InnovPlantProtect (InPP) was present at the conference “Building value together”, organized by our associate FNOP - National Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producers' Organizations.
InPP's executive director, António Saraiva, moderated the panel “Sustainability that generates value: The role of ESG in the future of the sector”, which included interventions from Catarina Pinto Correia (VdA), Cristina Câmara (APED), Filipa Saldanha (Crédito Agrícola), Joana Oom de Sousa (Sovena) and Rui Veríssimo Baptista (Companhia das Lezírias).
The opening session was given by Domingos dos Santos, president of FNOP and a member of CoLAB's Board of Directors of our CoLAB.
The meeting brought together producer organizations, farmers, companies, experts and political decision-makers to discuss the current challenges and look to the future of the national fruit and vegetable sector.
With the participation of national and international experts, the conference was a privileged space for sharing experiences and strategic reflection, focusing on the organization of production and the role of public policies in promoting sustainable growth.
Congratulations to FNOP for the initiative and the ability to bring together a panel of excellent speakers, making this conference a relevant and topical milestone for the sector.
In viticulture, every little decision has an impact: on the soil, on the health of the plants and on the quality of the grapes that form the basis of the wine that reaches our table. The future of viticulture may depend on a single biosolution. Or a hundred. In VINNY, an ambitious European project of which InPP is a part, researchers from ten countries are looking for bioactives capable of curbing vine diseases - and, at the same time, reducing dependence on synthetic agrochemicals. What's at stake is not just science: it's the sustainability of this industry.
The aim of the VINNY project is simple but transformative: develop and implement effective, sustainable solutions and adaptable to the needs of winegrowers in various European countries, creating environmentally friendly biopesticides and biofertilizers, and advanced nano-encapsulation technologies, to reduce dependence on conventional chemicals and promote a healthier ecosystem and a better environment and a circular viticulture.
And at the heart of this mission is an essential cog in the wheel: the daily work of the researchers who search for answers invisible to the human eye - as is the case with Tiago Amaro, a researcher at InPP.
Image credits: VINNY Project
Searching for the Guardians of the Vine
The road to these new biosolutions begins in the field, with the vine. The initial work of Tiago Amaro, started in September 2024 and focuses on identifying and isolating microorganisms naturally present in the vines themselves, in samples received from partners in Portugal, Spain, Austria and Denmark.
From grapes, sticks or woody fragments, small microscopic worlds arrive in the laboratory that may contain the natural weapons needed to fighting three major threats to the vineyard, with a direct impact on farm profitability: - A gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) and blue mold (Penicillium expansum): Fungi that cause post-harvest diseases, In the case of wine grapes, this affects the quality of the wine and makes it completely impossible to sell table grapes. - The vine tumors: Caused by bacteria Allorhizobium vitis, This disease affects the plant in the field, causing leaf fall and reduced grape production.
Tiago Amaro, InnovPlantProtect researcher, identifying and isolating bacteria as part of the VINNY project. Image credits: InnovPlantProtect - Inês Ferreira
After isolating the microorganisms, Tiago dedicated himself to creating libraries of bacteria. What is a ‘Bacteria Library’? In the context of the investigation, a bacteria library is an organized and catalogued collection of bacteria isolated from different sources. It allows scientists to test each strain of bacteria against specific pathogens, constituting a vast catalog of potential biological ‘superheroes’ for plant protection.
This rigorous screening, which has already led to the analysis of more than 190 bacteria of this library is the first line of defense. The team selects the best candidates with the potential to be used as biological control agents against the diseases under study.
The Power of European Collaboration
What if the solution to protecting Portuguese vineyards is hidden in a Danish grape? Or in a bacterium isolated in Spain? One of the most exciting aspects of the project is its truly collaborative dimension, where researchers from ten countries are working in parallel, sharing answers, challenges and microorganisms in search of effective biosolutions for the whole of Europe.
“All the solutions found will be shared, all the solutions will be tested by all the partners and it will be possible to build a ‘library of solutions’ against the various vine diseases“ emphasizes researcher Tiago Amaro.
The sharing of bacteria and extracts from different ecosystems (Portugal, Spain, Denmark and Austria) is crucial. An effective bacterium in Denmark could be the key to protecting Portuguese vineyards, and vice versa. This exchange of biological solutions, one of the innovative pillars of the project, makes it possible to exploit the microbial biodiversity beyond national borders. InPP has the fundamental role of testing, in grapes, the solutions discovered by our team as well as by other national and European partners.
This diversity of tests is a bet on the future: microorganisms that don't prove effective against vine diseases could be the solution for pathologies in other crops.
Left photo: Tiago Amaro, InPP researcher, observing a grapevine leaf, the target crop of the VINNY project, Right photo: Potted grapevine plants in the InPP greenhouse, ready to test the solutions found by the various VINNY partners. Image credits: InnovPlantProtect - Inês Ferreira
The Real Test: From the Lab to the Field
After selection in the laboratory, the next step - the formulation of the most promising bacteria - will be carried out in Portugal and Spain, at the University of Minho and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. But it is in the field-testing phase that the greatest challenge of plant protection science lies, because even brilliant results in the laboratory can fail in the field. Formulation is the process that turns a bacterium into a product - stable, applicable and compatible with the farmer's needs.
Tiago Amaro emphasizes necessary resilience:
Field Uncertainty: Often, promising solutions in the laboratory or greenhouse are not as effective when applied in the field, due to environmental variables (climate, soil, etc.).
The Time Factor: Diseases such as Allorhizobium vitis may take a long time to develop, or the infection may not be relevant in certain years, which makes it difficult to obtain robust conclusions.
The Agricultural Cycle: It is necessary to test the formulation in the field during three to five consecutive years, and recording all the variations observed. With only one harvest a year, this process requires patience and persistence.
In total, from the discovery of a promising bacterium to the creation of a formulated product, proven to be effective and ready for the market, it can take around 10 years - a real test of any scientist's resilience.
Customized solutions: the new requirement of modern agriculture
The final challenge is to ensure that the tests are relevant to the producer's reality. The current trend in the agricultural sector is the search for customized solutions, adapted to the specific conditions of the farms: “There has to be a solution for every field and every farmer”, says the researcher.
This personalized approach requires more science, more rigor and more local knowledge - exactly what VINNY seeks to build.
A Europe united by science and the vine
InPP is part of this consortium, made up of 19 partners from ten countries, The project is led by the University of Minho and funded by the Horizon Europe program.
Together, they seek to answer a question that could shape the future of European viticulture: Will it be possible to find effective biosolutions for all partner countries?
The answer is still being written - in laboratories, in experimental vineyards, in fields in different climates and geographies. And it's made up of small discoveries, many frustrations and a huge commitment to science.
Because protecting the vineyard of the future is not just a technical ambition. It is a cultural, economic and environmental commitment. And VINNY is helping to design that future - one microorganism at a time.
The final workshop highlighted three years of research dedicated to the early detection of pathogens in crops such as wheat and olive groves.
The project AlViGen has reached its final stretch, concluding three years of research focused on the genomic surveillance of agricultural diseases. The results now presented promise to strengthen the Alentejo agricultural sector's ability to respond to emerging phytosanitary threats.
On the day October 23rd, The final project workshop, The event brought together researchers, producers and technicians to share results and reflect on the future of genomic surveillance in Portuguese agriculture.
A pioneering genomic surveillance center
During AlViGen, the Alentejo's first genomic surveillance center, an infrastructure with capacity for early detection of diseases in strategic crops such as wheat and olive grove. This breakthrough marks a decisive step towards a more precise, sustainable and science-based agriculture.
Results and scientific contributions
Using innovative molecular tools, the project team succeeded:
Identify pathogenic fungi before visible symptoms appear on the plants;
Characterizing yellow rust strains, genetically linking them to others known at a global level;
Detecting resistance genes in wheat to the strains currently present in Portugal;
Developing diagnostic methods able to distinguish the different species of the fungus that causes gafa in olive groves.
During the workshop, the potential of the analysis of the airborne fungi community as a tool for early warning for multiple pathogens, allowing for more effective and preventive management of crop diseases.
From research to practical application
The event ended with a debate on how transform AlViGen results in a detection and warning service accessible to the agricultural sector. The initiative reflects the joint commitment between science, innovation and production, with a view to protecting national agriculture from the challenges of the future.
Partnerships and thanks
InnovPlantProtect would like to thank all the partners and funders of the project: University of Évora, John Innes Centre, INIAV, De Prado, CERSUL, Eugénio de Almeida Foundation, Torre das Figueiras Estate, Almojanda, Malheiro Estate, Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary (DGAV), la Caixa“ Foundation”, BPI Bank e Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).
A sustentabilidade da agricultura não seria possível atualmente sem o contributo da biotecnologia. As novas tecnologias que permitem alterar o DNA das plantas têm um impacto enorme nas novas culturas agrícolas e um papel crucial para garantir a soberania alimentar. Estas são questões a debater na conferência “A Importância da Biotecnologia para a Sustentabilidade na Agricultura”, no dia 17 de outubro, às 10h00, no Centro Cultural de Belém (CCB), in Lisbon.
No evento, organizado pela Associação Portuguesa dos Industriais de Alimentos Compostos para Animais (IACA), em parceria com o InnovPlantProtect (InPP) e o Centro de Informação de Biotecnologia (CiB), e que conta com a colaboração do Jornal Público, participarão vários especialistas da área da biotecnologia e da agricultura, serão discutidos temas cruciais para o setor, visando promover práticas agrícolas mais sustentáveis e eficazes. Pedro February, diretor executivo do InPP, vai participar no primeiro painel intitulado “O impacto da biotecnologia nas novas culturas agrícolas”.
A sessão de encerramento estará a cargo de Maria do Céu Antunes, Ministra da Agricultura e da Alimentação.
A participação no evento necessita de inscrição prévia obrigatória. As inscrições podem ser efetuadas através do preenchimento do formulário disponível here.
Para mais informações e para consultar o programa detalhado do evento, aceda here.
Não perca esta oportunidade de participar nesta conferência sobre o futuro da agricultura e a sua interação com a biotecnologia!
From September until November, the “AlViGen: Creation of a hub in the ALentejo for the GENomic VIgilance of diseases in agriculture” project team will be in the field to install spore traps, known as capta-esporos, in olive groves in Portalegre, Monforte, Elvas, Évora and Beja. The traps make it possible to capture spores from fungal species that circulate in the air and, in particular, from different strains of the fungus Colletotrichum, This is responsible for causing gafa disease in Olival.
The aim is to identify some important characteristics of this pathogen, such as virulence and resistance to fungicides or pesticides.
In total, the spore traps were installed in eight olive groves in the Alentejo (Alto, Central and Baixo), a region that is the main producer of this crop at a national level, and where the fungus Colletotrichum has had a particular impact.
The team will take samples every two weeks for three months a year during the olive tree's productive cycle. Regular monitoring of the diversity of fungal species circulating in the olive groves will also make it possible to detect the appearance of new pathogenic fungi.
AlViGen, coordinated by InnovPlantProtect (InPP) in partnership with the University of Évora (WOW), was one of the innovative pilot projects selected last October and funded by the La Caixa Foundation, BPI Bank and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), as part of the 4th edition of the Promove Program. This project will enable InPP to create the capacity for early detection of multiple crop diseases, using molecular methods that allow the identification of important characteristics of pathogens, such as virulence, susceptible varieties and resistance to phytopharmaceuticals, benefiting producers and government authorities.
Find out more about the AlViGen project on the project website here.
O InnovPlantProtect (InPP), como membro da rede portuguesa de laboratórios de investigação sustentável, a GreenLabs Portugal, participou no primeiro “Green Labs Portugal Symposium: Promoting Sustainability in Research”, dedicado a promover práticas verdes na ciência para reduzir o impacto ambiental da investigação científica em Portugal, e que teve lugar esta sexta-feira, dia 22 de setembro, na Universidade de Coimbra.
O principal objetivo deste simpósio foi promover o debate e a discussão sobre como mitigar o impacto ambiental da investigação científica, reconhecendo ao mesmo tempo o papel fundamental da ciência e da inovação no progresso da sociedade. Em mais detalhe, a iniciativa abordou os diferentes aspetos do que são os Green Labs e o procedimento para obter certificação, a sustentabilidade na ciência e como as empresas estão a reinventar e a revolucionar os seus serviços para apoiar os laboratórios de investigação na adoção de práticas mais ecológicas, de forma a reduzir a pegada ecológica da investigação.
Cristina Azevedo, diretora do departamento de Novos Biopesticidas, participou na sessão 2 dedicada ao tema “Setting a green lab” com a apresentação “How to greenUP bio-based research labs”. A iniciativa contou ainda com palestras de especialistas na área, como Melina Kerou da Sustainable European Laboratory Network (SELs), e Martin Farley da Green Lab Associates.
O programa incluiu vários momentos interativos com os participantes, incluindo uma mesa redonda, um jogo “Ask the Green Teams” e uma sessão de posters. Alguns elementos da equipa de InPP Greeners do InPP, representada pelas investigadoras Cátia Patrício, Cláudia Silva e Leonor Martins participaram nesta última, na qual apresentaram o poster “InPPGreeners – Story of a colab built with sustainability as its cornerstone”.
Na sessão de encerramento teve lugar um momento especial em que foi plantada uma árvore no Jardim Botânico da Universidade de Coimbra.
O tempo para um futuro científico mais sustentável é agora, e todos somos responsáveis por fazer parte desta mudança!
Os InPP Greeners são a equipa de sustentabilidade do InPP, criada no final de 2021, com a missão de partilhar conhecimento e de promover boas práticas nas áreas da biotecnologia e da proteção de culturas agrícolas, que conduzam à criação de laboratórios e instituições mais sustentáveis, além da promoção da adoção de comportamentos mais sustentáveis por todos os cidadãos.
A GreenLabs Portugal é uma rede de laboratórios de investigação sustentável em Portugal que promove práticas sustentáveis para reduzir o impacto ambiental da investigação científica a nível nacional, e da qual o InPP faz parte.
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