International Oat Committee and N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) cordially invite all oat researchers, growers, processors, nutrition specialists, and those who are interested in oat research and development to participate in the 10th Anniversary International Oat Conference that will be held on 11 - 15 July 2016 in St. Petersburg, Russia.The Delegates of the Conference are welcome to share academic viewpoints, present research findings, exhibit oat products and develop networking activities with oat experts from all continents.

St. Petersburg, located at the banks of the Neva River, is one of the most beautiful European cities and its architectural ensembles of the Hermitage, Russian Museum, St. Peter and St. Paul Fortress, St. Isaac Cathedral are on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

All the Participants of the Conference will have a great opportunity to combine scientific activities offered by an extensive program of plenary sessions, oral and poster presentations at the Conference and a fine sightseeing program at the time of the romantic White Nights in St. Petersburg.

Prof. Nikolai Dzyubenko
Director General of the N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources

Dr. Pamela Zwer
Chair of the International Oat Committee, Co-chair of the OATS 2016

Prof. Igor Loskutov
N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, Co-chair of the OATS 2016

The N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) developed from the Bureau of Applied Botany organized in 1894 under the Ministry of Agriculture and State Property of Russia. Since 1967, the Institute has been bearing the name of Acad. N.I. Vavilov, a brilliant scientist who headed this Institute from 1920 to 1940.

VIR is the only research institution in Russia whose activities include plant genetic resources (PGR) collection, conservation and study. This Institute has the world's 4th largest collection of plant seeds; its accomplishments and role in maintaining the global ex situ collections are well known worldwide. Its global PGR collections represent plant diversity encompassing 325,000 accessions of 155 botanical families, 2,532 species of 425 genera. The Institute also maintains a herbarium of 260,000 specimens.

Today VIR is located in two buildings in the historical centre of St. Petersburg and also has 12 experiment stations in different regions of Russia.