Conferences  >  Life Sciences  >  Botany

European Molecular Biology Organization – EMBO

Postponed from 3.11.2020–5.11.2020

Plant-herbivore interactions have evolved in response to co-evolutionary dynamics and selection driven by abiotic conditions. The seminar will discuss the latest technological and theoretical advances aiming to unravel the evolutionary forces that determine plant-herbivore interactions, their context-dependency and potential applications to protect natural ecosystems and generate more sustainable agricultural practices. In the context of our unprecedent climate crisis, global warming is expected to affect plant interactions with beneficial and antagonistic herbivores. The GRS 2023 specifically welcomes contributions on the complexity of plant-herbivore interactions at both individual and community levels in our rapidly changing environment. Finally, in addition to the sessions dedicated to oral and poster presentations, the 2023 GRS will offer a mentoring session where young researchers will have the opportunity to discuss career planning, oriented towards academia or the private sector, with experienced researchers.

Plant-Herbivore Interactions in Action: Fundamentals to Applications

Zoology,    Biology

Plant-herbivore interactions are the conduit for energy flow from the sun to the diversity of life on the planet. Understanding the genetic and chemical mechanisms underlying these interactions inform fundamental biological principles and hold the key for solving applied problems. Recent advances show that plant-herbivore interactions are at the center of networks of diverse communities, with the macroevolution of chemical defense a driver of plant and herbivore diversity. Variability in defenses affects antagonistic and mutualistic interactions, many of which are relevant for conservation. At the same time, sensory biology of herbivores operates at different spatial scales, with consequences for the effects of plant resistance in communities and in pest management applications. With each decade we are getting closer to understanding the genetic basis of adaptation, and current work in plant-herbivore interactions is revealing surprising rules that govern evolution in ecological communities. The meeting will incorporate the interactions between plants and their vertebrate and invertebrate herbivores, including pollinators and seed dispersers, and associated microbes across wild and human dominated systems. Sessions will highlight diverse speakers with diverse approaches to stimulate discussion about paths to push the discipline forward. The 15th Gordon Research Conference on Plant-Herbivore Interactions (GRC PHI) will cover a wide range of topics, including sensory biology by plants and herbivores across scales, evolution of plant defenses, multispecies interactions, applications to pest management and climate change, and how new tools are changing our discipline.

Plant Herbivore Interactions in Action: Fundamentals to Applications

Zoology,    Biology

The conference will bring together specialists in plant biotechnology, agriculture and the food sciences to share and discuss recent advances in agrifood biotechnology. Particular emphasis will be given to integrative approaches, from ecology, plant physiology and molecular biology to food chemistry and food technology, all contributing to sustainable food production and agrifood biotechnology.

Sustainable agriculture: ecological, chemical and biotechnological approaches ; Integrative approaches to improve crop production and food quality; Fruit physiology and technology: pre- and postharvest processes; Plant biotechnology to improve human nutrition

Agronomy, Food Production and Food Chemistry,    Biotechnology

The high efficiency of the photosynthetic machinery relies on a hierarchy of processes that take place on a variety of timescales and across a diverse range of lengths within the thylakoid membrane. Also, photosynthetic organisms must often acclimate to different light quantities and qualities: they do so by activating feedback processes that, again, take places on a variety timescales and lengths. A comprehensive view of the response of photosynthetic organisms to light is crucial not only from a fundamental point of view but, also, to pinpoint which steps of photosynthesis might possibly be manipulated for better usage of sunlight in biotechnology applications. A synergistic approach between cutting-edge experimental and theoretical methods able to unravel the different timescales and lengths of photosynthesis is therefore crucial to obtain the big picture of the working principles of photosynthetic organisms.

Photosynthesis Across Multiple Scales: Reconstructing the Hierarchy of Light-Driven Processes in the Photosynthetic Membrane

This sixth PGE meeting will present a unique opportunity to meet and discuss with colleagues, get updated on the newest developments and insights in plant genome evolution, and will provide unique possibilities to network and discuss collaborations.

Domestication and Evolution of Crops; Decisive Moments and Inventions during Plant Genome Evolution; Polyploidy and Hybridization; Plant Genome Integrity; Climate Adaptation

Agronomy, Food Production and Food Chemistry,    Genomics and Bioinformatics