From the visible to the invisible – plants and their living microcosm

Although invisible to the naked eye, microorganisms are crucial for plant health and thus our food security. While the biological processes take place on a microscopic level inside the cells, their consequences are usually recognisable without zooming in. The outward appearance of leaves, roots and fruit quickly indicates whether they are well nourished thanks to living together in symbiosis or whether they are infected by pathogens.

The exhibition “From the visible to the invisible” (DE “Vom Sichtbaren zum Unsichtbaren”) presents different perspectives on the diverse interactions between plants and microbes through both macro- and microphotographs. Researchers from the TRR356 PlantMicrobe network provide a microscopic view on hidden cellular worlds through their images. At the same time, macrophotographs from the public photo competition “Plants and their microcosm” (DE “Pflanzen und ihr Mikrokosmos”) show fragments of the interplay between plants and microbes that are visible to the naked eye. The exhibition explains in an informative way what is hidden behind the close-up shots.

For children, a colouring table and a digital play station offer exhibition-related activities.

About the research network

The Transregio356 “Genetic diversity shaping biotic interactions of plants (PlantMicrobe)” is a DFG-funded network for research on interactions between plants and microorganisms. Alongside LMU Munich, the Technical University of Munich and the University of Tübingen as well as individual working groups from Helmholtz Munich, the Max Planck Institutes of Biology and Molecular Plant Physiology, the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry in Halle and the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre Munich are involved in the research project. Prof. Dr. Martin Parniske, Head of Genetics at LMU Biocenter, is spokesperson of the network.

More information: www.plantmicrobe.de

Entrance

The exhibition is included in the day ticket: Regular 5.50 €, discount 4.00 €.

Location

Green Hall of the Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg
Menzinger Street 65
80638 Munich
Tel.: 089 17861-321
E-Mail: botgart@snsb.de
Website: https://botmuc.snsb.de

Headerfoto: Blue-coloured root hairs in the root hair zone of a bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus japonicus) © Maria Spezzati, Faculty of Biology, LMU