In the March issue of Fruits, vegetables and flowers you will find the opinion article entitled “The role of InnovPlantProtect in Organic Farming: Paths to sustainable and efficient solutions”, in which the executive director of InnovPlantProtect (InPP), António Saraiva, reveals how our CoLAB is contributing to the success of organic farming.
“By boosting research, collaboration and knowledge sharing, InPP is helping to solve the central challenges of this practice [organic farming], allowing it to expand and enhancing the supply of agricultural products to consumers. The solutions developed by InPP make organic farming a more viable option for producers,” says the executive director.
Read the full article and find out how we are shaping the future of agriculture.
We thank Frutas, legumes e flores magazine for its recognition and reiterate our commitment to the agriculture of the future.
Imagine a future where drones and artificial intelligence work together to protect your vineyards. That's what the AI4Leafhopper project is making a reality!
Manisha Sirsat, a researcher on the AI4Leafhopper team, has developed two artificial intelligence models that analyze the aerial images captured by our latest generation drone... and these models make it possible:
geolocation of each vine
to know if there are vine failures
quickly identify “sick” vines”
optimize the application of treatments
The result? Growers can have a detailed view of the health of their vineyards, detect problems early and make more informed decisions.
AI4Leafhopper is a project led by InPP and funded by the ICAERUS Horizon Europe program, which began in April 2024 and ended on April 30 with a final meeting involving the six European projects approved in the 1st edition of the ICAERUS program's PULL applications. The project team presented the AI-based models for detecting and monitoring the impact of the green leafhopper on vineyards.
The AI4Leafhopper project, InnovPlantProtect used a state-of-the-art drone to monitor the impact of the green leafhopper in the vineyards of our partners Reynolds Wine Growers and João Portugal Ramos. Although the results show that this advanced technology is more effective at detecting attacks at advanced stages, we are excited about the potential of this tool to provide valuable data for the management of this harmful insect.
We believe that with more research, we can refine our solution to detect early attacks and prevent significant damage to vineyards. Transforming the monitoring of this pest is where we want to go, always with the aim of protecting vineyards and guaranteeing the quality of production for winegrowers.
Over the next few days we'll be revealing everything that the AI4Leafhopper project is making a reality and how drones and artificial intelligence are working together to create a more sustainable future for viticulture. Stay tuned!
AI4Leafhopper, funded by the ICAERUS Horizon Europe program, which began in April 2024, is now in its final stages. The development phase of the project, which took place in the field, is now over and the final stage is to present the solutions developed by our team on Portuguese soil to the market.
On November 16, we had the pleasure of attending the Annual Meeting of the Bioresources for Sustainability Unit. GREEN-IT, which he brought together at the Institute of Chemical and Biological Technology (ITQB NOVA), in Oeiras, the members of the Scientific Advisory Board and researchers from the various institutions that make up this Unit, such as InnovPlantProtect (InPP).
The director of the New Biopesticides department, Cristina Azevedo, was one of the guest speakers at the first talk and presented InPP, the work carried out by the five departments of the Collaborative Laboratory (CoLAB), as well as the projects in which we are involved.
The aim of the meeting was to take stock of the Research Unit's situation in the areas of soil health, plant protection and production, as well as the plans for the Unit's new structure.
Special thanks to GREEN-IT for the invitation. It was a great networking moment!
InnovPlantProtect (InPP) will be present at NOVA Science & Innovation Day, promoted by NOVA University Lisbon, The event will take place next Tuesday, November 21, at the Rectory's facilities on the Campolide Campus.
NOVA Science & Innovation Day is an event that aims to showcase excellent science, research and innovation at the University and is a unique opportunity for the academic community, as well as the general public, to get a closer look at the scientific work carried out at NOVA University Lisbon and how it translates into innovation and the creation of value for society.
We'll be at the Innovation Fair, taking place all day in the Rectory atrium, to show you everything that our Elven collaborative laboratory (CoLAB) is already doing for crop protection and pest and disease prevention, with a highly qualified team and very broad and diverse skills.
Other CoLABs, proprietary technologies and specialized services will also be represented at the Innovation Fair, Spin-offs and other companies in the University's ecosystem.
Don't miss the chance to talk to us! We'll be here until 6pm!
InnovPlantProtect (InPP) took part in another seminar on “Technology and Information in Agriculture - Smart Farm Virtual”, promoted by the National Association of the Plant Protection Industry (ANIPLA), which took place this time in the Algarve, at the Algarve Regional Directorate for Agriculture and Fisheries (DRAP Algarve), on the afternoon of November 7th. At the seminar it was possible to discuss some of the biggest challenges currently facing the agricultural sector, as well as explore some of the most advanced tools that allow professionals to adopt more sustainable and planet-friendly practices.
Pedro Fevereiro, InPP's executive director, took part in the panel “Tools for more sustainable production systems”, in which he demonstrated some of the solutions that already exist, such as new formulations, new biopesticides and new genomic techniques, and which are being created in response to the sector's production needs and the constraints imposed by the requirements of the European Green Deal.
InPP's CEO was also a speaker at the “Technology and Information in Agriculture” round table, which focused on the current requirements of the European Green Deal and the challenges it poses for the day-to-day work of professionals, as well as the revision of the Sustainable Use Regulation, and in which Gabriela Cruz, President of the Portuguese Association for Soil Conservation Mobilization (APOSOLO), Sandra Germano, a technician from DRAP Algarve, and João Bento Inácio, from the company JBI Group, He was representing the region's farmers. The round table was moderated by João Cardoso, Executive Director of ANIPLA.
The round table ended with a unanimous conclusion: we need to invest in research and the development of new tools to keep up with the European Union's train, which in turn has to make it possible to approve new solutions, such as new plant protection products and biopesticides, so as not to leave farmers without alternatives to the problems that no longer have a solution. Before banning, the European Union must guarantee alternatives and regulate the approval of these new solutions.
Topics such as the importance of biotechnology in adapting plants to the challenges of climate change, the need to make digital and precision agriculture accessible, and how conservation agriculture protects the soil and promotes biodiversity were also debated at the event, which was organized as part of the Smart Farm Hub project, in which InPP is a partner.
This is yet another seminar, organized as part of the Smart Farm Virtual Roadshow and promoted by ANIPLA, which is dedicated to raising awareness among professionals in the agricultural sector and the general public of the best practices for the sector that contribute most to the sustainability of the planet and can really make a difference in their day-to-day production. The roadshow will continue to tour various cities across the country to showcase the platform Smart Farm Virtual, This is the digital extension of ANIPLA's Smart Farm, located at Companhia das Lezírias, which you can visit to learn more about sustainable agricultural practices.
Special thanks to ANIPLA for the initiative! It was an excellent opportunity to talk and share with curious, aspiring and professional farmers about the main challenges facing the sector, as well as the tools available for an (even more) sustainable agricultural practice.
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