The fourth workshop of the COST Action SUSTAIN on pathogen-informed crop improvement will be held from the 8^th to the 10^th April 2015 in Wageningen, the Netherlands.

About the workshop:

The on-going sequencing of plant and pathogen genomes is revolutionizing plant pathology and is generating for the first time novel insights into the molecular and evolutionary mechanisms of pathogen virulence, necessary to efficiently breed or engineer for durable crop disease resistance. The availability of whole genome sequences has enabled progress in the identification of plant resistance and susceptibility genes, and pathogen molecules involved in evading or breaking disease resistance. By this, plant-pathogen interaction research has strongly shifted to the investigation of pathogen virulence effector proteins, their mode of action and their recognition in host plants.

The aim of this workshop is to exchange between breeders and scientists on molecular strategies in crop improvement for sustainable disease resistance and on opportunities to translate scientific results and novel insights on pathogen effectors, their host targets and their recognition by resistance proteins. Internationally leading experts from different areas of plant pathogen interaction research are invited to present their results and discuss new developments with breeders and scientists interested in translational research from companies and academia.

The following topics will be addressed:

                     Effector-breeding: promises and limitations

                     Effector diversity and host adaptation: virulence spectra

                     Durable host resistance: R and S genes

                     Exploitation of novel resistance sources and strategies

Local Organization:

-          Aska Goverse (Wageningen University, The Netherlands)

-          Bart Thomma (Wageningen University, The Netherlands)

-          Vivianne Vleeshouwers (Wageningen University, The Netherlands)

-          Susan Gabriels (Monsanto Vegetable Seeds, The Netherlands)

Scientific Committee:

-          Gregori Bonnet (Syngenta, France)

-          Susan Gabriels (Monsanto Vegetable Seeds, The Netherlands)

-          Aska Goverse, (Wageningen University, The Netherlands)

-          Beat Keller (University of Zürich, Switzerland)

-          Thomas Kroj (INRA, Montpellier, FRANCE)

-          Eva Stukenbrock (University of Kiel, Germany)

-          Bart Thomma (Wageningen University, The Netherlands)

-          Vivianne Vleeshouwers (Wageningen University, The Netherlands)

                                                         Provisional Program

How to participate:

The participation to the workshop requires pre-registration since the places for the meeting are limited. All those wishing to apply will be required to complete an online form and submit a short letter outlining their interest in the workshop or a 250-word abstract if they wish to make an oral presentation. Pre-registration for this workshop will be open until 19^th February 2015.

All applications will go through a selection process by the scientific committee and successful applicants and selected speakers will be made aware of the jury's decision by February 23^th 2015. Completing the form does NOT mean that you are allocated a place at the meeting. Please do not make any travel bookings until you have received confirmation that your application to attend the meeting has been approved.
 
A limited number of participants, i.e. early stage researchers and colleagues from inclusiveness countries, can receive reimbursement of their travel, accommodation and subsistence costs by the SUSTAIN COST grant. Request of reimbursement should be done in the online form. Decision on reimbursements will be taken by the organizing committee.

link to the pre-registration online form 

Venue and costs

The workshop will be held in the Hotel Wageningsche Berg (Wageningen, NL). Accommodation can be booked directly at the hotel for a special rate 85 euro per night after the selection procedure (limited number of rooms available). The conference package covering registration to the conference, the abstract book and other conference material, refreshments during breaks and meals during the whole duration of the workshop will cost ~130 €.

Meeting Report to the Management Committee

Article from Euphytica :http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10681-016-1696-0<http://www.springer.com/-/1/AVRe97Dl2brxj7RS3ji5>