通知公告

The First International

日期:2011-12-21  访问次数:7640

Plants are unique organisms. They can produce sugars just from sunlight, carbon dioxide and water. This ability to directly synthesize their own food has enabled plants to successfully colonise, adapt to, and diversify within almost every niche on the planet and biologists estimate the total number of plant species to be about 250,000. These abilities make plants the primary producers of biomass providing animals and mankind with food, feed, paper, medicine, chemicals, energy, and an enjoyable landscape.

Now the fascinating world of plants itself will be in the spotlight - launched under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO — www.epsoweb.org), Brussels, a special day for plants shall take place on May 18th 2012. This coordinated activity will plant virtual and constantly germinating seeds in the collective mind of the European and World Public recalling that plant science is of critical significance to the social, environmental and economic landscape now and into the future.

The "Fascination of Plants Day" has been already adopted by more than 25 countries worldwide and the number is growing. All information about this initiative can be accessed via www.plantday12.eu and is supported by a network of national coordinators who voluntarily promote and disseminate the activity within their countries. More than 60 scientific institutions, universities, botanical gardens, and museums, together with farmers and companies, have already announced that they will open their doors, with a variety of plant-based events for all interested people from toddlers to grandparents.

Anyone who would like to contribute to the Fascination of Plants Day (FoPD) is welcome to join in. Just contact your National Coordinator (click on "countries" at www.plantday12.eu) or the EPSO Coordinator (see below) to discuss and get access to all the supporting materials for the Fascination of Plants Day. The media are also kindly invited to get involved, and scientists, farmers, politicians and industrialists will discuss with them and present the latest state-of-the-art breakthroughs in the plant science world and explore all of the new potential applications plant sciences can offer. The Fascination of Plants Day covers all plant related topics including basic plant science, agriculture, horticulture & gardening, forestry, plant breeding, plant protection, food & nutrition, environmental conservation, climate change mitigation, smart bioproducts, biodiversity, sustainability, renewable resources, plant science education & art.

Contacts
Images available at http://www.plantday12.eu/pr-toolbox.htm
Jan Kellmann, MPI Chem. Ecology, DE; Coordinator FoPD; T: +49-3641-571000; jkellmann@ice.mpg.de
Karin Metzlaff, EPSO, BE; Executive Director EPSO; T: +32-2-2136260; Karin.Metzlaff@epsomail.org
Heribert Hirt, INRA, FR; President EPSO; T: +33-1-60874508; heribert.hirt@univie.ac.at