Phytobiomes Alliance Newsletter – April 2022

14 April, 2022 News, Newsletter

Projects and Activities

Genome Sequence-Based Classification System for Microbes (funded by the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service – APHIS).

The Alliance-coordinated project began in August 2019 and focused on the select agent Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs). In this project, a classification system based on whole genome sequences was used to precisely identify microbes and conclusively distinguish between Rs strains of high impact and biosecurity concern and those that are not. The project was completed in August 2021. Manuscripts are currently in preparation. Project page

A new project proposal was recently approved for funding by USDA-APHIS to complement and extend results from the phenotypic and genomic research obtained in the recently completed project. The purpose of this new project is to precisely circumscribe the authentically threatening Rs strains that are highly aggressive on potato at cool temperatures using a combination of phenotypic assays and bioinformatics to develop diagnostic markers that reliably and specifically identify these threatening strains.

United States Culture Collection network (funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation – NSF)

The Alliance was awarded a five-year grant from NSF to administer phase two of the United States Culture Collection Network (USCCN). The project will operate from April 2022 to March 2027.
The USCCN brings together scientists working with laboratory-based collections of microbes. The mission of the network is to facilitate the safe and responsible utilization of microbial resources for research, education, industry, medicine, and agriculture for the betterment of humankind.
The first phase of the network ran from 2012 to 2020 and engaged the U.S. culture collection community through meetings, webinars, and site visits and produced publications and position papers to support the safe and responsible utilization of microbial resources.
The current second phase – USCCN 2.0 – will expand the scope and reach of the original network. It will build relationships with current and new sources of culture and living collections and will engage scientists across multiple disciplines to work toward addressing challenges and needs shared by all microbial collection managers and users.

Regulatory Working Group

The Alliance announced that the Regulatory Working Group will be led by Tammy Zimmer, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Joyn Bio. Tammy has extensive experience in Regulatory Affairs, developing and executing regulatory strategies for biological crop inputs.
The Regulatory Working Group focuses on the development of a regulatory science roadmap to facilitate the commercialization of agricultural biologicals and microbial products. As part of its activity, the Group will also participate in the organization of a regulatory session at the upcoming International Phytobiomes Conference and will be involved in the development of other biologicals regulatory workshops.

International Phytobiomes Conference 2022 – 13-15 September 2022, Denver, CO, USA

The International Phytobiomes Conference 2022 will bring together a broad community of U.S. and international scientists from the public and private sector as well as agricultural stakeholders to collectively advance the emerging field of phytobiome science.

Registration and abstract submission are now open, and we encourage you to submit an abstract for consideration to present your current research in a talk, a post flash-talk or a poster during the conference.

The Conference Scientific Committee is looking forward to receiving abstracts on current, cutting-edge, and innovative research approaches related to all aspects of phytobiomes research, such as:

  • the biological and geophysical components of phytobiomes, including interactions between microbial communities and associated plants
  • designing plants for specific biomes, weather and climate & impacts on plant health and productivity
  • nutrient management and uptake
  • tools and technologies for understanding complex systems (e.g., network science, modeling, artificial intelligence, predictive analytics),
  • precision agriculture, digital agriculture
  • environmental and biological datasets
  • development of microbial products to increase agricultural sustainability
  • translation of fundamental science regarding the phytobiome and its components to field, grassland, and forest applications.

On Monday 12 September, the Conference will be preceded by a hands-on workshop on Metagenomics and Microbial Sequencing for Diagnostics.

To stay abreast of news regarding the conference, subscribe to the mailing list.

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Alliance Webinar Series

All webinars are free to attend and are scheduled at 11am Eastern, U.S. Time. Recordings are posted subsequently to the Alliance YouTube channel. Subscribe to the channel to never miss an upload.

Upcoming webinars:
Past webinars (since the last issue of the newsletter):

Would you like to receive news and updates about events organized by the Alliance directly in your inbox? Register to the Alliance events mailing list.

If you would like to present your work or suggest topics or speakers for upcoming webinars, please contact us.

Past Phytobiomes Alliance organized event

The Alliance organized the workshop “Exploring Phytobiomes” during the Plant and Animal Genome Conference on 12 January 2022 (the conference, initially planned to be an in person event in San Diego, CA, USA, pivoted at the last minute to a virtual platform). Slides of the talks presented during the workshop are now available on the website.

Upcoming Phytobiome-related Events

For updates, check the event calendar on the website.
If you are aware of an event on phytobiome-related topics (especially those which address phytobiome components beyond microbiomes) and if that event is not listed on the website, please let us know.
We developed a set of standard slides about phytobiomes, the Alliance, its goals and priorities. Contact us if you wish to receive those slides in PowerPoint format to add to your presentations.

Media Partnership

New AG International Annual, Warsaw, Poland & Virtual – 10-12 May 2022

The New AG International Annual conference is regarded as the key annual event to update your knowledge on the latest news and information on research, product development, new products and new technologies in the field of Plant Nutrition, including:

  • Specialty Fertilizers
  • Water Soluble Fertilizers
  • Slow Controlled Release & Stabilized Fertilizers
  • Biostimulants

Building on the success of the previous 19 conferences, New AG International Annual will offer the ideal opportunity to network with high profile academics, researchers, government officials, corporate representatives and globally respected speakers from all over the world including key Buyers, Distributors and Consultants from East and Central Europe.
Meet industry pioneers and entrepreneurs bringing innovative plant nutrition technologies to the market – the conference programme features 30+ speakers from across the globe. More than 15 papers will introduce new products and technologies to the market. The prestigious line up of speakers for the Warsaw meeting is one you won’t want to miss.

Remember to use the Phytobiomes Alliance discount code NAIANN22PHAL at checkout to enjoy 10% off your booking.

Media Partnership

3rd Global Biocontrol Summit, Virtual – 11-12 May 2022

The 3rd edition of Wisdom’s acclaimed Global Biocontrol Summit will be held on 11 – 12 May 2022, virtually. The event will welcome senior industry representatives and stakeholders for open discussions and knowledge sharing on the commercialisation of bioproducts amid the growing market demands and regulations.

The 3rd edition will look into the latest developments in the biocontrol industry, along with the regions that are claiming the largest market shares, opening up lucrative opportunities for businesses. Experts from biocontrol, biostimulant and biofertilizer sectors across the globe will share their views and perspectives on the crucial role of biocontrol products in sustainable agriculture and how to overcome the long-standing challenges in the industry.

Key Topics to be addressed:

  • Global analysis of the biocontrol market; current drivers and future trends
  • Building a successful regulatory framework for the commercialisation of bioproducts
  • Innovation and new technologies impacting the biocontrol sector
  • Latest advancements in research and development
  • Funding and investment opportunities for SMEs
  • Methodology, product evaluation and application, and getting products to market
  • Sustainability – crops, products, environment, and the role of biocontrol products in sustainable agriculture
  • Application of bioproducts by farmers

Don’t forget to use the code PHYTOBIOMES10 to get a 10% discount on ticket prices

Media Partnership

Annual World BioProtection Summit and Awards, Birmingham, UK & Virtual – 23-24 May 2022

Connecting the biocontrol industry for innovation and commercialisation.
The annual meeting of the World BioProtection Forum (WBF) returns from 23–24 May 2022 at the NEC in Birmingham, England. Once again, the WBF will be bringing together leading figures in industry, academia and the public sector, who will share expert knowledge to address major challenges in sustainable pest and disease management.
Covering Biopesticides, Biostimulants, Biofertilizers, Biocides and Bioremediation, this year’s World BioProtection Summit and Awards promises to be an exciting biocontrol event, revealing transformational developments in the sector… and you can attend in person or LIVE on-line on 23-24 May!
As well as top-billing speakers and an excellent networking platform, the summit will provide support for accessing investment to commercialize new bioprotection products, as well as offering valuable networking opportunities. Apply before the deadline of 25th April to pitch on-stage during the Investor Ready session here.
The event also provides a platform for celebrating the best and brightest new ideas in the bioprotection sector at the Gala Dinner and Awards on the opening night. Nominate your team before the deadline of 25th April for an Award here.
The WBF is a non-profit organisation that encourages collaboration between the biocontrol industry and academia in the AgriTech sector. The WBF’s goal is to connect different stakeholders who can work together to ensure the successful development and commercialisation of biocontrol products.

The Phytobiomes Alliance Executive Director, Kellye Eversole, will present a keynote talk on Monday 23 May.

Media Partnership

Microbiome Connect: Animal, Boston, MA, USA – 21-22 June 2022

With the microbiome becoming an area of increased importance in animal health product development via targeted modulation, research is accelerating at a greater rate to meet the growing demand from the animal health and pet care industries.

The 5th annual industry-led Microbiome Connect: Animal conference is returning on June 21-22, 2022 in Boston, MA, USA! The event that has established itself as the market-leading networking and data sharing forum for animal microbiome research and product commercialization is back with two content-focused tracks within both the Companion Animal and Production Animal microbiome spaces. Join 100+ attendees (including representatives from Boehringer Ingelheim, Hills Pet Nutrition, Mars Petcare and Blue Buffalo) and our 30+ industry-leading speaker at the Hilton Boston Back Bay.

Book your place before April 22 and save up to $700!

Get an additional 10% off your ticket with the Phytobiomes Alliance promo code: PHYB10

Our Sponsors

The Phytobiomes Alliance is sponsored by Eversole Associates, INRAE, Valent BioSciences, Biovante, Colorado State University, IRD, Joyn Bio, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NewLeaf Symbiotics, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, Pivot Bio, the Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research, Aphea.Bio, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology and Karyosoft.

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