Sponsored, among others, by FAO, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Environment Program, one of its main topics is date palm research and development, covering molecular and genetic engineering; germplasm and propagation; and improved date palm cultural practices.

Abu Dhabi. United Arab Emirates

zaid@uaeu.ac.ae

Held roughly every five years since 1985 by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the symposium will showcase the latest developments in the field, including research on breeding, mapping of genes and quantitative trait loci, identification and cloning of candidate genes for biotic and abiotic stresses, gene expression, and genomic databases and mutant induction for functional genomics. It will be held in conjunction with the 7th International Symposium on Rice Functional Genomics.

Manila. Philippines

secretariat@ricegenetics.com

Organised by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, in collaboration with the Italian Ministry for Environment, for the Protection of the Territory and the Sea, this workshop aims to provide participants with experience in the examination of scientific data submitted in environmental risk assessment reports. Deadline for applications is 27 May.

Ca Tron di Roncade. Italy

courses@icgeb.org

Supported, among others, by FAO, its objective is to serve as a platform for presenting and debating key issues and strategies relevant for increasing the yield and stability of crops under drought conditions by genetic and crop management approaches. The eight sessions in the preliminary programme include molecular and physiological bases of plant adaptation to drought (session 4) and applied genomics and genetics of drought resistance (session 5).

Shanghai. China

id3@sagc.org.cn

Organised by FAO, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), International Seed Federation (ISF) and International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), the conference comprises a two-day Expert Forum, followed by a one-day Policy Forum. The Expert Forum, which takes place in English, aims to provide information and facilitate discussion on means of encouraging the development of new plant varieties and the production and distribution of high quality seed in order to meet the demands of a changing world. Among the many issues to be explored here, there is one on the role of new technologies and methodologies in plant breeding. The Policy Forum, which has simultaneous interpretation in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish, reviews the conclusions of the Expert Forum on means to provide an enabling environment that encourages the development of new varieties and facilitates the production and distribution of high quality seed.

Rome. Italy

register@worldseed.org

A training course, organised by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), for breeders and agronomists working on variety development or testing in the public and private sectors. Among other things, it also provides theoretical background on modern breeding methods and techniques including use of biotechnology.

Los Banos. Philippines

e.redona@cgiar.org

Organised by the World Agroforestry Centre, and co-sponsored by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the University of Florida, the congress theme is Agroforestry - The future of global land use. Plenary, symposia, concurrent sessions and poster sessions will be organized around different major topics. The tentative list of technical sessions includes one on `integrating genomics in agroforestry`.

Nairobi. Kenya

WCA2009@cgiar.org

A theoretical and practical course organised by the Biotechnology Centre of the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta on behalf of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB). It is open to scientists and researchers, and is aimed at assisting scientists in the life sciences who wish to acquire basic contemporary molecular biology techniques. Deadline for applicants is 29 January 2009.

Abekouta. Nigeria

suzochi@yahoo.com

A practical course, organised by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), limited to 30 participants. Participants must have a basic working knowledge of biochemistry and molecular biology, a basic familiarity with computer uses and a need for DNA or protein sequence analysis for their ongoing research. Deadline for applications is 29 January 2009.

Trieste. Italy

courses@icgeb.org

A theoretical and practical course held at the Javeriana University, on behalf of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), the objectives of the course are that it will provide students with the basic knowledge needed for exploring diverse habitats using metagenomic and bioinformatics and that through lectures and practical sessions they will learn the basic steps and tools to carry out work in metagenomics and process and analyze data using bioinformatics. There are places for 25 participants, the official course language is English and deadline for applications is 28 February 2009.

Bogota. Colombia

icgeb-colombia2009@googlegroups.com

Organised annually by the International Consortium on Agricultural Biotechnology Research (ICABR), the theme of years conference, organised with a number of partners, including the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), is the emerging bio-economy.

Ravello. Italy

sara.savastano@uniroma2.it

Organised by the Science Council of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), in partnership with the Alliance of the CGIAR Centres and the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR), and hosted by the Wageningen University and Research Centre, the Forum will focus on innovative science and the arrangements that can help to mobilize it more effectively to address poverty alleviation and sustainable natural resource management. One of the themes is "Beyond the yield curve: exerting the power of genetics, genomics and synthetic biology". The Secretariats of the Science Council and GFAR, as well as the Alliance Office, are all based at FAO Headquarters, Rome.

Wageningen. Netherlands

scienceforum2009@cgiar.org

This international symposium addresses the early and rapid diagnosis and control methods for transboundary animal diseases including those of a zoonotic nature; improved reproduction technologies and breeding strategies; and the efficient and sustainable use of locally available resources for animal production.

Vienna. Austria

APHS-Conference2009@iaea.org

Organised by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and supported by the Indian Department of Biotechnology, this training course provides participants with expertise in the use of molecular markers, gene/QTL mapping and marker-assisted breeding, focusing on the experimental design and data analysis components of molecular markers. The course is open to Indian, as well as a few non-Indian, scientists and the deadline for applications is 31 March 2009.

Patancheru. India

r.k.varshney@cgiar.org

Organised by the National Laboratory of Genomics for Biodiversity (CINVESTAV), on behalf of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and in collaboration, among others, with the United Nations University Programme for Biotechnology in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNU-BIOLAC), the course`s goal is to introduce graduate students into the field of functional genomics, providing them with the new technical strategies and theoretical insights which are needed to address this matter in various fungal models. Attendance is limited to 24 participants, the course language is English and deadline for applications is 15 February 2009.

Guanajuato. Mexico

aherrera@ira.cinvestav.mx

Organised by the National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB) on behalf of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), this training course is open to scientists involved in research related to the detection of GMOs and officers or designated experts working in the area of GMOs at an official level. Deadline for applicants is 31 January 2009.

Tehran. Iran

bmirzaee@nigeb.ac.ir

The Symposium`s theme is `biotechnology and the future world-wide scenarios` and its programme covers a range of issues including new generations of GMOs (plant and animal), bioenergy, the `omics` (genomic, proteomics, metabolomics), global climatic change, education and biotechnology, biosafety, public perception and citruses. REDBIO is the Technical Co-operation Network on Plant Biotechnology in Latin America and the Caribbean, based at the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Santiago, Chile.

Rosario. Argentina

aescandon@cnia.inta.gov.ar

Organised by the WorldFish Center, this training course is designed for fish hatchery/farm managers, research staff and technicians who are working in genetic enhancement, stock enriching or genetic research programs.

Abbassa. Egypt

aelgamal@worldfish-eg.org

Organised by the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI), this workshop includes presentations and posters on themes such as breeding to produce rust resistant varieties and developing and optimising markers for rust resistance. The BGRI, founded by Norman Borlaug, Cornell University, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and FAO, was established to combat wheat rusts around the world.

Cuidad Obregon. Mexico

BGRI@cornell.edu

Organised by the CGIAR Generation Challenge Programme as part of the IV International Conference on Legume Genomics and Genetics, the workshop focuses on advances in genomics for various tropical legumes, namely groundnut, cowpea, bean and chickpea.

Puerto Vallarta. Mexico

r.k.varshney@cgiar.org