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The 2008 Soil Fungus Conference (SFC) will be held
at the Hansen Agricultural Center in Santa Paula, California March
26-28. There will be a field trip on the first day, Weds. March 26,
which will look at the horticultural and ornamental industry in the
Ventura County area, with a large production of avocados, lemons,
vegetable and nursery crops. The SFC is a short meeting with a long list
of benefits. Started in 1954 by researchers from the University of
California, it meets annually at locations in the western U.S. It has
progressed into one of the best known and highly valued conferences in
plant pathology. Its popularity is partly due to the relatively informal
and highly interactive format that allows for provocative, short oral
presentations on research and development discoveries, new or increasing
disease problems, new applications, products and equipment, and other
subjects (see topics indicated in the Program), followed by questions
and spirited, illuminating discussions as the audience pitches in. In
some respects, it is a veritable “think tank” with immediate and
long-term benefits. All participants are encouraged to present and/or
contribute to the discussions as they choose and time permits. Creative
thinking, insights, frank and justified opinions, and lots of take-home
ideas and lessons abound under the special climate of the SFC.
Participants come from universities (research, teaching, extension),
private industry and technical service organizations, private
practice/consulting, crop production and other areas.
Students are always welcome and encouraged to participate, and many in
the past have returned later as practicing professionals. Students may
present their work. Professors are urged to promote and facilitate
student attendance at the SFC. Many past student participants have felt
they received a bonus, a veritable “course within a conference” because
of the useful perspectives, knowledge, insights into plant pathology and
career areas, and direct contact with diverse professionals they gained
within the friendly, informal situation at the SFC.
The SFC is also a great networking opportunity for all involved.
Early-career people and other newcomers to the science of soilborne
fungal pathogens and allied diseases have a special opportunity to meet
many respected workers, potential cooperators or clients, or others in
this broad field of endeavor in a short time; and to be inspired and
empowered by the positive and supportive, broad-based, forward-looking
activities, and sharing climate at the SFC. Department chairs, industry
leaders, and other employers are asked to consider attending themselves
and to encourage appropriate new faculty or staff members to attend the
SFC as an excellent way to help them quickly develop a sound, connected,
resourceful and productive position in this essential, very challenging
and advancing area.
In this era where there is a critical need for integrated,
multi-factored approaches to management of plant diseases locally and on
a global scale, the SFC is deliberately working to meet the great
challenge of networking most effectively all contributors, whether in
long-established fields of science and field-level applications or in
the emerging molecular and biotechnical areas, to expedite united
progress on all fronts. SFC from its start has been rooted in the field
and practical solutions of the management of soilborne pathogens for the
benefit of agriculture. Most of the original scientific fields are just
as important- or more important- now to successful agriculture as
before; but emerging scientific fields also are very important to
progress. Principal keys to best progress are to achieve proper funding
and much better networking of all scientific disciplines and workers
contributing to short-and long-term solutions. SFC invites all people
dedicated to the study of soilborne plant pathogens as well as to
developing broad-based strategies and tactics for pathogen management to
attend. Come share your knowledge and wisdom with others in or outside
your immediate expertise, and to look for ways to reach out and
cooperate on a broader scale to increase progress and scientific
discoveries for solving agricultural problems. |
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