This course aims to give the participants an overview on the different mechanisms playing a role for the induction of resistance against biotic and abiotic stress factors.

Cross-talk phenomena - positive as well as negative ones - between the induced stress responses will be presented and discussed.

Possible influences of resistance induction at the population level will be presented from an epidemiologists point of view.

Victor Flors, flors(at)camn.uji.es, Univ. Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain

Annegret  Schmitt, A.Schmitt(at)bba.de, Biologische Bundesanstalt, Damstadt, Germany

Jurriaan Ton, jurriaan.ton (at) bbsrc.ac.uk, Rothamsted Research, U.K.

The speakers will give an overview on their respective fields and present their own research. The talks will be followed by a discussion on the topic.

Victor Flors

• general lecture: Common features between abiotic and biotic stress
• specialized lecture: Induced resistance against abiotic stress, shared elements against pathogens

Annegret  Schmitt

• general lecture: Induced resistance in crop protection - potential use and prerequisites
• specialized lecture: Milsana - case study of a resistance inducing plant extract

Juriaan Ton

• general lecture: "Defensive strategies of plants against harmful insects and microbes"
• specialized lecture: "Priming for defense: molecular regulation and ecological function"

Participants will be given beforehand scientific publications concerning the different presented topics and prepare a short (10 min.) presentation of their own OR advanced PhD students can choose to give a 15-20 minutes presentation on their own research  (as long as they match the subject of the workshop) (instead of the Journal club).

Dates: 21-22 February 2008 (2 days).

Schedule: 8.55 - 17.00

Location: Université de Neuchâtel, Unimail, building G "Institut de chimie", room B1.

Credit points: 1.5 credit points (oral presentation or journal club) or 0.5 credit point (attendance only). Category scientific tools.

Evaluation: Home work (publications reading), full attendance, active participation, and journal club or oral presentation.

Information: Please contact Dr. Brigitte Mauch-Mani or the NCCR education officer Dr. Christiane Bobillier.

Travel expenses: NCCR Ph.D. participants are eligible for reimbursement of incurred travel expenses by train (half-fare card, and 2nd class).

This course is open to all Ph.D. students, however priority is given to doctoral programme "Plants and their Environment" participants.
Maximum number of participants: 25.

Registration through the web only: closed

Dead line: February 12, 2008