ABOUT SOL 2008

Dear colleagues,

It is our great pleasure to invite you to participate in the 5th Solanaceae Genome Workshop (SOL 2008), particularly as 2008 has been declared by the United Nations as the international year of the potato. Potato is a member of the Solanaceae family and one of the great food crops of the world. Genome research has perforated traditional borders between species specific research communities. Knowledge obtained in one plant genome is beneficial for many other related plant genomes. The purpose of this meeting, as of the previous ones, is to stimulate the crossing of borders when listening to, looking at and talking about the research going on in tomato, potato, tobacco, pepper, petunia, coffee and all 2008 useful and beautiful Solanaceous plants. We put the conference under the motto

‘Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit utile dulci’

You may wonder what that means. Every participant is invited to make an English translation of this Latin verse of the poet Horaz. At the meeting, there will be a contest for the best translation. The winner of the contest will be rewarded with a bottle of the best wine from the Ahr valley South of Cologne.

The Max-Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research and the local organizing committee look forward to welcome you in Cologne.