The 10th International Wheat Genetics Symposium (TIWGS)
The Tenth International Wheat Genetics Symposium (TIWGS) was held at Ariston Conference Centre in Paeatum, Italy, in 1 - 6 September 2003.
The symposium was organized by the local organization committee under chairpersonships of Dr. Norberto Pogna, Dr. Gian Tommaso Scarascia Mugnozza, and Dr. Angelo Bianchi with the direction from the International Organization Committee (chaired by Dr. Peirre Hurt). Members of the Local Organizing Committee are; Drs A. Bianchi, A. Blanco, G. Boggini, A. Bozzini, C. Ceoloni ,R. D'Ovidio, N. Di Fonzo, D. Lafiandra, M. Motto, E, Porceddu, N. Pogna, L. Rossi, F. Salamini, M. Sari Cola, G. T. Scarascia Mugnozza, P. Spagnoletti Zeuli and P. Tusa. It was patronized by Italian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
365 wheat scientists were formally registered from 56 countries.
They discussed in the following seven sessions with 101 oral and 322 poster
presentations;
1) Evolution and Genetic Diversity
2) Cytogenetics and Germplasm Evaluation
3) Classical and Molecular Breeding
4) Transgenesis
5) Structural and Functional Genomics
6) Biotic and Abiotic Stresses
7) Grain Quality
The poster and oral papers presented at the Symposium were printed in three
volumes of proceedings. The proceeding is available by mail order to the local
organization committee c/o Istituto Sperimentale per la Cerealicoltura, Via
Cassia 176-00191, Roma, Italy (phone;+39 06 3295 705.and fax;+39 06 36 30 60
22) or by web order through http;//www.cerealicoltura.it/.
In addition to the research topics, workshops were organized
as follows;
1) Conservation of Genetic Resource and its
International Cooperation.
2) 100 Years of Wheat Breeding and Breeding Goals in the Third Millennium
3) International Project on Wheat Genomics
4) Gene Symbol and Gene Catalogue
International Triticeae Mapping Initiative (ITMI) workshop had provided an opportunity
for presentations and discussions on mapping of Triticeae species.
In the business session held in the last program on Sept. 6,
the following four issues were discussed:
1) Reports from
Wheat Information Service; 1) Historical review of WIS, 2) Difficulties and
limitation of publishing in the present style, 3) Publishing an special issue
of 100th anniversary in 2006, 4)Possibility to shift to publication on web.
2. The 11th Symposium: After voting among two candidate countries, it was decided
that the next symposium will he in Australia in 2008.
3. Honoring distinguished contributors to wheat genetics research; Dr. Mike
Gale (England), Dr. Robert McIntosh (Australia), Dr. Koichiro Tsunewaki (Japan).
4. New hoard of International Committee; Drs. N. Pogna (Chair, Italy), 0. D.
Anderson (USA), P. Sharp(Australia), D. J. Liu (China), H. Tsujimoto (Japan),
and P. HucI (Canada).
The symposium gathered various and informative information, and eager discussion were held during and after the sessions. Especially they must understand the studies on functional generates had provided various and new aspects of wheat research including bioinfomatics and systematic molecular breeding. The researchers should have realized significance of genetic studies on biotic and abiotic stresses for basic science and practical breeding and large potential with wheat study on it to solve worldwide food problems. Among all, importance and effectiveness of international cooperation on conservation and exchange of genetic stocks and resources, construction of genetic maps, and databases for stocks and gene clones were commonly realized. Especially the database system of wheat gene catalogue constructed by Dr. McIntosh, Dr. Y. Yamazaki and others would be appreciated very, as a big fruit of the 10th IWGS. The database catalogue was provided to the attendances with a CD. It is also visible through the database KOMUGI ( http://www.shigen.nig.ac.jp/wheat/genecalog/ macgene/).
The symposium was held in Paestum where is a Mediterranean resort area inherited pre- and mid-Roman histories. Without doubt, the attendance must have enjoyed the programmed evening events as well as post-symposium tours.
(A tentative report for 10th IWGS by Tetsuo SASAKUMA, Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama, Japan)