Join the SMWG at SeedCon 2026
Conferences ·We are excited to announce that the SMWG will host a session at SeedCon titled Shaping the Future of Seed Microbiome Research! This collaborative session invites participants to actively engage in World Café–style discussions on key topics in seed microbiome research, led by our group members.
Participants will connect with fellow researchers and share perspectives, explore experimental design and research priorities, and contribute to discussions that help shape the future of seed microbiome research.
Session topics:
- Mechanisms of microbial persistence in the seed host led by Davide Gerna (Kew Science, UK), exploring how microbes persist and thrive within seeds.
- Mechanisms for seed endophytic-mediated plant growth and stress tolerance led by Gaurav Pal (NC State University, US), discussing the ways seed-associated microbes support plant health.
- Best practices to derive biological meaning from seed microbiomes led by Anastasia Juskovic (AIT, Austria), focusing on designing studies that generate meaningful and reproducible insights.
- Effects of plant-microbe co-evolution on seed microbial diversity led by Kristina Michl (FH Technikum Wien, Austria), examining how plant traits influence the composition of seed microbiomes.
- Biopriming as a method to shape seed microbiomes led by Joseph King (Royal Holloway University of London, UK), highlighting strategies to actively shape seed-associated microbial communities in sustainable agriculture.
Join us for this engaging session, where your ideas and experiences will help define the next directions in seed microbiome research!
Find out more at seedcon.org