2003 Temperature Stress in Plants Gordon Conference, Janury 26 - 30, 2003, Oxnard, California

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

A long standing fundamental question is how plants perceive and respond to changes in their environment. In addition to sensing and signaling, understanding of the regulatory genes is advancing rapidly. Very important has been the identification and characterization of many of the 1,500 of these genes that control plant responses to cold. Many other genes are also important in plant stress adaptation and they are being characterized at a rapid rate. Studies of the heat shock response have uncovered unexpected basic cell functions and united the study of protein folding with the function of several stress proteins. Biophysical aspects of temperature stress are now better understood. A number of proteins protect plants from low temperatures and freezing damage. In short, the field of temperature stress in plants is very rich with opportunities for agriculture and forestry. Most critical at this time is bringing together scientists at molecular, cell, whole organism, and field levels. It will be a diverse gathering and include a union between diverse academic institutions within the USA and internationally including a union of academic and industry scientists. Involvement of industry is a founding principal of the Gordon Research Conferences. The timing of the 2003 Gordon Conference on Temperature Stress in Plants could not be better!