Events: Conferences, Meetings and Activities
(last update: 22.06.2026)
Please send information about meetings to the web publisher (Madeleine Buehler): Send e-mail
For information about past conferences, meetings and activities: Visit the Archive.
New Zealand Plant Protection Society (NZPPS) Conference
11-13 August 2026, Napier, New Zealand.
Website: https://nzpps.org/events/2026-nzpps-conference-2/
24th Australasian Weeds Conference (AWC 2026)
23-27 August 2026, Christchurch, New Zealand.
The Council of Australasian Weed Societies, the New Zealand Biosecurity Institute (NZBI), and the New Zealand Plant Protection Society (NZPPS) are jointly hosting the 24th Australasian Weeds Conference (AWC), to be held in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand, from 23–27 August 2026.
The conference theme “Collaboration Across Borders: Sharing knowledge for effective weed management” reflects the importance of working together across regions and disciplines to protect our unique environments, economies, and communities from the impacts of invasive weeds.
Website: https://awc26.com
13th Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium (ASDS 2026)
14-18 September 2026, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
A focused environment to learn from each other and meet fellow plant pathologists
ASDS is a unique biennial event that brings together researchers, practitioners, and primary producers to explore the latest developments in the diagnosis, prevention, and management of soilborne plant diseases.
Since 1999, ASDS has been a leading platform for promoting integrated disease management and soil health innovations across the region.
ASDS 2026 promises to be dynamic symposium featuring: A hands-on Nematology Workshop and field trips to showcase real-world applications.
Engaging sessions on trending topics including:
- Climate Change – Exploring how shifting environmental conditions influence disease dynamics and soil health
- Advanced Technologies in Soilborne Disease Research – Including remote sensing, AI-driven diagnostics, molecular tools, and data-driven modelling to revolutionise how we understand and manage soilborne diseases
- Nematology – Advances in nematode biology, diagnostics, and management strategies
- Horticulture – Disease pressures and integrated solutions across annual and perennial cropping systems
- Diagnostics, Biosecurity & Surveillance – Cutting-edge tools and frameworks for early detection, containment, and risk mitigation
- Integrated Management – Combining cultural, biological, and chemical approaches for sustainable disease control
- Soil Biodiversity & Microbiomes – Leveraging microbial communities to enhance soil health and suppress pathogens
With an expected 120–150 delegates from across Australia, New Zealand, and the Asia–Pacific, ASDS 2026 offers exceptional opportunities to:
- Connect with leading researchers, producers, and policy-makers.
- Explore innovations shaping the future of soil health and disease management.
- Build networks that translate science into on-farm solutions.
Website: https://www.asds-apps.com
16th Workshop IOBC-MRQA Work Group:
Innovations in Rearing High-Quality Invertebrates
1-5 March 2027, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Joint meeting of the MRQA and the Association of Natural Biocontrol Producers (ANBP)
We are pleased to announce tentative dates for the 16th Workshop of the IOBC Global Working Group on Mass Rearing & Quality Assurance (MRQA). It will be in Tucson, Arizona USA during the first week of March 2027.
The workshop objective is to explore opportunities for advancing the rearing of high quality entomophagous and phytophagous insects and mites, entomopathogenic nematodes, and other invertebrates for plant and animal pest management, human and animal food, and a variety of other uses. The program will consist of symposia on current “Hot topics,” invited and submitted presentations, and posters on selected aspects of invertebrate rearing and quality assurance as they relate to production and quality control. Presentations will serve as a basis for discussion and exchange, with the final aim of improving collaboration among scientists and practitioners. Accommodation for remote presentations will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
The program will include sessions on:
- Mass rearing and evaluating biological control agents for pests
- Mass rearing for SIT and other autocidal pest control
- Methods for assessing the quality of biological control products
- Mass rearing insects for food and feed
- Mass rearing and evaluating pollinators
- Open session on rearing invertebrates
Download: Invitation - Save the Date! (pdf)
More information on IOBC-MRQA: https://www.mrqa.eu
XXI International Plant Protection Congress (IPPC 2027) in conjunction with 26th Australasian Plant Pathology Conference (APPC)
1-5 November 2027, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, Christchurch, New Zealand.
The XXI International Plant Protection Congress (XXI IPPC) will be held from November 1-5, 2027, at the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand. Organized by the IAPPS (International Association for the Plant Protection Sciences), this event represents the 78th year of the congress and is the first to be hosted in the Australasian region.
The event follows the XX IPPC held in Athens in 2024, continuing the 4-year cycle of scientific exchange intended to protect global plant resources and enhance food security.
Theme & Goal:
The congress aims to integrate modern indigenous knowledge with global scientific and private sector efforts, focusing on sustainable, effective, and environmentally safe plant protection.
Significance:
It serves as a unique global platform for researchers, practitioners, and students to discuss key plant health challenges, including climate change impacts, emerging pests, and food security.
Key Focus Areas:
The 2027 event will heavily emphasize the incorporation of indigenous insights into plant protection science, featuring field trips and a multidisciplinary approach encompassing plant pathology, entomology, and weed science.
Website: https://www.ippc2027.com
13th International Congress of Plant Pathology 2028 (ICPP2028)
19-25 August, 2028, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
ICPP is the world’s largest conference on plant pathology and has served as the global forum to foster sharing the research updates and facilitate collaboration among scientists around the world.
It is predicted that the global population will reach 9.7 billion people by 2050, placing intense pressure on food supply chains. Half of the world’s population will reside in the tropics due to rapid population growth in this region, and tropical climes will have expanded poleward due to global warming. It is therefore apt that the ICPP in 2028 will be held for the very first time in a subtropical zone.
We are planning a diverse and stimulating program of talks, workshops, technical tours, and social networking events. Think of any crop and it is likely to be grown in Australia – from apples to mangoes and wheat to sugarcane. There will be congress sessions that cater for every plant pathology interest.
Congress website: https://www.icpp2028.org
Further IOBC Event Websites
IOBC-Global:
https://www.iobc-global.org/events.html
West Palaearctic Regional Section, IOBC-WPRS:
https://iobc-wprs.org/meetings
Neotropical Regional Section (NTRS)
http://www.iobcntrs.org/Events.aspx
Nearctic Regional Section, IOBC-NRS:
https://www.iobcnrs.org
