Actualia (2026) - Notifications of the Society

Das Team  unserer Zeitschrift Plant Biology trauert tief um seinen langjährigen und hochgeschätzten Kollegen Prof. Dr. Philipp Franken. Mit großer Bestürzung haben wir erfahren, dass er im Dezember nach schwerer Krankheit im Alter von nur 65 Jahren viel zu früh von uns gegangen ist. Editor in Chief, Prof. Dr. Christiane Werner (Freiburg) skizziert seine wissenschaftlichen Stationen und was Prof. Franken auszeichnete. 

From Thursday, February 26^th to Sunday, March 1^st, 2026, members of the international maize genetics community gathered at the Maritim Hotel in Cologne, Germany, for the 68^th Annual Maize Genetics Meeting. The meeting was organized by Frank Hochholdinger (University of Bonn), who acted as chair and local host, along with the team from the maize genetics meeting steering committee. The maize meeting is one of the longest-running conferences in plant genetics and serves as a central forum for researchers working on the genetics of maize (Zea mays). The conference, which was also supported by our German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG), had taken place for the 5^th time outside the United States and for the first time in Germany. It brought together 412 scientists from 26 countries to present and discuss recent advances in maize genetics. The program featured six invited plenary talks, 30 short talks and 30 poster lightening presentations. In two poster sessions, 273 posters were discussed, creating numerous opportunities for scientific exchange and networking within the community. 

The Central German Plant Physiology Conference, which brings together young scientists from four universities every year, took place for the 24^th time, this year in Dresden as scheduled. In addition to providing a very important forum for presentations by early career scientists (ECRs), the conference also plays a major role in promoting general scientific exchange between neighbouring universities in the field of plant sciences. Approximately 50 participants registered with a total of 20 presentations, 15 of which were given by researchers ranging from bachelor's and master's students to doctoral candidates. Once again, the sessions were chaired by ECRs. For those, who have been participating for some time, the development of scientific projects over the years is exciting, and it is possible to follow the many advances in the particular topics. This conference is free of charge for participants, since DBG's financial support enabled us organisers to provide well-equipped coffee breaks and to provide financial support to seven actively participating students at the bachelor's or master's level as well.

The topics presented ranged from plant development to abiotic stress and biotic interactions, as well as several contributions dealing with method development. The latter inspired many participants with new ideas. Techniques included - in addition to physiology - biochemical, molecular and genetic methods. Overall, the diversity of topics and the quality of the presentations were highly praised. Since the presentations were almost exclusively given by ECRs, a great deal of data from as yet unpublished projects was presented. These were discussed in detail, with the many coffee breaks again being put to good use. The conference format, consisting of two half-days, proved successful once again, as discussions continued not only during the scientific programme and coffee breaks, but also during the joint dinner afterwards at a local brewery. Organiser Prof. Dr. Jutta Ludwig-Müller reports about the topics, new ideas and the focus of research.

Prof. Dr. Christopher Grefen and his team invite you to this year's Botanik-Tagung, International Conference of the German Society for Plant Sciences to Bochum, Germany, from September 6 to 10, 2026. The conference motto, From Industrial Past to Green Future, highlights the structural change of the Ruhr area, from coal mining and heavy industries to the increasingly important issues of climate protection, sustainability, and preservation of biodiversity, with plant sciences at the forefront of this transformation. In nine plenary lectures, internationally renowned researchers will present their latest research findings. The invited guests will travel from Great Britain, the USA, Austria, Israel, and numerous research institutions in Germany, among other places. Eighteen thematic sessions and a public evening lecture will build the scientific framework of the conference. The program will be complemented by poster presentations, workshops, and extensive opportunities for professional exchange, which will offer early career researchers (ECRs) in particular the opportunity to get to know the people behind the papers. Registration is now open. 

Important dates are: 

• Early-bird deadline: 30 April 2026
• Standard registration: 1 May – 28 August 2026 (late/onsite fees apply thereafter)
• Abstract submission deadline: 31 May 2026
• Notification of acceptance: late June – early July 2026

UPDATE 23^rd March 2026: All Travel Grants have been assigned. 

In order to enable as many aspiring plant scientists as possible to participate, our DBG is awarding up to 60 travel grants for members, who come to our Botanik-Tagung, International Conference of the German Society for Plant Sciences, in Bochum (September 6 to 10, 2026) and present a poster or give an oral (short) presentation, each worth up to € 400 maximum for partial reimbursement conference fees, accommodation costs, or travel expenses. You are welcome to join our society prior to your application. The application form for the travel grants will be available starting 9^th March 2026 (9:30 a.m.) in DBG`s intranet. The grants will be awarded after membership evaluation in the order in which applications are received. So, it pays to be quick.

Details on the intranet (prior member log-in required)

With 26 final theses in the plant sciences our DBG has awarded more early career plant scientists (ECRs) in the last year than ever before, since our German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG) first granted this master thesis prize at the participating universities in 2014. The topics of the theses stretched from ecology and questions of interactions with other organisms or the environment, (epi-)genetic regulation, morphological studies, enzyme reactions, protein chemistry, evolution, photosynthesis, biotic and abiotic stresses to the analysis of resistance in crops. Once again this demonstrates the diversity of the scientific disciplines that are represented in DBG. Our board especially thanks the on-site contact persons at the participating universities, who took over the sometimes not-so-easy selection process, thereby functioning as a jury.

The nominations for DBG’s three prestigious awards for aspiring early career plant scientists (ECRs) are open now. DBG members and others, please nominate suitable candidates for the Eduard Strasburger Prize, the Wilhelm Pfeffer Prize and the Horst Wiehe Prize. Awardees will be invited to present their work orally at the next International Conference of our German Society for Plant Sciences, the Botanik-Tagung. Application deadline is 26^th April 2026.

The International Symposium on Cereal Meristems and Stem Cell Systems, organised by DFG Research Unit FOR235 Cereal Stem Cell Systems: Establishment, Maintenance and Termination (CSCS), brought together around 90 scientists from 14 countries at Regensburg University, Germany, from 28^th of September to 1^st of October 2025. The Symposium was the first international scientific conference that focused on the frontiers of plant stem cell and meristem science in cereals and other crops through the presentation of cutting-edge research.  The organisers around Prof. Dr Thomas Dresselhaus and Dr. Melanie Heinrich report about keynotes, awarded contributions of early career researchers (ECRs) and their hope that this meeting will prompt further conferences in this emerging scientific discipline.

Ein alter Ginkgobaum im Botanischen Garten Marburgs ist seit mehr als hundert Jahren stiller Zeuge leiser Veränderungen im Leben dreier Menschen: eines Neurowissenschaftlers im Jahr 2020, eines Studenten im Jahr 1972 und einer Studentin im Jahr 1908. Den wie Poesie erzählten Film, mit seinen detailreichen Pflanzenaufnahmen, Zeitrafferdarstellungen und mikroskopischen Aufnahmen aus Zellen kann die stellvertretende Sprecherin unserer Sektion für Angewandte Botanik, Prof. Dr. Jutta Papenbrock, auch anderen ans Herz legen. Sie hat den Film bereits gesehen, der aktuell von Pandora-Film an die lokalen Arthouse-Kinos verliehen wird. Die Pflanzenwissenschaftlerin hofft, dass die Pflanzenvielfalt und wissenschaftlichen Details dazu animieren, die Pflanzenwelt im täglichen Leben bewusster wahrzunehmen.