Dear colleagues and friends,
We extend a cordial invitation to join us for the forthcoming XXI Eucarpia Meeting of the Tomato Working Group, set to take place from 10th to 13th of June 2025 in Plovdiv, the most vibrant city in Bulgaria. Hosted by Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute (MVCRI) in collaboration with Geosemselect Ltd., this event promises to be an enlightening and dynamic gathering, where experts and enthusiasts in the field of tomato genetics and breeding will come together to share knowledge, to discuss advancements, and to foster collaborations.
Building upon the success of its predecessors, the XXI Meeting stands as a testament to the continued evolution and innovation within the field. The meeting will feature presentations, discussions and networking opportunities aimed at advancing our understanding of tomato genetics, breeding techniques, abiotic and biotic stress resistance, and sustainable production practices.
We are confident that your expertise and insights would greatly enrich the discussions at the meeting, and we would be honoured to have you join us. Please, mark your calendars and reserve your spot to ensure your participation in this exciting event.
We look forward to welcoming you to the XXI Eucarpia Meeting of the Tomato Working Group.
Warm regards,
Ivanka Tringovska
Chair of the local Organizing Committee
| Very early bird fee (till 25 October 2024) | Early bird fee (till 28 February 2025) | Standard fee (28 Feb - 10 May) | Late and on-site fee (after 10 May) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUCARPIA member* | 470 Euro | 500 Euro | 520 Euro | 620 Euro |
| Non-EUCARPIA member | 540 Euro | 570 Euro | 600 Euro | 700 Euro |
| Student/PhD Student/Young scientist | 320 Euro | 350 Euro | 380 Euro | 480 Euro |
| Accompanying person | - | 150 Euro | 200 Euro | 300 Euro |
| Additional abstract fee (>2 abstracts) | 100 Euro | 100 Euro | - | - |
Registration fees for participants include:
You can register using the “Register Here” button below. Please select the respective language first before proceeding to create a profile and/or register.
Payment of conference fees in Euros (€) must accompany all registration forms. No registration will be confirmed until payment is received. Payment can be made by bank transfer or online using a credit card.
Accompanying person’s (spouses, family members, etc.) registration fee includes welcome cocktail, technical visit and conference dinner.
*EUCARPIA members will be asked for their membership number during the process of registration.
Cancellation policy:
Confirmation letter and invoice
An invoice with a letter of confirmation will be sent to participant on receipt of the respective registration and payment.
Abstracts for either oral or poster presentations are welcome. Abstracts should be submitted no later than 20 January 2025. 
Guidelines for Abstract preparation
Each author can submit a maximum of 2 presentations (oral or poster) as first author; however, co-authorship, is not affected by this limit. An additional fee of 100 Euro should be paid for each abstract above that limit.
The abstract must be written in English and should not exceed 300 words including the text and acknowledgements (if any).
Author(s) should indicate the preferred type of presentation: oral or poster presentation and the preferred session.
Abstracts that are not properly prepared (according to the abstract preparation guidelines) will be returned to the authors for subsequent revision.
Authors will be notified via email about the outcome of the review process by 28 February 2025 with an acceptance/rejection letter. The authors of all accepted abstracts (in the case of multiple authors, the author designated as the presenting author) must register with an Early Bird fee to be included in the final conference program
Abstracts cannot be corrected or modified after the submission deadline.
Sessions
Please note that the number of sessions and sessions’ titles are still preliminary. Final programme will be elaborated after receiving all abstracts.
Session 1. Genetic resources
Session 2. Breeding for agronomic and fruit quality traits
Session 3. Breeding for biotic stress resistance
Session 4. Breeding for abiotic stress tolerance
Session 5. Emerging technologies for sustainable tomato crop production
Session 6. New objectives and technologies for plant breeding
If you have any questions regarding your abstract, please write to: eucarpia.tom.2025@gmail.com.
GETTING THERE
Getting to Plovdiv
The main airport for Plovdiv is Sofia airport. Plovdiv has an existing air transport infrastructure, however the current traffic at Plovdiv Airport is pretty low and it operates mainly charter and low cost flights from/to London.
From/to Sofia there are many daily buses and trains. Buses heading to Plovdiv operate almost every hour of the day and the bus ride takes less than the train one.
Getting to the venue
The address of Grand Hotel Plovdiv is 2 Zlatyu Boyadzhiev Str.
PASSPORTS & VISAS
Bulgaria has the European Union’s Common Visa Policy as a member country accepting European citizens freely. All non-EU citizens are required to have a passport to enter the EU with the appropriate visas. Conference attendees are personally responsible for making their own visa arrangements. You can find out more about visas at https://www.mfa.bg/en/services-travel/consular-services/travel-bulgaria/visa-bulgaria.
However, if you need an invitation letter, please send a mail to mira@cmebg.com.
MONETARY SYSTEM
The national currency is the Bulgarian Lev. Bank notes of the following denominations are in circulation: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 Levs. 1 Euro = 1,95583 BGN.
There are foreign exchange offices and ATMs everywhere in the city. It’s always prudent to carry a little cash, however, in case you can’t find an ATM or bank office nearby. You can always change cash at the hotel, though the commission will be higher.
Make sure you have enough of the national currency when you plan to visit local markets and shops.
TIPPING
When a gratuity is not included in your bill, which is usually the case, 10% is customary. If service is outstanding, you could go as high as 15%. With taxi drivers, you usually just round up the sum if you have been happy with the ride or for the sake of convenience.
CLIMATE
The climate in Bulgaria is moderate continental with beautiful blooming spring, dry and hot summer, long and pleasant autumn, and mild winter with lots of opportunity for skiing.
The weather in the middle of June is warm, even hot in some days with daily temperature of around 25-28ºC. The weather in Plovdiv is usually milder and sunnier than the rest of the country.
You may check current weather in Plovdiv HERE.
TIME
Summer time: GMT + 3 hrs. (March through October)
ELECTRICITY
220 Volts, 50 Hz
Bulgaria uses CEE 7/4 (German “Schuko”) power plugs and sockets.
Social Events
Opening Ceremony
Welcome cocktail
Technical tour
Conference dinner
City tour of Plovdiv