General Information

      On behalf of the Orchard and Plantation Systems Working Group, the Rootstock Breeding and Evaluation Working Group, and the Environmental Physiology Working Group of the Fruit Section of the International Society for Horticultural Science, we invite you to the 9th International Symposium on Integrating Canopy, Rootstock and Environmental Physiology in Orchard Systems to be held in Geneva, New York, USA from Aug. 4 to Aug. 8, 2008.
      This symposium will bring together scientists who are working on genetics and genomics of rootstock characters, rootstock breeders and evaluators, tree and rootstock physiologists, and canopy management specialists. The past 8 meetings of the Orchard Systems working group have documented and led the dramatic changes in orchard systems, rootstocks and management across the world.  This meeting will again provide much new information on practical orchard management as well as reports on significant advances in rootstock genetics and tree physiology. 
      We look forward to meeting you in Geneva, New York State next August.

Sincerely,
Terence Robinson
Convener

Location of the symposium
      The symposium will be held in Geneva, New York State, USA which is the home city of Cornell University’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station.  Geneva is a small city of 25,000 inhabitants in the heart of the scenic Finger Lakes Region of Western New York State.  It is located at the northern end of the beautiful and scenic 55 km-long Seneca Lake.  Geneva is located midway between Rochester, Syracuse, and Ithaca (home of Cornell University).  Geneva is close to the main apple, pear, peach, cherry, plum, and apricot production areas of New York State which are located along the shores of Lake Ontario, the last of the chain of great lakes in the Eastern USA. Also nearby is the Finger Lakes wine region.
      The meeting will be held on the campus of Hobart and William Smith Colleges (a private liberal arts university located in Geneva). 

Topics of the symposium
      • Rootstock genetics/genomics
      • Rootstock breeding and evaluation
      • Rootstock/scion interactions
      • Tree architecture and orchard design
      • Environmental and biotic impacts on tree, rootstock and orchard performance
      • Fruit and tree growth and development
      • Sustainable production and improved fruit quality
      •  Canopy and crop load management

Organizing Committee
Terence Robinson – Convener
Gennaro Fazio – Rootstock Program Co-Chair
Herb Aldwinckle – Social Events Chair and Rootstock Program Co-Chair
Alan Lakso – Environmental Physiology Program Co-Chair
Lailiang Cheng - Environmental Physiology Program Co-Chair
Gabino Reginato - Orchard Systems Program Co-Chair
Steve Hoying –Field Tours Co-Chair
Jason Osborne - Field Tours Co-Chair
Nancy Long – Secretary/Treasurer, Event Coordinator

Scientific Committee
T. Robinson (USA)
H. Aldwinckle (USA)
J. Bonany (Spain)
N. Cook (South Africa)
L. Cheng (USA)
L. Corelli-Grappadelli (Italy)
T. DeJong (USA)
G. Fazio (USA)
J. Flore (USA)
K. Hrotko (Hungary)
A. Lakso (USA)
P. Eric Lauri (France)
F. Maas (Netherlands)
M. Moreno (Spain)
J. Palmer (New Zealand)
G. Reginato (Chile)
G. Reighard (USA)
M. Simard (France)
S. Tustin (New Zealand)
J. Vercammen (Belgium)
A.D. Webster (UK)
J. Wunsche (Germany)