Dear Members of the DPG Working Group on “Virus Diseases of Plants”,

We are pleased to announce the 59th Meeting of our Working Group, which will take place on Monday, March 15th, 2027 (starting at 9:00 a.m.) and Tuesday, March 16th, 2027 (ending at noon) at the IBMP in Strasbourg, France. We are very grateful to Christophe Ritzenthaler and Christina Wege for their kind invitation and for organizing the upcoming meeting.

As we are guest of our French neighbors, the main conference language of the 2027 meeting will be English.

First info on the 59th meeting:

• Early start on Monday morning (9:00 a.m.) to allow more time for talks and discussions.
• The meeting topic will be: Emerging viruses, new technologies, and sustainable solutions in plant virology
• A dedicated session on practical virology.
• Registration is free of charge; however, registration is mandatory and a cost-sharing contribution for rental fees and catering applies for on-site attendees
• Online participation is possible
• The meeting will include a poster session and poster pitch presentations.

Additional logistic information:

The meeting venue – the IBMP Strasbourg - is easily reachable by tram (line C, Esplanade/Observatoire stop) from the main train station.

Two convenient areas for accommodation are suggested:

- Immediately next to the campus (5-10 min walk from IBMP): Hotel Esplanade, located in the university district, right in front of the Observatoire tram stop (line C)

- In the historic city center (10-15 min by tram, direct line C): several budget-friendly ibis options are possible (Ibis Strasbourg Centre, Ibis Styles Petite France)

Further details on program, registration, contribution fee, accommodation, and local information about Strasbourg will follow soon. Registration will open in November.

We very much look forward to seeing you in Strasbourg 2027!

Kind regards,

Kerstin Zikeli and Annette Niehl