Phytobiomes Conference 2026: The full program is online!
The full program for the International Phytobiomes Conference 2026, taking place 3-5 November in Niagara-on-the-Lake (Ontario, Canada) is now online. Following this year’s theme, Cultivating Phytobiomes: From Systems Science to Agricultural Innovation, the three days move from the complexity of phytobiomes systems, to the connections within them, to their application in the field.
→ See the Program
Program highlights
Tuesday 3 November | Unlocking the Complexity of Phytobiomes
The conference starts where the science ends up: on the farm. Tuesday opens with Trevor Charles on Ontario’s agricultural systems and a conversation with grain farmer Jeff Barlow, before turning to the research that could answer their questions, from soil policy to breeding crops with their microbiomes in mind.
Wednesday 4 November | Exploring Connectivity within Phytobiomes Systems
Wednesday follows the connections behind those questions, from the chemical signals that let cover crop roots recruit nitrogen fixers to Kwang-Hyung Kim’s use of machine learning to link weather, crops and microbes to disease risk.
In the afternoon, representatives from Corteva, NewLeaf Symbiotics and Mastronardi Produce discuss what it takes to turn scientific discoveries into products.
Thursday 5 November | Translating Phytobiomes Science from Lab to Field
The final day asks what it takes for this science to work at scale. It opens with Danica Lombardozzi on how land management and climate shape each other, then brings the discussion back to the field, from bioinoculants tested across real production systems to rice that resists disease while emitting less methane.
The conference closes with a roundtable on the changing workforce landscape: the skills employers look for, how those needs are changing, and what matters most to early career scientists when choosing their next step.
Time to connect
All presentations and poster viewing will take place under one roof at the Queen’s Landing Hotel, and all meals are included. Two dedicated poster sessions will run with no talks at the same time, and participants will have the chance to vote for the Best Posters.
There will be plenty of time to connect over shared breakfasts, coffee breaks and lunches, at the welcome reception, and at the gala dinner at The Hare Wine Co., in the heart of Niagara wine country, where this year’s Early Career Award recipients will be recognized.
Join the Conversation
There is still time to submit a poster abstract and share your research with a diverse audience of scientists, industry professionals and producers.
- 16 October – Abstracts for posters
- 29 October – Registration closes