Italy: ISHS Brassica 2012 Symposium

On behalf of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), the Department of Agricultural and Food Science of University of Catania is pleased to invite scientists, professionals and business representatives with an interest in Brassicas to attend the ISHS Brassica 2012 Symposium.

Brassicas are widely grown around the world for many uses, as popular vegetable crops, oil production, and fodder, and their use is increasingly expanding to novel applications including nutraceutical, bioenergy, and biofumigation, among other uses. There has been an increased interest in several species belonging to the Brassicaceae family and many researchers around the world are now exploiting Brassica genome information for crop development and improvement. The growth of genetic and genomic resources is supporting the improvement and diversification of traditional Brassica crops, with applications for specific traits as well as exploiting new species that can be introduced as novel crops.

The world economic crisis require new solutions for building up a sustainable new economy and in this sense brassicas could offer several options for processing and produce innovation by its large diversity.

The convener, Prof. Ferdinando Branca, says: "When I accepted to organize the ISHS Brassica 2012 Symposium I was sure Sicily would have been a great location to invite researchers involved in brassicas to discuss how to exploit the great diversity found around the world in general and in our islands in particular. The Brassicaceae diversity expressed in Sicily has recently interested researchers because it represents an important area of domestication in the Mediterranean region expressing a crucial primary gene pool".

"I cordially invite all researchers dedicated to the exploitation of Brassicaceae genetic diversity to improve agricultural chains to actively attend the 6th International Symposium on Brassica and 18th Crucifer Genetic Workshop that will be held in Catania (Sicily) from 12th to 16th of November 2012. The historical, naturalistic, social and gastronomic aspects of Sicily will provide an interesting backdrop for discussions and debate towards individuating, delineating and consolidating new research directions for future agriculture innovation. You are sincerely welcome and we look forward to your participation".

The Symposium will be held in the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 100, Catania (Italy) - www.fagr.unict.it

Click here to download the "Brassica 2012 - General Info" document (.pdf file).

Further info:
Prof. Ferdinando Branca
The Convener - Chair of the Organizing Committee
Tel.: (+39) 095 355079
Fax: (+39) 095 234329
Email: [email protected]

General info:
[email protected]
www.brassica2012.it