5^th International Symposium on Soil Organic Matter, Göttingen, Germany, September 20-25^th

A whole week of soil organic matter! While many Europeans commented that it was a long way to come for a conference, the nine Australians lucky enough to attend SOM2015 all agreed that we found it thoroughly worthwhile. On the pre-conference field trip, Brian Wilson, Samantha Grover and a dozen other scientists visited peatlands under a range of agricultural uses and had fun flitting back and forth across the former border between East and West Germany. Schnapps tasting at a former convent ended the day but set the scene for the conference proper, which featured different local beers during the poster sessions every evening. Lynne Macdonald, Mark Farrell, Gaelle Ng, Tom Baker, BP Singh, Bhawana Bhatta and Jessica Ernakovich joined Brian Wilson and Samantha Grover to present a wide range of the SOM research from Australia. Outputs from the National Soil Carbon Program were abundant. The Australian contingent joined delegates from more than 50 countries, who presented 161 talks over four days, selected from more than 600 submitted abstracts. The bar was set high, with opening keynote addresses from Rattan Lal and Johan Six. All agreed that this high standard was maintained and the coffee (and beer) breaks were abuzz with animated conversation. Dr Grover’s talk on the effects of lime on the mineralisation of soil organic matter attracted considerable interest and connections were established with two authorities in this area. Ongoing research on peat soils was also strengthened by the first face-to-face meeting between Samantha Grover and Anna Normand, a PhD student from the University of Florida whom Dr Grover co-supervises. The next conference baton was passed on to Jennifer Dungait from Rothamstead Research, which will host the 6^th SOM symposium in 2017. A post-conference workshop on SOM fractionation will result in a comparative trial of fractionation methods from laboratories around the world, with Lynne Macdonald accepting the trial soils to contribute CSIRO’s methodology to the study.

After the conference Samantha visited Dr Cordula Vogel and Professor Karsten Kalbitz at Dresden Technical University and gave a splendid talk to their Soil Science and Site Ecology group. Potential collaborations were discussed, a joint project proposal  drafted and relationships between the two groups were even further strengthened. The valuable contribution from the Plant Nutrition Trust was well acknowledged in all presentations and it helped to attract matching funding from La Trobe University.

Samantha Grover and Brian Wilson with colleagues at a remnant of the fence dividing East and West Germany on the SOM2015 pre-conference field trip.

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Announcing the call for applications for 2016 ASPS awards including;

2016 Peter Goldacre award, applications close November 30th 2015.

2016 ASPS Teaching Award, applications close November 30th 2015.

2016 RN Robertson Travelling Fellowships, Round I applications close November 30th 2015.

There is also a new employment opportunity at James Cook University click here for details.

and attached is an updated

Book your 2015 phenotyping experiment at The Plant Accelerator now

Do you work with crop plants? Are you interested in getting quantitative measurements of traits such as early vigour, nutrient and water use efficiency or salinity tolerance?

The Plant Accelerator is part of the NCRIS funded Australian Plant Phenomics Facility and offers high-throughput non-destructive phenotyping of crop plants in a greenhouse environment. Using automated imaging and watering systems, we can control the desired growth conditions while measuring their impact on plant performance and growth over time.

If you consider undertaking a phenotyping experiment at The Plant Accelerator in 2015, please contact us now to discuss your phenotyping needs and potential project.

We can provide advice on design and feasibility of your experiment and an itemised quote to help with budgeting or grant applications.

Especially if the time of year is important for your experiment, then contact us soon to ensure we can accommodate your project at the required time.

You can go online and fill out a request for quote:  http://www.plantphenomics.org.au/services/accelerator/ or contact Drs Bettina Berger and Trevor Garnett at: bettina.berger@adelaide.edu.au; trevor.garnett@adelaide.edu.au;

We look forward to working with you in the future.

The “Website & Communications Sub-Committee (WCSC)” has been established at our last 2014 AGM. The main goal of the WCSC is to disseminate information related to ASPS and plant biology among the Society members and the general public.

The WCSC is in charge of updating the content in the social media platforms representing ASPS and formatting the website. In addition to our www.asps.org.au website, ASPS manages a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ASPSozplants) and a Twitter account (@asps_ozplants). WCSC will also liaise with ASPS members seeking suggestions about the website functionality and content in an attempt to improve exposure, interest and visibility.

The WSCS consists of four ASPS members and one ASPS student representative. The WSCS is chaired by Dr Gonzalo Estavillo. Dr Janet Wheeler provides technical support and coordinates the website maintenance with the developer (Michael Major Media); Conjoint Professor Tina Offler and Dr Chris Cazzonelli help with content design and the editing of “Phytogen”. Christina Delay is the student representative that helps to coordinate and manage social media, interact with other student members, and provide feedback to the other members of the WSCS.

Dr Gonzalo Estavillo

Dr Janet Wheeler

Conjoint Professor Tina Offler

Dr Chris Cazzonelli

Ms Christina Delay

We would like to encourage all members to send their suggestions and ideas about how to improve our ASPS website and help disseminate our activities to

• WSCS chair (gonzalo.estavillo@csiro.au) or
• student representative (christina.delay@anu.edu.au).

Come along to our Annual General Meeting tonight Wednesday October 1 in the Bradman Theatrette of the National Convention Centre in Canberra. 5.30 t0 6.30pm