NEWS
Stay updated on the latest developments in plant science policy and EPSO activities!
The European Commission announced today, 26.1.2021, that further to the announcement of the delays of ERC calls, a pre-publication on the ERC website of relevant DRAFT documents for 2021 ERC calls is in preparation. The ERC is aiming to have these documents online by the end of January or beginning of February. In response to many queries on the subject, prospective applicants and panel members should note that ERC is striving to preserve the deadlines for submission of proposals and the evaluation calendar as close as possible to that initially planned.
As the ERC Work Programme 2021 is foreseen to have only very few changes compared to that from 2020, EPSO encourages its members to use the ERC WP 2020 information to already draft their ERC proposals, particularly those for Starting Grant and Consolidator Grant, and to only update their proposals slightly once the calls are published.
Wishing you success with your proposals
Karin Metzlaff, Alexandra Barnoux and Alan Schulman
Links: EC announcement, 26.1.2021 Update – 2021 Work Programme and first calls
Contacts: Karin Metzlaff and Alexandra Barnoux
This third workshop of the EPSO Working Group on Plants and Microbiomes has two aims. First, we will hear first highlights from (multi-)national plants and microbiomes research and innovation from our Working Group members to present. Second, we will discuss in more detail two themes which need further elaboration by the Working Group: ‘Advancing from correlation to causation from lab to field to ecosystems’ and on ‘Research infrastructure’ – and provide advice to Horizon Europe and (multi-)national research strategies.
The meeting intends to increase collaborations between the working group members (via e.g. COST action, Coordination & Support Actions, initiate more collaborations both bi-and multi-lateral).
At the end of the meeting, a workshop report will be drafted on the current status, goals and next steps in plants and microbiomes research – particularly – and will be provided as science advice to policy to the European Commission. The report will be published on the EPSO website.
We look forward to e-meeting you online!
Angela Sessitsch, Paul Schulze-Lefert, Corné Pieterse and Karin Metzlaff
Click here to read: The workshop Handout 11.12.2020
Contacts: Angela Sessitsch, Paul Schulze-Lefert, Corné Pieterse and Karin Metzlaff
The EPSO Working Group on Plants and Microbiomes has the pleasure to announce its third workshop to take place online on 13-14 January 2021, 09:00 – 12:00 and 09:00 – 13:15 respectively.
This third workshop has two aims. First, we will hear first highlights from (multi-)national plants and microbiomes research and innovation initiatives – to this end we will invite later on Expression of Interest from our Working Group members to present. Second, we will discuss in more detail two themes which need further elaboration by the Working Group: ‘Advancing from correlation to causation from lab to field to ecosystems’ and on ‘Research infrastructure’ – and provide advice to Horizon Europe and (multi-)national research strategies.
The meeting intends to increase collaborations between the working group members (via e.g. COST action, Coordination & Support Actions, initiate more collaborations both bi-and multi-lateral).
At the end of the meeting, a workshop report will be drafted on the current status, goals and next steps in plants and microbiomes research – particularly – and will be provided as science advice to policy to the European Commission.
We kindly ask you to register for your participation by e-mail to [email protected] before 18 December 2020.
We hope welcoming you in January!
Angela Sessitsch, Paul Schulze-Lefert, Corné Pieterse and Karin Metzlaff
Click here to read: The workshop Handout 08.12.2020
Contacts: Angela Sessitsch, Paul Schulze-Lefert, Corné Pieterse and Karin Metzlaff
To hold the fascinating events about the world of plants, which hundreds of colleagues organise across the world, as physical interactive events, the Global and National Coordinators of the international Fascination of Plants Day (FoPD) decided to postpone the next FoPD from 2021 to 18th May 2022.
The Fascination of Plants Day, initiated and coordinated by the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO), is brought to live by a team of National coordinators and hundreds of plant enthusiasts organising events. They invite everybody around the world to organise interactive events on the fascination, secrets, immense potential and manyfold uses of plants for your community, region, country around the 18th May 2022.
This ranges from basic to applied research, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, plant breeding, biodiversity, nourishment and nutrition, plant protection, environmental conservation, renewable resources, healthy and diverse food and high value products for medicine, cosmetics, food and much more.
Already 50 countries have confirmed their National FoPD Coordinators for 2022 and more are welcome to join in.
In 2019, the 5th FoPD generated over 860 interactive events in over 51 countries across the world with many thousand participants. Get inspired by The Fascination of Plants Day Success Stories 2019 for events you may organise.
Meanwhile, a group of FoPD National Coordinators will develop ideas to have some inspiring online events in 2021, the best option in times of remote working around the world, to share their enthusiasm and fascination of plants.
Looking forward preparing with you for most exciting events in 2022 and possibly see some interactive virtual events in 2021.
The FoPD Global and National Coordinators
Click here to read: Full EPSO news 16.10.2020
Contacts:
- FoPD Global Coordinators: Karin Metzlaff & Alexandra Barnoux, EPSO; Trine Hvoslef-Eide, NMBU / NO; Przemysław Wojtaszek, AMU / PL
- FoPD National Coordinators: https://plantday18may.org/countries/ click on the country of your choice.
The award honours a discovery made in basic research on bacteria, which has led to transformative applications in the plant and medical sciences. It is the first Nobel prize to be shared by two women.
In plant science, genome editing enables scientists and breeders to improve the whole range of plants, from fruit, fibre, and vegetable crops to legumes, cereals, and trees, on which people depend for food, health, and livelihoods. The method enables diversity enhancement and precise, targeted improvements leading to better nutritional quality, disease resistance, stress tolerance, and environmental sustainability for rapid advancement through breeding to farmers’ use. Even underutilised crops, on which critical-mass breeding efforts have not so far focused, due to their poor market share compared to the time and effort needed to improve them with classical methods, will benefit from the new genomic techniques. The resulting crops will contribute to environmental sustainability, very important in light of climate change, as well as to diverse diets and human health.
Plant scientists call upon policy makers to improve European legislation, so that the potential of genome editing to improve underutilised crops is unfettered from the substantial time and financial burden of the GM legislation to which it is currently tied. If genome-edited plants were only subject to the standard legislation any new plant variety has to follow, the diversity of cultivated crops as a whole, a main target of the European Biodiversity strategy for 2030, would be substantially increased.
Finally, the application of genome editing to neglected and medicinal species will help to explore and secure biodiversity, demonstrating its value by revealing the metabolic pathways of a large variety of bioactive secondary metabolites, which may for example have high potential in fighting against new diseases or against antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Click here to read: Full EPSO statement 07.10.2020, Nobel Prize PR, 07.10.2020
Contacts:
- Alan Schulman, LUKE, FI & EPSO President
- Angelo Santino, CNR, IT & EPSO Nutritional Security WG co-chair
- Frank Hartung, JKI, DE & EPSO Agricultural Technologies WG co-chair
- Kirsi-Marja Oksman-Caldentey, VTT, FI & EPSO Molecular Farming WG co-chair
- Karin Metzlaff, EPSO
Topics on farm to fork, biodiversity and ecosystem services, zero-pollution and toxic-free environments, wildfire prevention, end-user products and citizen information could be relevant to plant scientists to team up with other disciplines and sectors.
The EPSO briefing on the EU Green Deal Call will help our members navigating this new call which differs in important aspects from previous Horizon 2020 calls. There are fewer, but more targeted, larger and visible actions, with a focus on rapid scalability, dissemination and uptake. These should help pave the way for innovations in the ‘Horizon Europe’ Research and Innovation programme (2021-2027).
The formal adoption of the European Green Deal call as amendment to the Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2018-2020, under the pillar Societal Challenges, was published on 17 September 2020 as update to the “Cross-cutting activities” Work Programme (starting on p. 62). It has a total budget of €983 million.
Deadline for submissions of proposals is 26 January 2021, with selected projects expected to start in autumn 2021.
All calls apply a one stage proposal submission procedure.
The 6 calls possibly relevant to plant scientists are under the following areas:
- Area 1: Increasing climate ambition: cross sectoral challenges
LC-GD-1-1-2020: Preventing and fighting extreme wildfires with the integration and demonstration of innovative means (IA, CSA)
- Area 6: Farm to fork
LC-GD-6-1-2020: Testing and demonstrating systemic innovations in support of the Farm-to-Fork Strategy
Area 7: Biodiversity and ecosystem services
LC-GD-7-1-2020: Restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services (IA)
- Area 8: Zero-pollution, toxic-free environments
LC-GD-8-1-2020: Innovative, systemic zero-pollution solutions to protect health, environment, and natural resources from persistent and mobile chemicals (RIA)
- Area 9: Strengthening our knowledge in support of the EGD
LC-GD-9-2-2020: Developing end-user products and services for all stakeholders and citizens supporting climate adaptation and mitigation (RIA)
- Area 10: Empowering citizens for the transition towards a climate neutral, sustainable Europe
LC-GD-10-3-2020: Enabling citizens to act on climate change, for sustainable development and environmental protection through education, citizen science, observation initiatives, and civic engagement (IA)
Read the full news item
Read the full briefing on the EPSO website ‘Members only’ section
Sources: EC, EPSO
Contact: EPSO members who need to renew their access to the EPSO members only website, please contact Sofia Ciravegna / EPSO.