The Western Region of the International Plant Propagators’ Society (IPPS) will hold its Annual Meeting from Sept. 23 to 26 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Plaza in Modesto, Calif., according to a press release from IPPS. The theme of this year’s meeting is “Plant Propagation in the 21st Century” and features a diverse program of tours and presentations focused on the latest in plant propagation and production practices.
The pre-conference tour takes place on Wednesday, Sept. 23 and highlights seven stops showcasing the diversified agriculture of the Central Valley of California. Attendees will visit a cactus nursery, a bedding plant nursery, a nursery that produces citrus and other fruit trees, two prune processing and packing facilities, a seed and plant diagnostic lab,a tissue culture lab and the USDA Germplasm Repository.
This conference also includes two half-day tours of nurseries and other plant production facilities and three half-day sessions with presentations by plant scientists from the Western Region and beyond. The talks focus on topics from conservation of plants and resources to alternative plant protection and pathogen detection strategies to technologies of the future.
On Friday evening the banquet features John Duarte, President of Duarte Nursery, Inc. speaking on the past, present and future of the nursery industry in California’s Central Valley. Central Valley nursery pioneers will be honored during the banquet.
IPPS members and non-members are welcome to register for all or part of the meeting. Students can become members at nominal annual fees and can also register for the conference at reduced rates. This meeting presents a rewarding opportunity for all those who love plants or are associated with them in some professional way. Registration materials are available at www.ippswr.org or by sending an e-mail to ggredler@comcast.net.