Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce that the 31st Conference of the Italian Society of Plant Pathology, entitled “Novel ideas to support plants. Let’s bet against pathogens!”, will be held in Udine from September 16 to 18, 2026. The event will be organized by the Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences (DI4A) of the University of Udine, in collaboration with ERSA (Regional Agency for Rural Development). The scientific sessions will be opened by prominent researchers in the international scientific community. During the Conference, the SIPaV “Giovanni Scaramuzzi 2026” award will be presented for the best PhD thesis in Plant Pathology, while the three best posters will receive the “Best Poster Award” on the final day of the event. The SIPaV Members’ Assembly will take place, as usual, before the social dinner. The last day of the Conference will include a wrap-up meeting dedicated to highlight the key themes of the conference. Participants who remain in Udine after the end of the Conference will have the opportunity to stroll through the streets of the historic city center with an expert art guide. Also this year, SIPaV will cover the conference registration fees for 20 "Early-Career Researchers in Training".

Looking forward to see you in Udine