Ζερβάκης, Γ., Φιλιππούσης, Α. και Δήμου, Δ. Οι κυριώτερες ασθένειες της εμπορικής καλλιέργειας του λευκού μανιταριού Agaricus bisporus στην Ελλάδα. Εικονογραφημένη παρουσίαση.*2
8. Δήμου, Δ., Λαχουβάρης, Ε. και Ζερβάκης, Γ. Νέες καταγραφές μακρομυκήτων στην Ελλάδα. Εικονογραφημένη παρουσίαση.*2
9. Ζερβάκης, Γ., Κάτσαρης, Π., Πολέμης, Η.μ Ιωαννίδου, Σ., Λαχουβάρης, Ε. και Φιλιππούσης, Α. Προαιρετικά βιοτροφικός βασιδιομύκητας παράγει εξαιρετικής ποιότητας εδώδιμες καρποφορίες. Εικονογραφημένη παρουσίαση *2.
10. Zervakis G, Katsaris P, Ioannidou S, Lahouvaris E, Phillippoussis A (2001a) Facultative biotrophic Basidi-omycetes produce high-quality edible mushrooms. Phytopathol. Mediterr. 40:179-213.

11. Ε. Λαχουβάρης, Γ. Ζερβάκης. Μανιτάρια: το «ήξεις αφίξεις» της φύσης στο πιάτο μας. Εφημερίδα ΗΠΕΙΡΟΣ σελ13, 1/11/02.

12. Ε. Λαχουβάρης, Α. Μαστρογιάννης. Σύγχρονες τεχνικές καλλιέργειας μανιταριών και αξιοποίησης υπολειμμάτων. MarketAgri σελ.65-69, 3/2002.
14. Philipopoussis, A., Zervakis, G., Diamantopoulou, P., Lahouvaris, E., Mastrogiannis A., Kletsas, D., and Israilides, C. recent advances in the applied research, human health related properties and commercial cultivation of selected medicinal mushrooms grown in Greece. • Fourth International Medicinal Mushroom Conference (September, 2007, Slovenia)
15. Ε. Λαχουβάρης, Α. Μαστρογιάννης, Ζερβάκης Γ. Πρωτοποριακές εφαρμογές παραπροϊόντων ελαιουργίας στη μανιταροκαλλιέργεια. Η χρήση του πυρηνόξυλου ως υποστρώματος καλλιέργειας πλευρότους.. περιοδικό γεωργία κτηνοτροφία σελ. 26-27, Τεύχος 8/2007.
16. Ε. Λαχουβάρης, Α. Μαστρογιάννης, «Η μανιταροκαλλιέργεια ως καινοτόμος δράση και το μανιτάρι ως καινοτόμο προιόν» , περιοδικό Ζωοκόμος , σελ.49-53, Τευχος 9 Μάιος 2011.
17. Zervakis G. I., Koutrotsios G., Bekiaris G., Fryssouli V., Lahouvaris E., Mastroyiannis A. & Polemis E.: The genus Pleurotus (Fr.) P. Kumm. (Pleurotaceae, Basidiomycota) in Greece – Distribution, ecology and exploitation potential. XVI Optima 2019.
18. Effect of sunlight on bioactive constituents and vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) of cultivated Pleurotus ostreatus mushrooms.
Kolonitsiou, C.1, Plyta M.1, Kaliora A.C.1, Koutrotsios G.2, Lahouvaris E.,Zervakis G.I.2, Kalogeropoulos N.*1. Μικροβιοκοσμος, Απρίλιος 2017.

Publications concerning mushrooms in Greek agricultural magazines and newspapers.
Founding member of the Hellenic Solid Waste Management Association (HSWMA).
Recording of fungi in Epirus area and Evia island (herbarium, cd-rom , Dvd creation). Greek T.V. channels presentations and interviews.
Participation as scientific collaborator in national (Greek General Secretariat of Research and Technology: PAVET SYN 1996, RETEX 1999, EPAN-FP66) and international scientific projects (EU: Recoveg 2002, Improlive 2002).

 

 

Research Programms

MUSHFEED

START 24/5/2018

END 24/05/2021

The collaboration agreement for the implementation of the largest research program in mushrooms in Greece just signed


3 research Bodies (i.e. Agricultural University of Athens, Harokopeion University and National Research Foundation) and DIRFIS MUSHROOMS Co. (Manitaria Dirfis) are signed collaborating agreement for the implementation of the largest research program in Greecewhich concerns the development of a polyvalent functional mushroom food.

 

AGROWASTE FOR NUTRITIOUS MUSHROOMS

START 25/07/2018

END 24/10/2021

The collaboration agreement for the implementation of the largest research program in mushrooms in Greece just signed.
3 research Bodies (i.e. Agricultural University of Athens, Harokopeion University and National Research Foundation) and DIRFIS MUSHROOMS Co. (Manitaria Dirfis) are signed collaborating agreement for the implementation of the largest research program in Greecewhich concerns the development of a polyvalent functional mushroom food.

Among its principal innovative features is that it could provide -through its fine organoleptic properties and attractiveness to a wide range of consumers- a large part of the recommended daily intake of vitamin D as well as significant quantities of β-glucans, essential aminoacids and antioxidants.
To arrive at the anticipated result, several wild Pleurotus ostreatus and P. eryngii strains (originating from various Greek habitats since it of priority to exploit the potential of the “hidden” national biodiversity).

A clinical trial on 70 volunteers with high body mass index will follow for elucidating its beneficial effects on the regulation of cardiometabolic indexes (inflammation and oxidation stress) and in the increase of vitamin D in blood serum.
Budget: 798.961euro Co-financed by the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operation Program Competiviness,Entepreneurship and innovation, under the call RESEARCH-CREATE- INNOVATE, project code: Τ1ΕΔΚ-02560

  1. RECOVEG

Title: «Recycling Horticultural Wastes to Produce Pathogen Suppressant Composts for Sustainable Vegetable Crop Production»