BACKGROUND
Pests and diseases have a high economic impact on producers' pockets due to the damage they cause (between 20-40% in production losses) and the costs producers have to pay to control them. In addition to the economic component, pests and diseases are responsible for practices with significant environmental impacts, such as the application of phytopharmaceuticals.
Over the next few years, several new pests and diseases are expected to arrive in Portugal, so the sooner they are detected, the quicker control programs can be implemented. In addition, there are pests and diseases that are like occasional unwelcome visitors. One example is the fungus Puccinia striiformis, The disease, which causes yellow rust on wheat, has had a particular impact on the Alentejo and Extremadura regions of Spain, two of the poorest regions in Europe, whose economy is largely dependent on agriculture.
To meet this challenge, it is essential that regions have the capacity to detect the different species or strains of pathogens circulating in the environment at an early stage. This will only be possible through the application of genomic surveillance to agriculture, a unique methodology capable of answering two key questions: “is pathogen X present in the environment?” and “which organisms are present in the environment?”. Genomic surveillance also makes it possible to identify characteristics such as resistance to fungicides/pesticides or virulence genes.
SYNOPSIS
The project AlViGen: Creation of a hub in ALentejo for the GENomic VIgilance of diseases in agriculture, led by InPP in partnership with the University of Évora, is one of the winners of the 4th edition of the Promove Program of the “la Caixa” Foundation, in collaboration with Banco BPI and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), in the category of innovative pilot projects.
The aim of the project is to create the first genomic surveillance center in the Alentejo, capable of quickly and accurately diagnosing diseases of various relevant agricultural crops, such as yellow rust in wheat and gafa in olive groves, allowing possible outbreaks to be contained. In addition, this project aims to characterize disease-causing fungi, particularly in terms of virulence and resistance to fungicides or pesticides.
The data generated through genomic surveillance in this project serves as the basis for the development of disease risk prediction and early detection models.
The genomic surveillance service of the AlViGen hub could benefit agricultural producers in the management of crop pests and diseases and government authorities or non-governmental organizations in the implementation of policies that minimize the risks of pest transmission.
OBJECTIVES
1. implement the AlViGen genomic surveillance center at the InPP, providing it with the equipment, human resources and technical training necessary for its operation.
2. To help reduce economic losses caused by phytosanitary problems in agriculture and to better manage the application of pesticides, reducing their environmental impact.
3. To help strengthen cooperation between Portugal and Spain in monitoring agricultural crop diseases.
4. Promote the benefits of genomic surveillance applied to disease detection in agriculture.
5. Create an early genomic surveillance service to be offered to agricultural producers.
ACTIVITIES
1. Creation of an AlViGen center based at InPP.
2. Setting up spore traps and collecting samples during the production cycle of wheat and olives.
4. Application of the genomic surveillance methodology for yellow rust in wheat and gafa in olive groves.
5. Dissemination of results through participation in events and interaction with interested parties (i.e. stakeholders), including the holding of two workshops.
ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED
FINANCING
Português 
English