INVITATION

Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), it is my pleasure to invite you to participate in the 5th International Food Legumes Research Conference (IFLRC V) and 7th European Conference on Grain Legumes (ECGL VII). As a joint meeting, the conference will be held from 26 to 30 April 2010, Antalya, Turkey. It is run by Akdeniz University, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Turkish private sector, under the auspices of international steering committee of IFLRC and the European Association for Grain Legume Research (AEP).

The conference will deal with all major food legumes including chickpea, lentil, pea, faba bean, common bean, cow pea, pigeonpea, grass pea and neglected food legumes. It will provide an opportunity to all participants to interact, share knowledge and experience, and in developing mutual collaboration and joint programs. Theme of the conference is “Legumes for Global Health, Legume crops and products for food, feed and environmental benefits”.

As a bridge from Asia to Europe, Turkey is one of the most important variation centers and cradle of cool season food legumes according to the oldest archeological records, wide variation in cultivated species, growing of wild endemic species and progenitors in Turkey. Antalya province is the capital of Turkish tourism and now called the “Turkish Riviera” because of its historical and natural beauties. This region has a perfect harmony of sun and sea with the clearest coasts, history from Roman to Ottoman Empires and nature with all kinds of green. During the conference, delegates will have the opportunity of swimming in the Mediterranean Sea and skiing on the Taurus Mountain. The conference will take place at convention center of Kervansaray Hotel Lara (http://www.kervansarayhotels.com), located by Mediterranean Sea, 10 and 12 km from airport and city centers, respectively.

I hope that you will find the meeting both enriching and enjoyable, and look forward to seeing you in Antalya, Turkey in 2010.

Prof. Dr. Cengiz Toker, Chairman and Organizing Secretary
Department of Field Crops
Faculty of Agriculture
Akdeniz University
TR-07070 Antalya
TURKEY
Tel:  + 90 242 310 24 21 (Office)
Tel:  + 90 537 543 10 37 (GSM)
Fax: + 90 242 227 45 64 (Office)
E-Mail: toker@akdeniz.edu.tr