We are excited to bring you the latest updates from the world of plant science. Feel free to share this newsletter with anyone who might find it helpful. Click here to subscribe!
1) Save the date: PlantLink Day – 4 December, Lund
We are excited to announce that this year’s PlantLink Day will take place on 4 December, from 12:00 to 16:30, at Lund University, Ecology Building, Blå Hallen – our usual venue! The theme and speaker lineup will be revealed in the next newsletter, but here’s a small teaser: we’re planning to centre this year’s event around plant blindness and crop resilience.
Stay tuned for more details!
2) Open letter urges European Commission President to safeguard an independent EU Research and Innovation Programme
A crucial discussion is currently underway between the European Commission, Member States, and the European Parliament regarding the future of research and innovation funding. As scientists, we must speak up to ensure that the next Framework Programme for R&I remains a dedicated, coherent initiative, and is not fragmented or diluted within various components of the proposed ‘Competitiveness Fund’.
Read the open letter in which 41 organisations, including EPSO, urge European Commission President von der Leyen to safeguard an independent EU Research and Innovation Programme (FP10). And see ISE (Initiative for Science in Europe) main recommendations for FP10, including:
- Ensure a stronger stand-alone R&I Framework Programme with a ringfenced budget.
- Boost collaborative basic research to create an upward Research & Innovation spiral in the collaboration pillar.
- Shield Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and the European Research Council.
3) Who are the SLU and LU representatives in EPSO?
The European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO) brings together scientists from across Europe through 10 working groups, each focusing on current challenges in plant research and outreach. You can find the overview here.
SLU and LU representatives across EPSO working groups:
Chair: Jens Sundström, SLU Ultuna
Members: Per Hofvander, SLU Alnarp; Li-Hua Zhu, SLU Alnarp
Members: Anna Maňourová, SLU Alnarp
Members: Judith Lundberg-Felten, SLU Umeå
Members: Karl-Johan Bergstrand stepping in for Siri Caspersen, SLU Alnarp
A warm thank you to Siri Caspersen for her valuable contributions to this group!
- Nutritional security (No current representative listed – let us know if you’re interested)
- Tree and forestry biology and biotechnology
Members: Jens Sundström, SLU Ultuna
- Plant health (No current representative listed – let us know if you’re interested)
- Photosynthesis (PAI)
Members: Anders Carlsson, SLU Alnarp; Karl-Johan Bergstrand stepping in for Siri Caspersen, SLU Alnarp; Olivier Van Aken, LU; Mats Hansson, LU
- Plant factories (No current representative listed – let us know if you’re interested)
- Global plant research, including developing countries
Members: Anna Maňourová, SLU Alnarp
Are you affiliated with SLU or LU and interested in contributing to one of these EPSO working groups? Please contact anna.manourova@slu.se to learn more or express your interest.
4) Updates on the SLU and Sparbanken Skåne Centre for Sustainable Primary Production
The centre will work towards a knowledge-based, more sustainable and robust food value chain that benefits economic growth and development in society in the long term. Through outstanding research and education, the centre will collaborate with business and public actors to develop, disseminate and utilise knowledge and new solutions for a transition that balances economic, ecological and social sustainability.
Four overall target areas:
- Increased knowledge and innovation for increased sustainability in primary production
- Increased collaboration in research and development
- Higher level of technology in research, education and industry
- Strengthen Skåne’s contribution to the development of primary production in Sweden
More information on the centre
Interview with the leader Annie Drottberger
5) NordForsk call for proposals: Nordic research networks within natural science and related engineering fields – 14 August
NordForsk announces funding for up to 15 research networks. The available budget is up to NOK 30 million.
The aim of a Nordic initiative for research networks within natural science and related engineering fields is to promote research collaboration and support the establishment of new research networks in the natural sciences and engineering in the Nordic countries, which seek to explore novel research directions, build a strong Nordic platform at the cutting edge of emerging fields, or form new and potentially transformative links across what is usually considered distinct disciplines.
Application deadline: 14 August
Read more
6) NNF: Challenge Programme 2026 Webinar – Harnessing biology for climate-resilient and healthy soils – June 3
The Novo Nordisk Foundation’s 2026 Challenge Programme aims to address major challenges in science and society. The programme provides grants of up to DKK 75 million per project and a total of 150 million within each theme, encouraging ambitious and impactful research endeavours.
The challenge is to prevent further soil degradation and enable the regeneration of healthy soils as a vital natural resource by deepening our fundamental understanding of how biological factors influence and interact with physicochemical and other properties of soil.
Would you like to learn more? Sign up for the informational webinar on June 3, 14:30.
7) Join the 43rd EPSO Plant Science Seminar “Breakthroughs in horticultural species” – 22 May
On 22 May 2025 at 15:00 (CEST), three talks exploring “Breakthroughs in horticultural species” will be presented by Cristina Zepeda Cabrera, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands; Giovanna Frugis, National Research Council of Italy, Rome, Italy; Giuseppe Carlo Modarelli, Leibniz Institute for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops IGZ, Germany.
TTT: The seminar will be held online each third Thursday of the month at three (CEST).
More information and registration
8) Join the Agri4D conference – 23-25 September, SLU Ultuna
SLU Global and SIANI will unite science, policy, and practice to make a real-world impact on global food systems. The main theme of the conference is “Nurturing regenerative food systems in a changing climate” with three specific sub-themes: Empowering the next generation of food systems leaders; Transforming food systems: innovation and implementation; Equity, justice, and resilience.
Deadline for abstract submission: 26 May
More information and registration
9) Nationella växtskyddskonferensen 2025 – 12-13 November, SLU Alnarp
At the Swedish Plant Protection Conference, researchers, interest groups, authorities, companies and others with an interest in plant protection/forest damage meet to learn about current research, exchange experiences and discuss solutions for plant protection in horticulture, agriculture and forestry in Sweden. The theme of this year’s conference is “Forestry, horticulture and agriculture in a changing climate – new ideas for a sustainable future”.
The main language of the conference is Swedish. However, presenting in English is also possible. You can submit an abstract for an oral or poster presentation until 15 August. Register with the Early Bird price before 6 September!
More information and registration
10) SLU Digital Agriculture Symposium 2025 – June 12, SLU Ultuna
Are you interested in the future of farming and how digital technologies are transforming agriculture? The first SLU Symposium on Digital Agriculture will take place on June 12, 2025, at Campus Ultuna in Uppsala. The symposium brings together researchers, start-ups, and industry professionals working in technology, software, and digitalisation in agriculture to present their latest advancements.
You will get insight into precision agriculture, robotics, and data-driven farming technologies. A key highlight will be a demonstration of robots in field application!
More information and registration
11) 13th SPPS PhD Student Conference – 26-29 August, Tromsø, Norway
The conference aims to highlight the diverse research areas of PhD students studying photosynthetic organisms. The conference will contain 3 sessions: 1) Macro- and Micro-Algae, 2) Plants, and 3) Environmental Ecology.
Everyone will have the opportunity to discuss their work with fellow PhD students; meet, share and discuss! The conference is organised by PhD students for PhD students!
More information
12) Agroecology Europe Forum 2025 – October 2-4, Malmö
Agroecology Europe Forum 2025 is a landmark event shaping the future of food systems through agroecology. The theme “Transformation in Action!” will highlight collaboration, integration and bold action to accelerate agroecological transitions across Europe. For the first time, the 5th Agroecology Europe Forum is hosted in the Nordics, transforming into a vibrant festival welcoming both food system changemakers and the public.
The Agroecology Europe Forum 2025 is designed as a 3-day workshop, where each day has its own theme: Day 1 – Visions of agroecological transformations; Day 2 – Exploring transformative pathways; Day 3 – Moving into action.
More information and registration
13) European Plant Phenomics Symposium 2025 – 16-19 September, Bonn, Germany
We warmly welcome you to the European Plant Phenomics Symposium (EPPS), bringing together scientists from academia and industry as well as many stakeholders dedicated to advancing plant phenotyping research and technology in Europe and beyond.
The aim of the symposium is to support the discussion on the advances of plant phenomics under controlled and field conditions combined and its integration with genomics and data science with the goal to accelerate breeding of climate-resilient crops and to enable transition towards resilient agroecosystems.
More information and registration
14) Exhibition at LU Botan: Broken Greenhouse – Embodied Climate Futures – 23 May – 20 September
Broken Greenhouse – Embodied Climate Futures is an exhibition in the Botanical Garden in Lund created by the artist duo Bigert & Bergström. The exhibition consists of five sculptural greenhouses that, in different ways, portray the UN’s climate scenarios for the year 2100.
The opening weekend is 23rd– 25th of May; however, the exhibition will be open until September 20th.
More information
15) NKJ: Nine new networks were supported!
Nine new research networks were supported by the Nordic Joint Committee for Agricultural and Food Research (NKJ). They will work towards Nordic benefits and progress in agriculture and food over the next two years.
Who are the networks? Check here!
One of the successful networks is “Fimbulwinter wheat – creating a team with a plan to adapt winter wheat for difficult winters”, coordinated by PlantLink’s Steering Committee member Sofia Marmon, LU. Congratulations!
16) EPSO released Success stories 2024
The seventh biennial international Fascination of Plants Day was a huge global success with over 670 interactive events across 65 countries (5 events in Sweden) engaging thousands of people around plant science and the many uses of plants. Scientific institutions, universities, botanical gardens and museums, together with schools, farmers and companies, offered a variety of plant-based interactive events and activities for all interested people from toddlers to grandparents.
Read the Success stories
Press release is available here
17) ELLS summer schools
SLU students can apply for support, read the instructions and contact mobility@slu.se.
Biocontrol of insects and mites: status quo and prospective challenges; BOKU, Vienna, 6-12 July
This summer school will focus on the status quo of biological control of insects and mites in agriculture and forestry in a changing world. The content of the summer school will clearly present the pros and cons of biological control, but also the potential handling of prospective challenges such as biodiversity, biological invasions and climate warming in relation to biocontrol.
For MSc and PhD students
More information and registration
Summer Bioeconomy School – CZU, Czechia, 11-22 August
The summer course will have a focus on the role of agriculture and forestry for bioeconomy, with a special emphasis on Czech bioeconomy examples. In a two-week programme, the summer school will give an insight into the whole life cycle of bio-based materials: from primary production, processing, to the products, embedded in the value chains, as well as the resulting sustainability impacts. Different national perceptions, systems and strategies of Bioeconomy will be included. In a mix of lectures, interactive sessions, and excursions, professors of ELLS partner and member universities as well as international experts will teach about the topic Bioeconomy in an interactive way and in an international setting.
For MSc and PhD students
More information and registration
Science meets action, CZU, Czechia, 4-13 August
Explore climate change, food security, and ecosystem resilience. Engage with experts in labs, fields & real-world projects.
More information and registration
18) Open positions
SLU Alnarp
Manager/leader (Head of Department): Department of Biosystems and Technology
More information
Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in landscape architecture with a focus on aesthetic qualities and design of vegetation
More information
Postdoctoral Position in Analytical Chemistry
More information
PhD Student – FORCE: Genetic regulation of earliness and cold tolerance in pea and faba bean
More information
Lund University
Postdoctor in business administration – strategy and the food industry – FORCE
More information
Doctoral student in Food and Formulation Engineering–turbulent emulsifiers
More information
Others – Aarhus University
PhD position: Investigating the Role of Biologicals in Managing disease and drought stress in tomatoes
More information
19) Researcher in the Spotlight – Johanna Osterman
Johanna Osterman is a promising early-career researcher who began working as a plant breeder at Lantmännen while completing her PhD at the Department of Plant Breeding, SLU Alnarp. Her work focuses on applying genomic selection in forage species, and she proudly says that it is the data science side, not the lab work, that truly excites her.
Read the interview
20) Congratulations to the funded projects in the FORMAS Agroecology Partnership Call!
Formas announced a grant of 25 million SEK to enable actors based in Sweden to join international research and innovation projects under the Horizon Europe partnership Accelerating Farming Systems Transition: Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructure (AGROECOLOGY). The call aimed to support transnational projects that advanced the shift toward more resilient, climate-adapted, productive, and locally tailored agricultural systems.
SLU/LU-funded projects:
Laura Grenville-Briggs, SLU – Diversification with cover crops – Sustainability in potato production (DisCoverCrop), 5,8 mil SEK
William Sidemo-Holm, LU – Strengthening Agricultural landscape multifunctionality through expansion of agroecological farming in Europe (SAFER), 3,5 mil SEK
Marcos Lana, SLU – Supporting the agroecological transition through living labs networks (SUNRISE), 3,5 mil SEK
Congratulations!