The 21st Reinhardsbrunn Symposium will take place on 19 - 23 April 2026 in Friedrichroda - Germany
For over 55 years the name "Reinhardsbrunn" has become famous in scientific circles for the Symposium series which draws together fungicide scientists from academia, research institutes and industry to present, listen to and discuss the latest research findings from around the world in this fast moving field.
Such research is a vital component in the quest to provide adequate control of the fungi that threaten the world's food supply and commodity products. Only by discovering new active molecules by synthetic chemistry or from natural sources and by understanding how they work and how best to use them in geographically different locations, can we hope to maintain and improve the quality of life for the world's growing population.
The 2026 Symposium will build upon the Reinhardsbrunn reputation by providing an opportunity for established experts and those just starting on their scientific career to present information to an international audience through oral presentations and posters. In addition, outstanding experts as key note speakers will introduce into the symposium and the single topical sessions. There will be ample time to discuss the findings and their implications both during and after the presentations. The Symposium thus also provides a unique opportunity to establish new contacts and friendships within fungicide science.
It is the intention of the Symposium Committee to arrange a well balanced program with participants and perspectives from around the globe, and sufficient time for discussion.
We look forward to welcome you as an active participant at the next symposium.
The official language of the symposium is English.
!!Deadline Extended: Abstract Submissions Now Open Until January 6, 2026!!
Registration with contribution | January 6th, 2026
Submission of abstract | January 6th, 2026
Registration without contribution | February 10, 2026
Hotel registration (for special offer) | February 10, 2026
Payment of reduced conference fees | February 10, 2026
Submission of complete manuscript
for the Proceedings volume) | October 1st, 2026
Regular participants:
Payment before February 10, 2026 | 680 €
Payment after February 10, 2026 | 790 €
Participants in retirement: | 475 €
Students (with student or PhD candidate ID) | 300 €
DPG members in education | 200 €
Symposium Excursion | 100 €
(Details you will find at Social Events / Excursion)
A Proceedings Volume will be published as a peer-reviewed printed Symposium Proceedings Volume. One printed copy is included in the participation fee.
Payments:
Conference fees should be addressed to the account of the Deutsche Phytomedizinische Gesellschaft (DPG) or payed for by PayPal. Bank details will be provided to you after registration.
If you would like to use PayPal for payment, please contact the symposium office at reinhardsbrunn@~@plant-protection.net. PayPal payments are subject to a processing fee of €28.
Please notice that payments reduced by a processing fee of EUR 30 will be refunded provided a written cancellation is received by DPG until 27th January 2026. Please note that there will be no refund for cancellation after that date.
The 4-day-symposium will be held at the H+-Hotel, Thüringer Wald in Friedrichroda/Germany. The Hotel is able to provide accommodation for a large number of participants at a special package price (state April 2025) which includes room and breakfast:
- Single room from € 119,00 per person/day
- Double room from € 139,00 for two persons/day
Follow this link to book your room: https://secure.h-hotels.com/de/hotel/15714/_search?checkin=2026-04-19&checkout=2026-04-23&adult=1&children=0&rooms=1&code=3564325
How to get to Friedrichroda: By plane to Frankfurt/Main, Berlin or Erfurt.
- From there by train to Gotha (Thuringia), which is situated on the railway line Berlin - Frankfurt (check with: www.bahn.de; English version: https://www.bahn.com/en.) In Gotha take a taxi : costs from the station Gotha to the hotel will be approximately € 45,-. Adventurous participants take the local tram in Gotha (Thüringer Waldbahn) to the station "Bahnhof Reinhardsbrunn". The Hotel is within 500 m walking distance up the hill.
- By car from Frankfurt/Main: take the Autobahn (Expressway) A5 -> A4 to Eisenach and Erfurt, branch off at Waltershausen. Then follow the signs to Friedrichroda.
Passport and Visa
Members of the European Union need a valid identity card or passport. Participants from all other countries should check with their travel agency or directly with the German Embassy in their home country for visa regulations.
Letter of invitation
The Organising Committee will send out a letter of invitation, if requested, for participants having an accepted contribution. It is understood that such an invitation is intended to help potential attendees to raise travel funds or obtain a visa. The organisers can not provide financial support. Please contact the Symposium Bureau.
In addition to invited lectures the symposium will be based on oral papers and posters accepted by the Symposium's Committee from submitted proposals. Presentations will be accepted from areas of fungicide science that fit into the following thematic areas:
- New Fungicides and Mode of Actions
- New Technologies and Concepts for Disease Control (e.g. gene silencing)
- Bio-rational fungicides / biocontrol
- Molecular mechanisms of fungicide resistance
- Diagnosis and prediction of fungicide resistance
- Resistance monitoring
- Fungicide resistance risk assessment and management
- Fungicide resistance modelling
- Regulatory aspects and limitations
- Other fungicide-related topics
Dr. Isabel Corkley
ADAS, UK
Dr. Claudia Godoy
Embrapa, BRA
Dr. Geert Kessel
Wageningen University & Research, NL
Prof. Dr. Aline Koch
University of Regensburg, DE
Dr. Yuichi Matsuzaki
Sumitomo Chemical Company, JP
Dr. Mamadou Mboup
Corteva Agriscience, DE
Dr. Stefano Torriani
FiBL, CH
Dr. Anne-Sophie Walker
INRAE, FR
| Sunday, 2026-04-19 | Monday, 2026-04-20 | Tuesday, 2026-04-21 | Wednesday, 2026-04-22 | Thursday, 2026-04-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17:00 Arrival and Registration | 08:30 Opening of the Symposium | 08:30 Plenary session 3 | 08:30 Plenary session 5 | 08:30 Plenary session 9 |
| 19:00 Welcome Reception | 09:00 Plenary session 1 | 10:30 Plenary session 4 | 10:30 Plenary session 6 | 10:00 Plenary session 10 |
| 14:00 Plenary session 2 | 12:45 Excursion and Dinner | 14:00 Plenary session 7 | 11:30 Closing Ceremony | |
| 16:30 Poster Presentation | 16:30 Plenary session 8 |
Evening Welcome Reception April 19, 2026
We will have a Welcome Reception with a buffet supper for all registered participants at the H+-Hotel in Friedrichroda, our conference site, on Sunday evening, April 19, 2026, 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Symposium Excursion to the city of Erfurt and conference dinner (limited number of participants)
For Tuesday afternoon (April 21, 2026) an excursion to the city of Erfurt has been planned. Traditionally, an excursion to the surroundings of Reinhardsbrunn and Thuringia takes place as part of the symposium. This year, participants will have the opportunity to explore the state capital of Thuringia, Erfurt. Erfurt is a historic city in central Germany, known for its well-preserved medieval old town, the imposing Erfurt Cathedral and the Krämerbrücke bridge.
Afterwards we will enjoy the conference dinner in Erfurt.
This year, participants can choose one of three guided tours in Erfurt:
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites Old Synagogue and medieval Mikveh - Jewish history in Erfurt, https://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/en/guided-tours-experiences/tours-experiences-for-groups/jewish-medieval-heritage-erfurt/combined-guided-tour-old-synagogue-mikveh-and-small-synagogue/
- Climb up to the Petersberg Citadel - Combination of a guided tour of the historic old town and Petersberg Citadel, https://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/en/guided-tours-experiences/tours-experiences-for-groups/guided-tours-of-petersberg/climb-up-to-the-petersberg-citadel/
- Erfurt - architectural pearl and mirror of the times, https://www.erfurt-tourismus.de/en/guided-tours-experiences/tours-experiences-for-groups/thematic-tours/erfurt-architectural-pearl-and-mirror-of-the-times/
Excursion fee including dinner: € 100
Dolores Fernández Ortuño is an Associate Professor of Microbiology at the University of Málaga, Spain. She obtained her PhD in Biology from the University of Málaga in 2007 and developed her research career in Spain, the United Kingdom (Rothamsted Research), and the United States (Clemson University), gaining extensive international experience in plant pathology and fungicide resistance.
Her research focuses on the biology and control of phytopathogenic fungi, particularly Botrytis cinerea and Podosphaera xanthii, with an emphasis on sustainable strategies such as RNA interference, aptamers, and nanotechnology. She has led multiple national and international projects and co-directs the research group Rational Design of Phytosanitary Products, which seeks to identify novel molecular targets and design innovative antifungal compounds and oligonucleotides. Combining genomics, transcriptomics, protein modelling, and gene silencing, her group develops new tools to overcome fungicide resistance and expand sustainable crop protection options.
She has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles, serves as reviewer and editor for several international journals, and has been actively involved in scientific societies, currently holding leadership roles within the Spanish Society of Plant Pathology. Since 2017, she has been the sole scientific advisor of FRAC Spain, contributing her expertise to fungicide resistance management at the national level. Her scientific career has been recognized with several awards highlighting her leadership and contributions to plant pathology research.
Dr. Bart Fraaije is a project leader and coordinator of diagnostics and phytosanitary research at Wageningen University & Research, with extensive experience in applied plant pathology. He obtained a BSc in Molecular Sciences and completed a PhD in Food Microbiology at Wageningen University in 1996.
During his career in the UK and the Netherlands he has developed expertise on how crop protection agents work, identifying mechanisms of resistance and developing molecular tools to monitor resistance and epidemics of fungal diseases. These tools have been used to evaluate novel strategies for optimal disease control and fungicide resistance management in a wide range of crops.
Associate Professor Fran Lopez has been studying fungicide resistance since 2002. Fran’s first contact with research was at a hospital investigating the relationship between some HLA markers and breast cancer. After a few years in clinics, he decided to try plant pathology and completed a PhD on fungicide resistance in cucurbit powdery mildew at University of Malaga (Spain).
In 2010 he started a postdoc on cereal powdery mildews at the John Innes Centre (UK). He moved to Australia for a second postdoc on cereal and grape diseases at Curtin University (Perth) in 2012. Since 2014, Fran leads the Fungicide Resistance Group within the Centre for Crop and Disease Management at Curtin University.
Fran and his team investigate how fungicide resistance evolves, the molecular mechanisms behind this process and how to improve the management of fungicides to reduce the impact of resistant pathogens.
Dr. Andreas Mehl
Dr. Andreas Mehl studied Agricultural Biology at the University of Hohenheim in southern Germany, where he earned his doctorate in agriculture science. In both of his theses, his scientific focus was on fungicide resistance and biochemical studies on the Mode of Action of fungicides. He began his career at Bayer as a trainee in 1995 and was hired as a full-time employee on February 1, 1998. Since 2001, he has been responsible for sensitivity monitoring studies and fungicide resistance management (FRM) in the SMol Research department of the Crop Science Division at the company's headquarters in Monheim.
His research focuses on fungal pathogens of central agronomic importance in crops such as soybeans, cereals, rapeseed, sugar beet, bananas, grapes, pome fruit, cut flowers, rice, and in the area of seed growth. His responsibilities include internal and external sensitivity monitoring projects, the preparation of resistance dossiers and resistance risk assessments for fungicide and biological products in accordance with EU Directive 1107/2009 EEC, as well as global communication and networking on resistance management issues.
His scientific expertise includes the modes of action and resistance mechanisms of fungicides, biological and biochemical support for research projects, metabolic studies in fungi, method development, and diagnostics. His particular areas of expertise include mycology, phytopathology, microscopy, molecular biology and biochemistry, proteomics, protoplast regeneration, ecotoxicology and environmental analysis, as well as plant production in the tropics and subtropics.
Dr. Mehl is also involved in numerous scientific committees: He is chair of the FRAC AP Working Group, the FRAC Mode of Action Expert Panel, and the FRAC Dicarboximides Expert Forum, as well as a member of the Steering Committee and several other international FRAC working groups (Banana, QoI, SBI, CAA, OSBPI, SDHI). In addition, he is co-organizer of the international “Reinhardsbrunn Symposium” in Friedrichroda and regularly participates in IUPAC meetings on SMol resistance issues. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the “Julius Kühn Preis” of the German Society of Plant Protection and Plant Health (DPG).
Helge Sierotzki holds a PhD from the ETH Zürich in natural sciences in the area of plant phytopathology. He is currently leading the disease control biology research group in Syngenta, before he led the fungicide resistance research and was involved high throughput genotyping and also in basic studies for entomophthorales as biocontrol agents.
In more than 25 years he gained experience in many plant pathogens on many divers crops in terms of fungicide resistance but also aiming to find new control options, either chemically or with biocontrol agents.
He is engaged in the FRAC organization by charing the QI working group, periodically leading the Banana FRAC group and being in the steering committee. Since more the 10 years he also in the CropLife antifungal resistance expert team.
Dr. Gerd Stammler holds a PhD in agricultural science from the University of Hohenheim and has over 30 years of experience in plant pathology, disease control, and fungicide resistance research. He leads the Laboratory of Fungicide Resistance Management at the Agricultural Center of BASF in Germany.
Gerd chairs the CAA FRAC Working Group and participates actively in several other FRAC Working Groups as well as the FRAC Steering Committee. He is currently Chair of the Subject Matter Committee on Integrated Disease Management of the International Society of Plant Pathology.
From 2017 to 2022, he served as a Board Member of the German Society for Plant Protection and Plant Health (DPG).
Archives
