The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina Lepeletier, 1836) originates from Southeast Asia. It was first recorded in Europe in France in 2004. It is possible they were introduced with goods even earlier. From there, they began to spread rapidly. They have now been recorded in Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland,…

Recently, Dr Olha Lakhneko used an excellent opportunity to learn and practice measuring photosynthesis status in various leaf types using a dedicated portable device at the Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv. Applying acquired skills, she evaluated photosynthetic activity in the leaves of two contrasting…

From July 21 to 27, 2024, the 20th International Botanical Congress (IBC) took place in Madrid, Spain (https://ibcmadrid2024.com/). The IBC is a conference with a long tradition, organized every six years under the supervision of the International Association for Botanical and Mycological Societies (IABMS). The IBC in Madrid was organized by the Spanish Botanical Society (Sociedad Botánica…

Recently, Dr. Monika Danchenko joined the International Carnivorous Plant Society (ICPS; https://www.carnivorousplants.org/) and participated in their Annual Photo Contest representing the Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre. All fascinating photographs were displayed online on the multimedia platform https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1SIxpzq9mQ. Monika contributed with original images of the forked-leaved (Drosera binata),Cape (Drosera capensis), and round-leaved (Drosera rotundifolia) sundews, grown…

September 6-7, 2024, Bratislava Organizers:Magdalena Bohutínská (Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern)Jozef Šibík (Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre SAS) Course DescriptionAdaptation research is fascinating from an evolutionary biology perspective, but it also has applications in many other fields, such as ecology, conservation, and agriculture. The aim of this course is to introduce several…

“Monday Update” is a platform for PhD Students and early-stage Postdoctoral Fellows to present their findings, results, and ideas within the scientific community of RECROP COST Action CA22157 (cost.eu/actions/CA22157). Postdoctoral Fellow from Danchenko lab—Olha Lakhneko—is a Core Group member of RECROP (Young Researcher and Innovator Engagement Coordinator). Earlier this week, at the inaugural “Monday Update”…

The 65th Annual Symposium of the International Plant Science Association (IAVS 2023) took place in Coffs Harbor, New South Wales, Australia, 3-8 September. This year, the main theme of the symposium was “The Future of Vegetation in the 22nd Century”. Against the backdrop of global climate change, IAVS provided an invaluable platform for the botanists…

Recent article from Danchenko Lab, published in Frontiers in Plant Science (doi:10.3389/fpls.2023.1181834), focused on drought, which severely limits wheat production.This collaborative research of Slovak and Ukrainian Scientists used a combination ofphysiological and biochemical methods. Leading author—Olha Lakhneko—showed that atolerant cultivar apparently dissipated excessive light energy by photorespiration,maintained photosynthesis, effectively induced protective enzymes, and had a…

In June and July 2023, Ph.D. student Lucia Čahojová from the Institute of Botany, Plant Science, and Biodiversity Center SAS participated in an internship in Slovenia at the Jovan Hadži Biological Institute of the Scientific Research Center of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (Biološki inštitut Jovana Hadžija ZRC SAZU) in Ig, near the…

Last month we obtained two important instruments, real-time PCR cycler Roche LightCycler 96 and DeNovix spectrophotometer/fluorometer DS-11, in a total value of 45.000 EUR. We believe in their long service and some great discoveries. This equipment was bought thanks to IMPULZ grant (IM-2021-23) from the Slovak Academy of Sciences and NextGenerationEU through the Resilience and…