International Plants Day and IV Conference of Young Scientists "Plant Biology and Biotechnology"

This year, despite the state of war, the Fascination of Plants Day was held for the eighth time in Ukraine. Plants Day is a holiday celebrated around the world once every 2 years under the auspices of the European Plant Biology Organization (EPSO), and is aimed at forming a respectful and environmentally conscious attitude towards nature.

This year, the "Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine", the Kryvyi Rih Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Boyar Forest Research Station, the National Botanical Garden named after Dr. M.M. Hryshka National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Botanical Garden named after Acad. O.V., Fomina, Oleksandria Arboretum, Vorzel Reserve and Syret National Dendrological Park. Together, we organized and conducted 20 events in Kyiv, Boyarka, Vorzel, Bila Tserkva and Kryvyi Rih, and Ukraine was among the seven leaders among European countries in terms of the number of volunteer events organized for Plant Day.

Collection of abstracts of the IV conference of young scientists "Plant biology and biotechnology"  Program of events for the Day of Plants, which took place in Ukraine in 2024 .

 
In particular, the IV conference of young scientists "Plant Biology and Biotechnology" was held at the State Institution "Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine" for Plant Day, in which more than 60 participants, including those from abroad, took part in person and in absentia. On the days of the conference, lectures were also given by institute employees participating in academic mobility programs, and a series of master classes on confocal and fluorescence microscopy were held for talented schoolchildren, visitors to the General Biology section of the Kyiv Palace of Children and Youth, and for everyone else.
 
In addition, in the Kryvyi Rih Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, as part of the new direction of work "Therapeutic gardening", events were held for the psychological recovery of military personnel and their families - the location "Viburnum Grove" was created in memory of the fallen heroes of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and a new location "You know what does peace smell like?' from species and varieties of coniferous, medicinal, spicy and aromatic plants.
 
In the National Botanical Garden named after M.M. Gryshka of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, a series of author's tours were held, during which the curators of the collections shared their unique experience and knowledge. There was an excursion to the Lilac Garden, which is one of the largest in the world and contains more than 150 varieties of lilac, as well as excursions to the collections of magnolias and conifers, and the Parterre area.
 
In the Botanical Garden named after Acad. O.V. Fomina, which is one of the oldest botanical institutions in Ukraine, also held a series of tours of the scientific part and greenhouses, in particular, the collection of cacti and succulents, which is the leading in Ukraine and has more than 2,500 species.
 
A series of scientific and educational lectures, excursions and workshops were held at the Boyar Forest Research Station, where the participants had the opportunity to observe rare species of flora (Jovibarba globifera (L.) J. Parn.) and botanical sights of local importance (Khodosivsky oak Quercus robur L.), as well as learn about measures to preserve them.
 
There were also botanical excursions along the paths of the Syretsky dendrological park of national importance and the Vorzelsky nature reserve. During the tour of the Vorzel reserve, visitors were offered a tasting of tea made from medicinal plants collected on the territory of the reserve.
 
All the visitors really enjoyed the Plant Day activities and everyone is looking forward to the next Plant Day in 2026!