The International Symposium on Agricultural Genomics for Food Security and Plant-Environment Interaction in a Changing Climate was organised jointly by the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology (CUHK), the RGC-AoE Center for Genomic Studies on Plant-Environment Interaction for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, and the Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability in August as part of CUHK’s 60th anniversary celebrations. The 3-day symposium brought together over 150 experts, researchers, and scholars from around the world to explore the latest advancements in the field, with a highlight on the pivotal role of genomics in shaping the future of agriculture.

At the opening ceremony, CUHK Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, remarked that the symposium has demonstrated the theme of the University’s diamond jubilee—where great minds shine by driving collaboration towards the common goal of advancing agricultural genomics research for the betterment of society. He also acknowledged the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology (CUHK) and the AoE Center for Genomic Studies on Plant-Environment Interaction for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security for their innovative contributions in developing new agrobiotechnologies to improve crop productivity and sustainability.

A series of keynotes and thematic talks were given by renowned local and international scholars from six continents, covering various aspects of agricultural genomics such as underutilised crops and nutritional research, genomics and functional agro-ecology, and new technological platforms. Early-career researchers and students also showcased their work at the poster sessions and gained valuable insights from experienced professionals in the field.

The symposium also featured the establishment of the International Consortium for Research and Applications of Legumes. This consortium, founded by Prof. Hon-Ming Lam of CUHK, Prof. Henry Nguyen of University of Missouri in the US, and Prof. Rajeev Varshney of Murdoch University in Australia, aims to promote cross-disciplinary and cross-boundary collaborations in legume research and applications. The consortium will drive the momentum of the symposium further in creating a more sustainable and food-secure world.

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