Program

There will be four sessions focused on:

Genetic and technological resources for yield improvement
Adaptation to abiotic stresses
Adaptation to biotic stresses
Improvement of cereal quality.

Each session will be opened by a keynote presentation delivered by an invited speaker, followed by a series of oral communications selected by the scientific committee of the symposium from the abstracts submitted before 31 July 2024 and an open discussion, and closed by a poster/flash talk presentations of 2 minutes per poster summarized in only two slides.

A preliminary outline of the SEFIMEC VI program is shown below:

Wednesday
OCTOBER 16
8:30 – 9:30

Registration.

9:30 – 9:45

Welcome.

9:45 – 10:15

Session I. Genetic and technological resources for yield improvement

Spike fertility. The critical trait determining wheat yield. Invited keynote speaker: Dr Gustavo A. Slafer, Professor of ICREA, University of Lleida (Spain).

10:15 – 11:15

Oral communications. Moderators: Cristina Nieto (cristina.nieto@csic.es) and Rubén Vicente (ruben.vicente@irnasa.csic.es).
- Performance of wheat plants with biological nitrification inhibition capacity in acidic and alkaline soils under different atmospheric CO2 concentration. Adrián Bozal-Leorri, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU).
- Diversity and adaptation features of Mediterranean barley landraces. Ernesto Igartúa, Aula Dei Experimental Station (EEAD, CSIC).
- Response of barley landraces and heritage varieties under heat stress conditions in the greenhouse. Rubén Sancho, Aula Dei Experimental Station (EEAD, CSIC).
- Wheat landraces and modern varieties performance under warming Mediterranean conditions: an assessment with remote sensing and stable isotopes. Joel Segarra, University of Barcelona (UB).
- Evolution and genetic improvement of wheat led to changes in ear ecophysiology and metabolism. Omar Vergara, ITQB NOVA.
11:15 – 11:45

Coffee break.

11:45 – 12:00

Open discussion on genetic and technological resources for yield improvement.

12:00 – 12:30

Carrousel of two-minutes poster presentation. Session I.

12:30 – 13:00

SESSION II. Adaptation to abiotic stresses

Towards sustainable and temperature-resilient wheat photosynthetic productivity. Invited keynote speaker: Dr Elizabete Carmo-Silva, Professor of Crop Physiology, Lancaster University (UK).

13:00 – 14:30

Lunch.

14:30 – 15:30

Oral communications. Moderators: María Begoña González Moro (mariabegona.gonzalez@ehu.eus) and Pedro Revilla (previlla@mbg.csic.es).
- Effect of pre and post-flowering heat stress on grain number and grain weight in four winter barley near isogenic lines for HvCEN and Vrn-H1 alleles. Aziza Zerrouk, Aula Dei Experimental Station (EEAD, CSIC).
- Organ-specific gene expression in bread wheat: differential leaf and ear responses under heat and water stress. João Reis, ITQB NOVA.
- Study of the rainfed cereal production in local and enhanced wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) varieties for a better water-use efficiency. Afwa Thameur, High Institute of Applied Biology of Medenine, University of Gabes.
- Citizen Science project “Oeiras Experimenta”: fostering climate-smart crops for sustainable production in Portugal. Rubén Vicente, ITQB NOVA/Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Salamanca (IRNASA-CSIC).
- The Elevated [CO2] ameliorates drought impairment on barley´s nitrogen metabolism while the Elevated Temperature counteracts grain quality. Ander Yoldi, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU).
15:30 – 15:45

Open discussion on adaptation to abiotic stresses.

15:45 – 16:15

Carrousel of two-minutes poster presentation. Session II.

16:15 – 16:45

Coffee break.

16:45 – 18:00

Viewing/Discussing posters (sessions I and II).

19:30 – 20:30

Touristic visit.

21:00

Symposium dinner.
Thursday
OCTOBER 17
9:00 – 9:30

SESSION III. Adaptation to biotic stresses

Maize breeding for resistance to kernel contamination with fumonisins. Invited keynote speaker: Dr Ana Butrón, Group Leader, Misión Biológica de Galicia (Spain).

9:30 – 10:30

Oral communications. Moderators: Dolors Villegas (dvillegas@eead.csic.es) and Francisco Ciudad (ciubaufr@itacyl.es).
- Characterization of Durum Wheat Resistance against Septoria Tritici Blotch under Climate Change Conditions of Increasing Temperature and [CO2]. Juan Rafael Porras, Andalusian Institute of Agricultural, Fisheries, Agrifood and Organic Production Research and Training (IFAPA).
- Advancing crown rust resistance in Mediterranean oats through cellular and genomic insights. Elena Prats, Institute of Sustainable Agriculture (IAS-CSIC).
- A k-mer-Based Pangenome Approach for Finding Gene of Agricultural Interest: The Case of Wheat Powdery Mildew Resistance in Tetraploid Wheat Landraces. Javier Sánchez, Spanish-Portuguese Agricultural Research Center (CIALE, USAL).
- A combined strategy to improve rice photosynthesis and yield in rice. Ivan Gonçalves, ITQB NOVA. [Incorporated from Session I]
- Deciphering the genetic factors determining wheat root exudates’ ability to limit a nitrifying bacteria growth, a novel trait for sustainable wheat production under low N environments. Iván Jáuregui, Public University of Navarre (UPNA). [Incorporated from Session II]
10:30 – 11:00

Open discussion on adaptation to biotic stresses.

11:00 – 11.30

Coffee break.

11:30 – 12:00

Carrousel of two-minutes poster presentation. Session III.

12:00 – 12.30

SESSION IV. Improvement of cereal quality

Building a spatial atlas for wheat grain micronutrient enhancement. Invited keynote speaker: Dr Philippa Borrill, Group Leader, John Innes Centre (UK).

12:30 – 13:00

Oral communications. Moderators: Gracia Montilla Bascón (gmontilla@ias.csic.es) and Roxana Savín (roxana.savin@udl.cat).
- Molecular Assessment for Carotenoid Content and Degradation in Durum Wheat Cultivars Under Irrigation and Drought Conditions. Virginia García-Calabrés, University of Córdoba (UCO).
- Phenological adaptation of wheat varieties to rising temperatures: implications for yield components and grain quality. Davide Gulino, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA).
- Genetic gains in yield and quality traits of Portuguese bread and durum wheat from 1933 to 2020. Artūrs Katamadze, ITQB NOVA.
- Durum Wheat Yield and Grain Quality Composition: The Effect of Genotype and Environment Interaction under Mediterranean Conditions. Raquel Martínez, Agro-technological Institute of Castilla y León (ITACYL).
- Genetic variability for end-use quality proteins in a collection of bread wheat Mediterranean landraces. Venkata Rami Reddy, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA).
13:00 – 13:15

Open discussion on improvement of cereal quality.

13:15 – 14:45

Lunch.

14:45 – 15:15

Carrousel of two-minutes poster presentation. Session IV.

15:15 – 16:30

Viewing/Discussing posters (sessions III and IV).

16:30 – 16:45

Conclusions and closing symposium.

Program

Wednesday

OCTOBER 16

Thursday

OCTOBER 17

MAIN SPONSOR:

GOLD SPONSORS:

Silver sponsor:

Bronze sponsor:

With the collaboration of: