Program > Keynote Speakers

Session "Epidemiology in the context of climate change"

Dr Piotr Trębicki is a researcher at Macquarie University in Sydney, specialising in plant virology and entomology. His research focuses on plant-pathogen-insect vector interactions and the impact of climate change on these relationships. He is particularly interested in how environmental factors such as increased CO₂ and rising temperatures affect virus transmission by insects, especially aphids. Dr Trębicki is a member of the International Committee on Plant Virus Epidemiology, representing Australasia and Oceania. His work contributes to a better understanding of plant disease dynamics in the context of climate change, providing essential insights for the development of pest and disease management strategies. 

Session "Stolbur and Arsenophonus in potatoes"

Professor Dr. rer. nat. Michael Kube from the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany, specialises in plant pathology, with a focus on Stolbur phytoplasma, an important pathogen of crops such as potatoes and grapevines. His research investigates its transmission by insect vectors, its molecular interactions with host plants and environmental factors that influence disease severity. He has also studied Candidatus Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus and developed advanced PCR detection methods to track its impact on sugar beet and potato crops. His work combines bacteriology, molecular biology and bioinformatics to understand pathogen evolution and virulence. 

Coming Soon:

Session "Alternative control measures"

Session "Virus-Plant interactions

Session "Vector-Plant interactions"

Session "Diagnostic and detection methods"