The Mediterranea hosts the 121st Congress of the Italian Botanical Society
The Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria will host the 121st International Congress of the Italian Botanical Society SBI - XI International Plant Science Conference (IPSC) from 2 to 5 September 2026. The event is organized by Professors Giovanni Spampinato, who is also a national councilor of the Society, and Carmelo Maria Musarella, professors at the Department of Agriculture of the Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria.
The Italian Botanical Society is one of the oldest Italian scientific societies, founded in Florence in 1888. However, its origins lie in the Florentine Botanical Society, the first botanical association in Europe, founded in 1716 thanks to the efforts of Pier Antonio Micheli. The Society has over 1,000 members drawn not only from academic and institutional circles but also from other organizations, such as schools and associations dedicated to botanical activities.
The International Congress of the Italian Botanical Society is an important annual event. This year's main theme is " Plants and Global Change ," and it will consist of five thematic symposia addressing the complex issue of the effects of climate change on the plant world. Internationally renowned speakers will present the latest scientific advances in this field.
This year, approximately 200 scholars from various branches of botany will participate from throughout Italy and several foreign countries. The conference will be held in the Aula Magna "A. Quistelli." After the official greetings, attended by, among others, the rector of the Mediterranea, Prof. Giuseppe Zimbalatti, and the president of the Italian Botanical Society, Prof. Antonella Canini, the conference will begin with a moment of remembrance for Prof. Sandro Pignatti, one of Italy's greatest botanists and ecologists, author of two editions of the monumental "Flora d'Italia," coordinated by Prof. Francesco Maria Raimondo.
The conference will feature two round tables in Italian on current issues involving academia, institutions, and professionals: " Monumental Trees and Ancient Forests: A Heritage to Know and Protect, " organized by Francesco Tarantino, coordinator of the SBI Monumental Trees Working Group, and " Restoration Ecology and Restoration Ecology, Regulations for Nature Restoration and a Nature Plan for the Future of Cities, " coordinated by Carlo Blasi, director of the Interuniversity Research Center "Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Sustainability" (CIRBISES, Sapienza University of Rome). The round tables will also be attended by directors of the relevant ministries, as well as figures from the world of research and communications. Further information is available on the conference website: https://congresso.societabotanicaitaliana.it/it/
On September 5th, a post-conference excursion to the Aspromonte National Park is planned to collect data and conduct observations on the flora and vegetation, and more generally on the rich and varied heritage that characterizes the park's plant biodiversity.
Program booklet and abstract list
