This Symposium brings together leading researchers whose work considers how plant life is impacted by microbes at all levels. The Symposium showcases research spanning the complete scope of New Phytologist: from how plant evolution and adaptation is impacted by microbes to the role of microbes in plant physiology and development, and from the influence of microbes in plant–environment functions to the use of microbes in transformative plant biotechnology, we explore all facets of the complex plant–microbe world.
We are delighted to bring this meeting to the University of Tartu, home institution of New Phytologist’s new Editor-in-Chief Maarja Öpik, which has a rich history in plant ecology and in plant mycorrhizal ecology, in particular. We encourage participants from the local region and beyond, and early career researchers are particularly welcome.
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Programme
Day 1 | Tuesday 8 July |
From 12 noon | Registration and lunch Poster presenters should put up their posters during this time |
13:30
| Welcome Maarja Öpik, New Phytologist Editor-in-Chief Keith Lindsey, Chair of the New Phytologist Foundation David Read, University of Sheffield |
14:00
| Keith Lindsey, Durham University, UK |
14:30
| Karol Gad, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Germany |
14:45
| Yingqi Zhang, Northwest A&F University, China 1.3 Symbiont fungal effector SIE141 reprograms plant stress responses via targeting thioredoxin-like CDSP32 |
15:00
| Kalle Olli, Estonian University of Life Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia 1.5 Decadal trends in phytoplankton community composition and seasonality |
15:30 | Coffee break |
16:00 | Publishing panel discussion In this session, we will explore publishing your work with insights from researchers and editors representing leading journals. Panellists include Chris Surridge, David Johnson, Maarja Öpik, Mari Moora and Marina Semchenko |
17:00
| Claire Moulton-Brown, University of Edinburgh, UK 1.6 Fight Fungus with Fungus: Enhancing barley's defence against Puccinia hordei through arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation |
17:15
| Pooja Sharma, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Germany 1.7 Microbial contributions to metal accumulation in sunflower cultivated under climate changes |
17:30 – 19:00 | Poster session with drinks reception |
19:00 | Close of day 1 |
Day 2 | Wednesday 9 July |
08:55 | Morning announcements |
09:00
| Michał Bogdziewicz, Forest Biology Center, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland |
09:30
| Lorinda Bullington, MPG Ranch, USA |
09:45
| David Johnson, Lancaster University, UK |
10:00
| Ivika Ostonen, University of Tartu, Estonia 2.4 Back to the roots: belowground biomass as a primary carbon source for soil microbes |
10:30 | Coffee break |
11:00 | Policy panel discussion In this session we will explore the policy landscape from the perspective of journals, funders and researchers. Panellists include Katie Field, Keith Lindsey and Indrek Heinla |
12:00
| Petr Kohout, Institute of Microbiology, CAS, Czechia 2.5 Harnessing global databases to understand fungal ecology: lessons from GlobalFungi and GlobalAMFungi |
12:30 | Lunch |
13:30
| Zigmunds Orlovskis, BMC, Latvia |
14:00
| Ylva Lekberg, MPG Ranch, University of Montana, USA |
14:15
| Oscar Zarate Martinez, University of Tartu, Estonia |
14:30
| Asko Noormets, Texas A&M University, USA |
15:00 | Group Photo |
15:10 | Coffee break |
15:30
| Helena Vallicrosa, EPFL, WSL Switzerland |
15:45
| Chahira Zerouki, Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, University of Eastern Finland, Finland |
16:00 | AI workshop (small groups) In this session we will consider the topic of AI, including a small-group exercise followed by a wider group discussion that will explore the challenges and opportunities that AI brings to the world of scientific research and publishing |
17:00 | AI group discussion |
17:30 | Poster session |
18:30 | Close of day 2 |
19:00 | Symposium dinner – pre-dinner drinks from 19:00, dinner will be served at approximately 19:30 |
Day 3 | Thursday 10 July |
08:55 | Morning announcements |
09:00
| Marina Semchenko, University of Tartu, Estonia 4.1 Growing old together: how grassland age and local adaptation shape plant—microbial interactions |
09:30
| Monica Jamla, Savitribai Phule Pune University, India 4.2 Metabolite profiling and bioactivity of endophytic fungi from Piper longum and Zingiber officinale |
09:45
| Ahmed Abdelfattah, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy ATB, Germany |
10:00
| Lana Bolin, University of New Mexico, USA 4.4 Soil microbes influence the ecology and evolution of plant plasticity |
10:15
| Meelis Pärtel, University of Tartu, Estonia 4.5 Observed and dark diversity of plants linked to microbes and humans |
10:45 | Coffee break |
11:15
| Katie Field, University of Shefield, UK |
11:45
| Wei Fu, State Key Laboratory of Regional and Urban Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China |
12:00
| Adam Frew, Western Sydney University, Australia 4.8 From data to diversity: exploring Australia’s AM fungal communities through AusAMF |
12:15
| Vincent Merckx, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands |
12:30
| Maarja Öpik |
13:00 | Closing remarks and awards |
13:30 | Close of Symposium |
13:30 – 14:30 | Lunch |
News
Poster prizes at Microbes as hidden or prominent players in plant life
Congratulations to the winner, runner up, and five honourable mentions
The New Phytologist Foundation is pleased to have awarded travel grants to the following delegates to support their attendance at the Symposium.
Mili Barceló, Hasselt University, Belgium
Lana Bolin, University of New Mexico, USA
Emmanuel Iwuala, Universitee Catholic de Louvain, Belgium
Monica Jamla SP Pune University, India
Panji Mawarda, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, The Netherlands
Itumeleng Moroenyane, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Pooja Sharma, UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
Prashant Singh, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), India
Paul Abayomi Sobowale Soremi, Federal University of Agric. Abeokuta, Nigeria
Arpad Erik Thoma, Martin-Luther-University (Halle), Germany
Helena Vallicrosa, EPFL & WSL, Switzerland
Natascha Weinberger, Western Sydney University, Australia
Yingqi Zhang, Northwest A&F University, China