Session 2: Crop Protection: Strategies against pests and pathogens

Please note that the program is subject to change.

15:40 - 16:10	The extended plant immune system - Corné Pieterse (Plant-Microbe Interactions, Utrecht University, the Netherlands)
	Corné Pieterse is Professor of Plant–Microbe Interactions at Utrecht University. With a background in plant breeding and molecular plant biology, he obtained his PhD in molecular phytopathology from Wageningen University. His work explores how plants defend themselves against disease and how they interact with both harmful and beneficial microbes in their environment. His research examines the regulation of plant immunity across cellular, genetic, and molecular scales. A central theme in his work is how defence responses are shaped by signalling networks, induced systemic resistance, and interactions with the plant microbiome. He is also interested in the ways beneficial root-associated microbes can promote plant growth, improve nutrient acquisition, and strengthen plant resilience, contributing to more sustainable agricultural systems.
16:10 - 16:30	Polymer-based dsRNA delivery systems for RNAi applications against Phytophthora infestans - Ellen Vandenbussche (UGent)
16:30 - 16:50	Integrating plant defense elicitors and ontogenic resistance for pear scab management - Ward Boven (KUL)
16:50 - 17:10	From citizen science to microbial biocontrol: discovering phyllosphere-adapted lactobacilli for sustainable biocontrol - Jari Temmermans (UAntwerp)
17:10 - 17:30	Revisiting the role of the jasmonate pathway in plant defense against Meloidogyne graminicola in rice - Ibe Naessens (UGent)