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Hayato Morimoto was presented with an award for the best oral presentation at the 30th International Horticultural Congress (IHC2018), held in Istanbul, Turkey, 12–16 August, 2018. The four-yearly congress, the biggest in horticultural science, welcomed 1800 participants from all over the world.
Winning comment from Hayato Morimoto
I’m Hayato Morimoto, a second year Ph.D. student at The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Ehime University (UGAS). I have been researching the mechanism of bud variation in carnations (scientific name Dianthus caryophyllus) under the supervision of Professor Seiichi Fukai at the Horticulture Laboratory, Kagawa University. We investigated the mechanism of colour changes in the cultivars of the genus Dianthus with two other students from May last year to March this year. Participating in the UGAS Student Research Creation Support Program made it possible to conduct this research by securing subsidies.
?The petals of most flowering plants are colorized before flowering, but the petals of Dianthus cultivars are colorized after flowering, so the color of the petals appears to change from white to light pink. We wondered about the mechanism of this delayed petal-coloring, so we started researching it. I had the opportunity to present our research at IHC 2018, and I was able to win the best oral presentation award. I would like to thank all my professors who supported our research team and gave advice, and the Student Research Project Creation Support Program for financial support.
The Student Research Project Creation Support Program has helped to enhance my leadership skills in resolving problem and mentoring others.
?Through this program, I have also built skills in creating research topics, planning and conducting research with limited budgets, and understanding the whole process of researching. My colleagues and I have already been working on a new project under the Student Research Project Creation Support Program 2018.