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).
No passada terça-feira, dia 14 de Fevereiro, teve lugar a sessão de lançamento da Agenda Mobilizadora InsectERA – a ERA dos insetos, da qual o InnovPlantProtect (InPP) faz parte, no Centro de Exposições e Mercados Agrícolas, em Santarém.
A agenda InsectERA, um consórcio de 42 entidades nacionais, com produtores de insetos, uma consultora de inovação tecnológica, laboratórios colaborativos (CoLABs) e empresas, liderado pela empresa Ingredient Odyssey SA (responsável pela criação da marca ThenGreen®), a que equivale um investimento total de 43 milhões de euros, e que pretende fomentar a economia circular e alavancar o desenvolvimento de soluções tecnológicas inovadoras à base de insetos para o mercado.
A ideia é devolver subprodutos da agroindústria à cadeia de valor, sob a forma de soluções nutricionais para pessoas, animais e plantas, e de novas soluções industriais, da cosmética aos bioplásticos, bem como para o setor da biorremediação, através da criação de soluções de valorização de resíduos orgânicos.
Pedro Fevereiro, diretor executivo do InPP, esteve presente nesta sessão de lançamento, que juntou cerca de 120 pessoas e que contou com uma explicação sumária dos objetivos e estratégia de implementação do projeto, focando os desafios de tornar uma visão a longo prazo numa realidade até 2025, sendo, como explicado várias vezes, “uma maratona em sprint” na qual todos os parceiros irão acompanhar e contribuir para o sucesso.
A sessão de lançamento contou com a abertura por parte do Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Santarém, Ricardo Gonçalves, que referiu como a sua cidade se deverá tornar a capital do setor bioindustrial dos insetos, gerando-se um conjunto de ferramentas que contribuirão para que Santarém detenha um ecossistema que fomente o desenvolvimento deste setor alavancando-o de Portugal para o Mundo.
A Diretora Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária, Susana Pombo, encerrou a sessão focando os desafios atuais da sociedade que tornam esta Agenda Mobilizadora premente e uma enorme oportunidade de futuro para o nosso país, permitindo que desenvolvimentos técnicos e científicos sejam alavancados de forma acelerada e coordenada envolvendo de forma estreita a cooperação entre entidades legais, centros de I&D e empresas.
Saiba mais informações sobre a Agenda Mobilizadora here.
Pedro Fevereiro, diretor executivo do InPP, marcou presença na sessão de lançamento, entregando a placa comemorativa alusiva ao início deste projeto, no qual o InPP participa
Pedro Fevereiro, diretor executivo do InnovPlantProtect (InPP), participou no Simpósio “Semente & Biotecnologia: da inovação à sustentabilidade”, promovido pelo Centro de Informação de Biotecnologia (CiB) e pela Anseme, que teve lugar no passado dia 27 de Janeiro, em Coimbra.
O diretor executivo moderou a mesa redonda “O papel das Novas Técnicas Genómicas (NTG) no melhoramento de plantas”, que contou com a participação de Paula Cruz Garcia da Direção-Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária (DGAV), Priscila Jacobitz da CropLife Europe, Ana Barradas da Fertiprado e António Sevinate Pinto da Anseme.
O evento pretendeu alertar para a importância do setor das sementes e das NTG, ainda não regulamentadas na União Europeia, bem como discutir aspetos relacionados com a dependência alimentar e as relações de concorrência com outras regiões do globo em que estas tecnologias são já uma realidade.
Este foi mais um passo para a inovação e sustentabilidade na área da biotecnologia.
Na passada quinta-feira, dia 26 de Janeiro, os investigadores do InnovPlantProtect (InPP) estiveram na Elvas School of Agriculture of Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre para realizar o workshop “Agricultura, Biodiversidade, Economia Circular” que pretendeu fazer a ponte entre a investigação e a comunidade escolar.
O workshop, que teve como público-alvo os alunos do Ensino Secundário da Escola D. Sancho II, em Elvas, e do Ensino Superior da Escola Superior Agrária de Elvas, e professores, pretendeu despertar os alunos para a importância da biodiversidade e da economia circular na agricultura e para os vários fatores que podem contribuir de forma positiva para a agricultura, tornando-a uma atividade cada vez mais sustentável, com consequências ao nível da produção e do seu impacto no ecossistema.
No workshop decorreram três palestras que tiveram como oradores investigadores do InPP. A diretora de departamento iLaria Marengo e a investigadora Maysa Toledo foram as oradoras da primeira palestra que teve como tema “Pode a biodiversidade e a economia circular tornar a agricultura mais sustentável”.
A segunda palestra “Insectos: Bons, maus e como identificá-los” teve como oradores os investigadores Nuno Faria e Hadi Sheikhnejad. Ricardo Ramiro, diretor de departamento, ficou responsável pela terceira palestra que teve como tema “Microbioma: o que é e para que serve na agricultura”. A moderação do workshop esteve a cargo de Ana Cordeiro, professora da Escola Superior Agrária de Elvas, e de Paula Grilo, professora da Escola Secundária D. Sancho II.
“Este workshop permitiu-nos perceber o que é a agricultura e tocou em vários assuntos que interessam aos futuros agronómos. Para muitos hoje em dia, a ideia de estudar agricultura é ‘cavar a terra’ e, num cenário de alterações climáticas, a grande missão dos agrónomos é assegurar alimento para a população, e o workshop está feito de uma forma fantástica que aborda a parte dos insetos, das pragas agrícolas e permite perceber as soluções biológicas que podemos ter na agricultura para assegurar alimento e proteger os ecossistemas”, afirmou Henrique Canha, aluno da Escola Superior Agrária de Elvas.
“Este é um tema que está na ordem do dia e como vimos tivemos um feedback extremamente positivo por parte dos alunos”, destacou Ana Cordeiro, professora da Escola Superior Agrária de Elvas. “A parceria com o InPP é fundamental. Iniciamos esta parceria com o estágio de uma aluna e já iremos ter mais dois alunos a colaborar no CoLAB e está a ser fantástico. (…) É de facto uma excelente simbiose”, sublinhou.
Programa do workshop “Agricultura, Biodiversidade, Economia Circular”, que decorreu no dia 26 de janeiro, pelas 14 h, na Escola Superior Agrária de Elvas
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