The University of Hyderabad hosted the International Conference on Developments in Plant Biology and Biotechnology (ICDPBB 2025) from January 29 to 31, 2025. The event, held in collaboration with the 16th Plant Sciences Colloquium, brought together leading scientists, researchers, and students from around the world to discuss the latest developments in plant science and biotechnology.
The conference, organized by the Department of Plant Sciences in the School of Life Sciences, featured a mix of plenary talks, lectures, oral presentations, and posters. Topics covered included plant genomics, stress biology, photosynthesis, microbial interactions, metabolomics, and crop biotechnology.
The event kicked off with a welcome address by Prof. S. Rajagopal, Head of the Department of Plant Sciences, and remarks from Prof. Anand K. Kondapi, Dean of the School of Life Sciences. The Presidential Address was delivered by Prof. A. S. Raghavendra, INSA Senior Scientist, and Prof. Appa Rao Podile, Guest-of-Honor, discussed the role of biotechnology in advancing plant science.
Prominent speakers included Prof. Barry D. Bruce from the University of Tennessee, who spoke on protein transport in plastids, and Prof. Akhilesh Tyagi from the University of Delhi, who focused on rice genomics. Other keynote addresses included discussions on fruit traits and disease resistance by Prof. Umesh Reddy from West Virginia State University, leaf shape evolution by Prof. Utpal Nath from IISc, and adaptive responses of oilseed crops to high carbon dioxide by Prof. Baishnab C. Tripathy from Sharda University.
International speakers like Prof. Boris Zorin from Ben-Gurion University in Israel, Prof. Ifuku Kentaro and Prof. Yamano Takashi from Kyoto University, Japan, and Prof. Antoni Planas Sauter from Barcelona, Spain, also contributed to the conference.
Sessions covered a wide range of topics such as plant-microbe interactions, stress biology, photosynthesis, and metabolomics. A special highlight was the colloquium where Ph.D. scholars presented their research. The event also featured BioSymphony, a cultural program with performances by students from the Department of Plant Sciences.
On the final day, Prof. Ramesh Sonti from ICGEB, New Delhi, delivered the valedictory lecture on bacterial virulence in rice. Prizes were awarded for the best oral and poster presentations, and students who excelled in the M.Sc. Plant Biology and Biotechnology and M.Sc. Molecular Microbiology programs received medals and certificates. The conference also recognized winners of the Mahesh Award, Petri-Art competition, and the Cover Page design contest.
ICDPBB 2025 concluded successfully, fostering global collaboration and scientific exchange. The organizing committee expressed excitement about continuing this annual tradition, offering a platform for innovation and international cooperation in plant sciences.
