20th International Symposium on Iron Nutrition and Interactions in Plants

France has been chosen by the members of the scientific committee of ISINIP (International Symposium on Iron Nutrition and Interactions in Plants) to organise the 20th edition of its symposium.

This symposium focuses on iron, an essential element for the metabolism of all living organisms. Iron deficiency in soils, which affects one third of the world’s cultivated areas, is a major problem in agronomy, leading to significant crop losses in some regions. Moreover, iron nutrition in plants is a major factor in human nutrition. On a global scale, it is estimated that 2 billion people suffer from iron deficiency because their food, of plant origin, is poor in this element. It is particularly prevalent in populations with a predominantly vegetarian diet based on rice, but is also present in the most developed countries, particularly in Europe. Improving the iron content of consumed plant parts is therefore an important public health objective put forward by the FAO.

ISINIP is an event that brings together every two years about 200 researchers, from 15 to 20 different nationalities (including both northern and southern countries), around the theme of iron nutrition in plants. The symposium brings together a broad community that includes researchers (established and emerging) interested in soil quality, the fundamental mechanisms governing iron homeostasis, plant improvement, and the interactions between plants and their biotic and abiotic environment. This broad diversity in terms of actors and themes is the strength and originality of this event. Furthermore, the themes addressed in the framework of this symposium are completely in line with the thematic fields and scientific issues addressed by Labex Agro.

Finally, the last editions of this symposium took place in Taipei (Taiwan) in 2018, Madrid (Spain) in 2016, Gatersleben (Germany) in 2014 and Amherst (USA) in 2012, etc. The last edition of this symposium in France took place in 2006 in Montpellier, almost 14 years ago. It is therefore a unique opportunity to highlight the entire French "plant" community, which is largely represented in Montpellier in the Labex Agro, by organising the 20th edition of this symposium.