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IPG 30th Annual Symposium - Root Biology



The 30th Annual Interdisciplinary Plant Group Symposium "Root Biology", the third in a series on root biology, was held May 29 - 31, 2013 in the Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia, MO. This year's symposium brought together 225 attendees from across the globe discuss discoveries and research in root biology. The symposium was organized around four major themes; Root Development, Abiotic Interactions, Biotic Interactions, and Nutrition. The sessions featured 23 invited speakers as well as five invited poster talks.

Jianhua Zhang from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, a Chancellor’s Distinguished Visitor, opened the symposium with a presentation titled, "China's Food Security is Threatened by the Unsustainable Use of Water Resources in North and Northwest China". Dr. Philip Benfey from Duke University then delivered the opening keynote on "A Systems Approach to Improved Root Traits".

This years symposium also included an evening keynote, which was open to the public, featuring Dr. John Kirkegaard from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) presented "From Canola Roots to Curbing Cancer - A Fascinating Journey into Brassica's Beneficial Bioactives".

In addition to session talks, the symposium provided networking opportunities through a dinner with the speakers, exclusive for students and postdocs, and receptions and poster sessions on Wednesday and Thursday featuring nearly 80 posters.

The 31tst Annual Interdisciplinary Plant Group Symposium, "Plant Protein Phosphorylation" will be held May 28 - 30, 2013. More information on the 2013 Symposium can be found at www.ipg.missouri.edu/symposium

The IPG would like to thank the sponsors and exhibitors of the symposium who helped make the symposium a success:

  • US Department of Agriculture
  • Monsanto Company
  • Dow AgroScience
  • Pioneer
  • New Phytologist
  • Development Dynamics
  • Biochemical Journal
  • Conviron
  • Logemann
  • CID Bio-Sciences
  • University of Missouri’s Chancellor’s Distinguished Visitors Program
  • University of Missouri Mizzou ADVANTAGE Program
  • University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
  • Missouri Wine and Grape Board