Welcome to Halle!
We cordially invite you to the Botanik-Tagung 2024 - International Conference of the German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG), which will be held at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg on 15 - 19 September 2024.
This year’s conference is jointly organized by groups of the Biology, Biochemistry, and Agriculture Departments of Halle University, the Leibniz Institutes of Plant Biochemistry (IPB) and of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), as well as the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv). In addition, all DBG sections, DFG-funded consortia, and the German Society of Plant Nutrition (DGP) have been involved in shaping an exciting programme that spans the entire field of plant science - from proteins to ecosystems.
Nearly 30 internationally leading plenary and keynote speakers will highlight seminal current developments across different research areas. The conference motto - Growing Solutions for Growing Challenges - reflects that plant science needs to mobilize its full potential to counter existential problems of our planet. Photosynthetic organisms are the only means to sequester CO2 in large amounts, but environmental conditions in their habitats, from oceans to rainforests, are turning increasingly unfavourable.
Accelerating climate change also demands further adaptation of crops to growth constraints, which benefits from a profound mechanistic understanding of gene and protein functions, as provided by molecular and cell biological approaches in model plants. This year’s Botanik-Tagung will bridge basic and application-oriented plant research to foster the scientific exchange required to improve our fundamental understanding of plants and to translate it into resilient crops and ecosystems. Beyond the scientific programme, workshops for early career researchers will support the next generation of leading plant scientists. Childcare during the entire conference will enable parents to fully participate. During and after the conference, there will be the opportunity of excursions to experimental facilities, botanical gardens, and stunning local ecosystems.
The conference will be located in the centre of the beautiful and historic university town of Halle (Saale), also home of the German Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina. With around 20,000 students, Halle has a great variety of pubs, bars, and restaurants to socialize and to continue scientific discussions until late.
We look forward to welcoming you at an exciting Botanik-Tagung in September 2024,
Edgar Peiter
Conference Chair
