Dear colleagues,
We would like to update you on a number of issues pertaining to the organization of InterDrought-IV and InterDrought-V.
The website of the Congress (www.interdrought4.org) has been updated with the latest version of the program, including the list of the invited speakers. The list includes specialists in a broad range of disciplines that reflect the interdisciplinarity of the Congress. We have further identified two chairs for each session and we are in the process of sending invitations to them. Once we know their availability we will include them in the program.
Registrations and abstract submission opened on September 1 and will close on April 1, 2013. The selection of abstracts will be carried out through a close collaboration between members of the Local Committee, members of the Program Committee and co-chairs of the theme. Three different special issues will be published based upon selected manuscripts presented during the Congress. Further details are available on the Congress website.
The website reports details on hotel accommodation. Those who might be interested in sharing a room with another participant in order to reduce the accommodation cost, can email their interest to Emma Pawley at
The fund-raising campaign, still in full swing, has already secured an important quantity of funds that will be instrumental to partially cover the organization expenses. Thanks to the generous sponsorship provided by the FAO, it will be possible to provide a number of grants to support the participation of young scientists from DCs. A number of additional grants will be made available through the Generation Challenge program. Details on how to apply will soon be posted on the website. We wish to thank Pasquale Steduto and Jean Marcel Ribaut for making these funds available.
We would be very grateful if you could advertise the Congress in your own countries. We have attached the latest A4-flyer that you can circulate electronically to colleagues in your respective countries.
As to the site for the next InterDrought (ID-V), we are glad to inform you that colleagues from India have confirmed their interest in hosting ID-V (most likely in Delhi) as already indicated at the end of ID-III. Should other members of the ID-IV Committees wish to propose alternative venues, they are kindly requested to send a letter indicating their interest in hosting ID-V before January 31, 2013. Should there be two or more offers of hospitality, the Committee members will be asked to express their preferences.
Finally, for those of you who will be attending the Plant & Animal Genome Congress in San Diego, we wish to point out that on January 13 at 12.30 there will be an informal meeting on organizational issues of ID-IV. The meeting is in the same room (Golden Ballroom) where the Abiotic Stress workshop will be held.
We look forward to seeing you in Perth and we wish to thank you for your continued collaboration and support.
Best wishes to you and your families for the Christmas holidays,
Roberto Tuberosa, Neil Turner, Mehmet Cakir