Biotechnology, particularly of woody biomass crops, holds the key to a sustainable and environmentally compatible future for humanity. Fast-growing trees using sun energy and CO₂ may hold answers to supplying much of our future needs for energy and materials while releasing oxygen back into the atmosphere, ensuring a sustainable carbon cycle.

The latest NRF Science for Society lecture, titled ‘Biotechnology: Productive forest plantations as a possible answer to our energy and material needs’, will explore key issues such as genetically modified plants and the development of high-value tree varieties that are fast growing and resistant to pests and disease, and it will also look at community upliftment through sustainable forestry. You are invited to join in the discussion.

The lecture will be broadcast live on SAfm, and it will be video streamed as well.

Time: 18:45

Date: Thursday, 13 August 2015

Venue: 3rd Floor, Plant Science Auditorium, University of Pretoria

RSVP: [email protected]

Information on speakers

Professor Alexander Myburg is a professor in Genetics at the University of Pretoria. He holds the Chair in Forest Genomics and Biotechnology, and heads a genetic research programme at the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) and the Genomics Research Institute (GRI).

Professor Bernard Slippers is a professor in Genetics at the University of Pretoria, and is a member of the Tree Protection Co-operative Programme and the Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology at the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI).

Light refreshments will be available.