The 2nd Mirza GÖKGÖL International Plant Genetic Resources Symposium, jointly organized by the Institute of Genetic Resources of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute (ETAE) of the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey, successfully concluded with a closing session in Ganja, Azerbaijan.
The symposium placed strong emphasis on the collection, taxonomy, conservation, management, sustainable use, and evaluation of plant genetic resources for agriculture and food. Key topics included landraces, heirloom seeds, cultivated plant species, their wild relatives, and economically important wild species.
The event brought together scientists from 16 countries including Azerbaijan, Turkey, Belarus, Canada, Egypt, India, Italy, Jordan, Japan, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, the United Kingdom, and Iran along with experts from the international research organization ICARDA.
Our institute was represented by 18 researchers at the symposium, which featured a rich scientific program comprising five invited talks, 78 oral presentations, and 42 poster presentations. The participants successfully completed the symposium, adopting important resolutions on strengthening scientific collaboration and advancing the conservation of plant genetic resources.
The third edition of the symposium is scheduled to take place in Uzbekistan in early September 2027.
We would like to thank the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) for its contribution and support to this valuable event.