On October 23 and 25, the third and final field activity of the ABC - AgriBioCircular project, led by InnovPlantProtect (InPP), took place at the Figueira de Cima estate, owned by Reynolds Wine Growers. This activity was entirely dedicated to the olive grove and the main sampling techniques for its main pests, the olive fly (Batrocera oleae) and the olive moth (Prays oleae). This activity was designed to give students the ability to identify and experiment with traditional techniques and new technologies in pest sampling, as well as new digital tools for monitoring and managing pests. The content presented focused on the importance of monitoring and controlling pests with a view to the sustainability of agricultural production systems from an environmental, social and economic perspective.
During this visit, the students were shown the life cycles of the olive fly and the olive moth, explaining in detail the links with meteorological variables and crop management options, with a view to more effective and sustainable pest control, focusing in particular on the importance of maintaining the biological richness of the pasture under the traditional olive grove. In addition, the students were invited to compare the specificities and potential of different sampling techniques in combination with attractive substances such as pheromones.
The students were also introduced to the morphology of the fly and the moth, and challenged to revisit the taxonomic identification of the groups to which they belonged, as well as to identify the pests in the traps and potential biological control organisms such as small wasps (parasitoids) or spiders. Understanding the life cycles, damage caused and control strategies of these pests is essential for developing effective pest control alternatives and sustainable agriculture with a low environmental impact. The students were able to count olive flies in both the adult stage in the chromotropic traps (with pheromone) and in the remaining stages of the cycle inside the olives, and showed an interest in and ability to identify these pests and diagnose the associated symptoms/damage. The visit to the Reynolds estate also included an approach to the use of entomological shrimp traps to monitor pests, potential disease vectors and auxiliary fauna in the olive grove.
Still on the subject of pest monitoring, the students had access to the new digital tools for monitoring and managing olive groves. We're talking specifically about the information obtained from the automatic traps and the associated software, which allows visualization, real-time interaction and cross-referencing of biological and meteorological information, as well as calculating risk estimates for olive fly attacks. Finally, in a short lecture aimed at the students, estate manager Nelson Martins explained the principles of sustainable wine production, focusing on the importance of the circular economy and, in particular, the recycling of materials in the various stages of wine production, such as the reuse of oak barrels to produce different types of wine, or identifying the agro-ecological techniques that contribute to increasing the quality and uniqueness of the wines produced on the estate and their connection with the microorganisms responsible for the fermentation process (yeasts).
In conclusion, the ABC project sought to encourage learning about sustainable practices in agriculture, boosting their future use in the students' professional activities.
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