By Peter Chaires
The International Society of Citrus Nurseries (ISCN) will hold its International Congress in Vina del Mar, Chile, on Aug. 18–19. Founded in 1981, ISCN was formed:
- To encourage and further the exchange of technical information and results of research pertaining to the propagation of citrus nursery trees and nursery industry related topics
- To promote the production and use of citrus plants of quality which are true to type for the cultivar and have the maximum guarantee possible of freedom from pests and diseases
- To promote the development of a program for the exchange and introduction of citrus cultivars from one country to another using technically prepared disease-free propagation material
- To compile comparative economic studies with the aim of providing stability in the marketing of citrus nursery products
- To have congress meetings every three to four years in various countries as determined by the members of the ISCN
- To communicate regularly with all members of the ISCN
ATTENDANCE AND TOPICS
The International Congress is an opportunity to establish meaningful relationships, gain exposure to practical and academic information and tour nurseries and local citrus production. The event is not limited to nurseries. It is open to anyone with an interest in the citrus business.
Nate Jameson of Florida’s Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery is the current president of ISCN. Jameson recently stated that he is a better citrus nurseryman for having been a member of ISCN and for attending the International Congress. He explained that participation gains one access to conversations, facilities and a level of candor unavailable to non-member companies.
Some of the topics that will be covered include citrus varieties, citrus diseases, citrus nursery operations and best practices. This meeting presents an opportunity to improve one’s knowledge in a non-competitive sharing environment. The base language for the meeting, as with most global scientific and technical events, will be English. Interpretation is available for those who require it.
The event moves around the globe and is held every three years. Past locations have included Spain, California, Australia, South Africa, France/Italy, Brazil/Peru/Argentina, Egypt, China, Argentina/Uruguay/Chile, Florida/Mexico/California and Australia/New Zealand.
EVENT DETAILS
Event registration details are linked to the ISCN website (iscn.co) and can be found on the International Congress website (globalcitrusnurseriescongress.cl). Prices are kept reasonable to encourage membership and participation.
There is a four-day pre-congress tour in Brazil on Aug. 11–16. (A visa is required. Get started on this as soon as possible if you plan to attend). This will include visits to nurseries and orchards and exploring local approaches to HLB management. The formal education sessions will be held on Aug. 18–19 in Chile, with guided tours of major citrus nurseries in the Valparaiso region on Aug. 20–21. The keynote presenter will be Georgios Vidalakis from California’s Citrus Clonal Protection Program.
There is still time to register and arrange transportation, but time is short. Consider whether this is something you should attend.
Peter Chaires is executive director of New Varieties Development & Management Corp.
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