土の遺伝子、と言っても、カビやバクテリア、植物、昆虫等々、その由来は様々です。これらを読み取るのは簡単ではありません。また、読み取ってからどうするのでしょうか？ それをどうやって役立てるの？ そもそもちゃんと読めてるの？ というわけで話は尽きないわけです。

でも、土は本当に不思議で、なぜかわからないけれど病気が発生しにくい土、なぜかわからないけれど作物がよく育つ土、などなど、これまでの調べ方（例えば物理性や化学性）だけではわからないことがたくさんあるのです。それをもっとよく知ろう、ということでメタゲノミクスが今注目されています。

世界的に知られた先生方が本当にたくさん来ていたこの学会。私もまた研究をがんばらなきゃ、と改めて感じました。私たちのフィールド（北海道やアフリカ）は独特で珍しいらしく、また新たなコラボレーションが始まりそうです。

I have been to the 4th Thünen Symposium on Soil Metagenomics in Germany. There are so many "data" in the world and genome-related data contributes a very large proportion within the global data. "Metagenomics" research tries to read and understand this genome data (this expression is very vague though). 

The soil metagenomics can be derived from fungi, bacteria, plants and other fauna. It is not easy to read everything. Also, what can we do after we understand these genome information? Are we hundred percent sure we read the genome accurately? There had been endless discussion at the symposium. 

Soils are strange thing. We often find a soil prevents crop disease somehow. We also find a soil that support crop growth without much inputs. Former research methods (soil physics and chemistry) cannot clarify the mechanisms behind these facts. Metagenomics are receiving heightened attention to get to know the soils better. 

A lot of globally recognized scientists were present at the symposium. I was encouraged to further progress my research. Our fields (Hokkaido and Africa) seem to be unique for them and I am sure we will start another collaboration with the colleagues who I met at the symposium.