The All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Microbiology co-organized the 5th International Conference "Preservation and Enhancement of Microbial Genetic Resources" BRCmicro 2026, dedicated to the 135th Anniversary of Agricultural Microbiology

From June 29 to July 02, 2026, the V International Conference "Preservation and Multiplication of Microbial Genetic Resources" BRCmicro 2026, dedicated to the 135th anniversary of agricultural microbiology in Russia, was held in St. Petersburg. The main initiator of the conference was the All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Microbiology (VNIISKhM), and the conference was co-organized by the St. Petersburg Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and St. Petersburg State University. The event was held at the St. Petersburg Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 5 Universitetskaya Naberezhnaya (grand opening and plenary session), and the Bobrinsky Palace (Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, St. Petersburg State University), 58–60 Galernaya Street (plenary, oral, and poster presentations).
The conference was held as part of the work on a grant in the form of a subsidy from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Agreement No. 075-15-2025-472 dated May 29, 2025, "Expansion of the Fund and Development of Genome Research in the Network Bioresource Collection of Microorganisms in the Field of Genetic Technologies for Agriculture (VKSM)."
The event was attended by 216 scientists from leading research institutes in the fields of biology, soil science, and agronomy in the Russian Federation and neighboring countries. Among them are 13 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences, including six academicians of the Russian Academy of Sciences, five corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and two professors of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The conference was attended by 80 employees of the All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Microbiology.
In total, the conference featured 13 plenary presentations, 66 oral presentations, and 24 poster presentations.
The scientific program of the conference included four key areas:
• Biodiversity of microorganisms in natural ecosystems;
• Economic-valuable microorganisms: methods of detection and study;
• Pathogenic microorganisms: diagnostics, study and problems of control;
• Accumulation, storage and systematization of microorganisms and information about them.

The conference was opened by the scientific director of the All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Microbiology, the dean of the Faculty of Biology of St. Petersburg State University, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Tikhonovich I.A.
From the St. Petersburg branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the deputy chairman of the branch, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Dolzhenko V.I. gave a congratulatory speech.
On behalf of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Institute was congratulated by V.A. Bagirov, Director of the Department for Coordinating the Activities of Organizations in the Field of Agricultural Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy
of Sciences. As part of the opening ceremony of the conference, Academician A.A. Zavalin, on behalf of the Department of Agricultural Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, presented a commemorative address to the Director of the Federal State Budgetary Budgetary Institution VNIISHM, Doctor of Biological Sciences, a leading specialist in the field of genetics, plant physiology and agricultural Microbiology Tsyganov V.E., as well as certificates of honor from the Russian Academy of Sciences to outstanding scientists of the Federal State Budgetary Budgetary Institution VNIISHM, Doctors of Biological Sciences Andronov E.E., Belimov A.A., Dolgikh E.A., Provorov N.A. and Tsyganova A.V.
The following speakers also delivered congratulatory speeches: Director of VIR Prof. RAS Khlestkina E.K., Director of FGBNU VIZR Hannibal F.B., Director of FGBUN NIISKh of Crimea Corresponding Member of RAS Pashtetsky V.S., Director of IBFM Leontyevsky A.A., Director of BIN RAS Geltman D.V., Director of ZIN RAS Corresponding Member of RAS Chernetsov N.S.
Director of the FGBNU VNIISKhM Tsyganov V.E. gave a presentation on the history of the development of agricultural microbiology in Russia, where it was emphasized that the FGBNU VNIISKhM is the successor and glorious continuation of the activities of the first agricultural bacteriological laboratory, the foundation of which in St. Petersburg in 1891 can be considered the date of the birth of agricultural microbiology in Russia.
The scientific program of the conference focused on the practical potential of microbiology: how to use microorganisms with unique and useful properties, how to use the genetic resources of microorganisms and the unique chemical compounds they produce in science, industry, agriculture, and medicine. Special emphasis was placed on the need to combine biopreparations based on economically valuable microorganisms with chemical fertilizers and plant protection products. The high efficiency and benefits of using biomineral fertilizers were clearly demonstrated in a number of scientific reports.
Thus, the conference became a platform for discussing current areas of fundamental and applied research in microbiology, microbial genetics, molecular biology, biotechnology, and the development of bioresource collections, as well as a place for sharing experiences and ideas on how microorganisms can help solve global challenges, from sustainable development to innovative biotechnologies.