Annual Congress on Plant Biology & Plant Breeding August 27-28, 2021 Amsterdam, Netherlands

Plant pathology is the science relating to diseases of plant, either caused by some micro-organism (virus, bacteria, fungus etc.) or due to prevailing environmental stresses. A Plant pathologist is a specialist in dealing with plant diseases, mechanism related to diseases, interaction between causative organism and the plant. Plant pathology studies helps to identify various diseases and possible preventions and cures to them.

Weeds are defined as unwanted plants that compete with crops and limit their growth; even pest hinders the development of plants so both these factors become limiting for any plant. Weedicides and pesticides have been in use to eliminate these threats, but later on they cause bioaccumulation and are fatal to all life forms. Natural or bio pesticides and weedicides have been introduced to tackle issue of bioaccumulation. Bioaccumulation is the accumulation of pesticidal compounds in successive levels of food chain and is never degraded naturally; metals like mercury, lead and other heavy metals have proved to be fatal to all organisms.

Horticulture science is related to both the science as well as aesthetics for growing flowers. Flowers have been playing a significant role in ecology and enhancing aesthetics for any place. Horticulturists are the specialists in horticulture sciences, the art of cultivating edible fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs, and ornamental plants, augmenting their quality and marketing. There are three areas in horticulture pomology, olericulture and ornamental horticulture.

Nanotechnology is a science that deals with nanomaterial and molecules in Nano range. Bulk matter and its Nano particles have different characteristics; they have varied shape, size, chemical and physical properties. Nanoparticles have large surface to volume ratios, they are very target specific because of small size. These days a lot of researches are going on, specially towards green biosynthesis of Nanoparticles by using plants. The amalgamations of natural therapeutic properties of plants have proven to enhance conventional properties many folds. For e.g.; Neem Nano particles using Silver or tin metals.

Kingdom Plantae has evolved it from being thallophytic to till date angiosperms. From undifferentiated thallophytic to pteridophytes and ferns, from non- flowering bryophytes to flowering angiosperms, plants have evolved a lot. All green plants, also called viridiplantae produce their own food; have developed xylem and phloem for transportation of water and food. All these variations over centuries have led to speciation and different species formed.

Plant taxonomy is the hierarchy that plant have followed throughout their evolution and growth, or the division of different kingdoms that has made it convenient to study about their characteristics, morphology and other related aspects. From undifferentiated thallophytes to highly differentiated angiosperms, kingdom Plantae has evolved itself a lot.

As, photo biology is the study of effect of light on organisms, and hence relates to photosynthesis as it requires sunlight to occur. Photosynthesis is the phenomenon by which plants make their food in presence of sunlight and release energy, water and oxygen as by-product. The way plants respond to sunlight and process energy is all combined with photobiology and its related aspects and knowledge about them can explain other processes in plants relating to response with light

Abiotic and biotic stresses are two major factors for development of any organism and any system. Abiotic stresses are the non-living ones like environmental conditions, and biotic are the living ones like humans, animals and microbial cells. These two factors together can effect a plant growth to a great extent in positive as well as in negative way. Managing these two factors will be beneficial for crop quality and quantity both.

Herbs, spices and medicinal plants have been in use since centuries, they have been food for some, therapeutics for many deadly diseases and spices for flavoring as well as curing agents. Especially in Asian continent, their importance has always been remarkable and is a home to many indigenous herbs and condiments. Many plants like tulsi, neem, onion, turmeric, moringa have many therapeutic properties.

Phycology is the study of algae, basically an aquatic plant ranging from microscopic structures to macroscopic shrubs also. They are of immense importance to ecology as produce many useful products. They are being used for making biodiesel, extraction of protein and other enzymes, is autotrophic and hence produces its own food, produces oxygen for animals. They are at the beginning of food chains, eating on dead and decaying and releasing various essential minerals for other organisms to survive.

The branch of science dealing with classification and characteristics (texture, ionic balance, fertility) is regarded as soil science. Plant growth and soil science are interlinked as quality of soil is directly proportional to plant produce and biosynthesis of essential products. The knowledge of soil science is a great deal for ensuring quality of plants grown.

Plant morphology and anatomy are two distinct studies in plant biology, one deals with physical features as in structure of leaf, root, shoot, flowers etc. and the latter is for internal makeover, studying the detailed microscopic structure of all plant parts. They play a significant role in distinguishing different species, in angiosperms and bryophytes and foe all plants in world. Adaptations in plants can also be studied relating to them. They form the basis for plant biology researches and studies.

Plant molecular biology is the study of molecular basis of plant life, genetic constituents of cells and their characteristics. The coding of protein by specific genes for a specific function, alteration of molecular mechanisms to develop a new enhanced variety. Molecular biology studies have the potential to bring revolutionary changes in agricultural sciences and to develop variety of new hybrids, in combination with different aspects of biotechnology.

Signaling in plants is defined as conveyance of chemical or electrical receptor molecules to effector system or vice-versa. This signaling has a significant role in behavior of plants also, as the way they respond to a certain stimuli or any other change. Signaling can be in between two adjacent cells, distinct cells in a plant, two different plants and plants of different species too. Plant responses to different stimuli also generate signals.

Biochemistry of plants basically deals with the molecular mechanisms or pathways that are carried out in a plant cell. It involves photosynthesis, respiration and other metabolic pathways. It deals with food formation, translocation from source to sink, all comes under plant biochemistry. All the essential metabolic pathways in a plant cell are based upon interaction between biological and chemical molecules in a cell.

Plant biophysics is basically an interdisciplinary science, bridging gaps between biology and physical quantities like light energy, electricity, heat etc., and responses of biological entities (plant cells) to them. Modeling these sciences together will put forth a new arena of research and improved plant varieties to overcome the issues of less productivity and increased population.

All the catabolic and anabolic reactions together constitutes metabolism of a cell. In plant cells, all reactions chemical and physiological make up metabolism of plant. Reactions like photosynthesis, respiration and breakdown of organic, non- organic compounds into simpler molecules and all pathways going on in a cell for regular growth and development. In all these reactions, the chemo diversity of plant cells plays a vital role. Presence of variety of metabolites aids in carrying them out.

Plant enzymes are made up of amino acids, performing various specialized functions in plant metabolic activities and take part in growth and development. Different classes of plant enzymes include proteases, lipases, amylases, nitrogenase etc. They act as catalysts in metabolic reactions and hence biosynthesizing various useful products. Plants produce different therapeutic and daily need products naturally.

Microbes are present everywhere and hence in soil, air, water etc., for a plant that grows in soil, absorbs water from soil and survives in air, interacts with variety of microbes. These interactions can be useful or hostile too. Many microbes form symbiotic relationship with plant roots and aid in growth and development like mycorhiza whereas some can cause infections and retards development or effect productivity. The rhizosphere effect explains plant microbe interactions at best.

Plant tissue culture is culturing a mature plant from a callus grown from an ex-plant (any plant part), in controlled environment conditions by various techniques in laboratory and later can be planted in soil. A German botanist Guttlieb haberlandt is regarded as “father of plant tissue culture”. A callus grows in nutrient media with all essential growth promoters and optimum conditions. Tissue cultured plants grow at faster rates as compared to the conventional ones.

Plant biotechnology is simply manipulating genetic makeup of a plant in order to develop a mutant or altered variety that is supposedly to be more useful for human needs. It has been applied in making nutrient rich, pest and environmental stresses resistant crops. Either a new gene can be inserted or is inactivated to perform the desired function for which it was targeted. Plant biotechnology advances have got the potential to overcome food insecurity and malnutrition in all, low to medium income countries too.

Plant breeding is simply carrying out alteration and manipulation in genetic constitution of a plant to develop a desired characteristic in a plant in order to enhance its competency. A plant can be made resistance to drastic environmental stresses or to infectious agent. It has always been an arena of extensive research as to maintain food sustainability for increasing population. Plant breeders across the globe have developed various hybrid and new varieties of plant.

Plant breeding is simply carrying out alteration and manipulation in genetic constitution of a plant to develop a desired characteristic in a plant in order to enhance its competency. A plant can be made resistance to drastic environmental stresses or to infectious agent. It has always been an arena of extensive research as to maintain food sustainability for increasing population. Plant breeders across the globe have developed various hybrid and new varieties of plant.