Phytobiomes Conference 2026: Focus on Day 2
Wednesday 4 November | Exploring Connectivity within Phytobiomes Systems
🌱 Can plants choose their microbes?
On Day 2 of the Conference, several talks will suggest they can. Adrien Fremont will show how the chemistry of cover crop roots decides which microbes they recruit, including nitrogen fixers. Jan Leach will report findings that rice resistance genes act as filters, helping keep the leaf microbiome stable when disease strikes. And Jason Wallace will share progress toward maize that gets part of its nitrogen from bacteria living on its aerial roots.
Other talks will follow microbes into fire-damaged forest soils, tomato leaves and Finger Lakes vineyards, and use metabolomics to read the chemical signals between plants and microbes. David James Sherman will show how computational models can help make sense of these interactions.
Throughout the day, connectivity will be as much between disciplines as between plants, microbes and their environment.
The day will open with Kwang-Hyung Kim on using machine learning to anticipate disease and crop risks in a changing climate. In the afternoon, Vera Bonardi (Corteva), Natalie Breakfield (NewLeaf Symbiotics) and Danielle Rose (Mastronardi Produce) will join the Industry Roundtable, moderated by Charles Cowden (Sumitomo Biorational), to discuss what it takes to turn scientific discoveries into products.
The evening will end at the gala dinner at The Hare Wine Co., where this year’s Early Career Award recipients will be recognized.
📅 Wednesday 4 November | Niagara-on-the-Lake
Registration closes 29 October