Galls in plants are malformations. These are created by living organisms such as insects, bacteria, mites, fungi and nematodes. Plant galls have fascinated botanists and zoologists over the ages.
One of the most simple and noticeable changes that galls introduce, is leaf curling. But galls can create a lot of complex structures. Very often organisms inducing such galls on plants are highly host-specific i.e. that particular organism inducing that particular gall on a specific plant. These assume definite shapes, which can help identify what kind of organism is infecting the particular plant.
In the Maltese Islands more than 100 plant galls have already been recorded in the scientific literature but every year new plant galls are being discovered. Dr David Mifsud will talk about this fascinating topic on Wednesday, at 19:30 at St James Cavalier, Cinema Room.
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Title: Do you have the galls?
Venue: St James Cavalier, Cinema Room
Date: Wednesday 5 October
Time: starts at 19:30 (doors open at 19:15).
Thanks go to Sammy's by Culinary Forward Malta, St James Cavalier for hosting this event, the University of Malta, and Malta Chamber of Scientists (of which the café forms part).