InnovPlantProtect (InPP) was present at the Science 2025 Meeting in Lisbon, at the Nova SBE Campus, to take part in the parallel session “Crop Protection for One Health, and Food and Environmental Sustainability”.
The Encontro Ciência took place from July 9 to 11 at the NOVA SBE Campus in Carcavelos, with the motto “Science, Innovation and Society”. Portugal's largest science and technology meeting was the stage for promoting and discussing the scientific, social, cultural and economic impact of research in Portugal, exploring the intersection between science, innovation and society, to inspire new ideas and foster transformative collaborations.
The director of the Data Management and Risk Analysis Department, Ricardo Ramiro, and the director of the New Biopesticides Department, Cristina Azevedo, presented some of the results of their work in this session co-moderated by the executive director, António Saraiva.
During the session, two important solutions for the agricultural sector, developed by our team, were presented:
iCountPests - an innovative app that uses AI to detect and count pests accurately and quickly in photos of chromotropic traps.
InPP 2 - a broad-spectrum biofungicide capable of fighting Botrytis cinerea, the fungus responsible for gray rot in tomatoes.
CoLAB MORE Colab - Collaborative Mountain Research Laboratory and Sfcolab - Collaborative Laboratory for Digital Innovation in Agriculture, were also present at the parallel session, as well as GREEN-IT, to discuss how science and innovation can tackle the challenges of climate change and promote more sustainable agricultural systems.
On June 30, InnovPlantProtect (InPP) was present at the meeting “7 years of CoLABs: impacts and perspectives”, which brought together political decision-makers, experts from the Portuguese innovation ecosystem, leaders from different sectors, representatives of public and private entities and the representatives of the 41 Collaborative Laboratories (CoLAB), at the Pavilhão do Conhecimento in Lisbon.
The meeting, organized by the Forum of Collaborative Laboratories (FCoLAB), aimed to reflect on the impact of the work carried out by the different CoLABs over the last seven years, as well as to address future prospects and identify strategies to boost the contribution of scientific research and innovation to the economy and society.
This initiative was an opportunity to showcase the products, services and solutions developed by CoLAB over the last seven years, highlighting its contribution to innovation, competitiveness and sustainability in various sectors of the economy. The application recently launched by InPP, iCountPests, which allows pests to be counted automatically using images from traps, reducing the time invested in monitoring and making it possible to create a pest history, was also highlighted.
The event was attended by the Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, the Secretary of State for the Economy, João Rui Ferreira, Manuel Heitor, from the IN+ Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research and former Minister of Science and Innovation, António Grilo, President of ANI, among others.
In his speech, the Minister for Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, highlighted the purpose of science at national level: “We hope that the science created in Portugal will generate innovation. More than technology, innovation is the answer to society's problems. You are the agents of change!”.
During the session, the main activity indicators and proven impact of the first seven years of CoLABs' activity were also presented, and multisectoral perspectives on their role in the national science and innovation ecosystem were debated, focusing on topics such as socio-economic impact, internationalization, business competitiveness, technological innovation and sustainability.
The activity indicators and the impact of the 7 years of activity are as follows:
More than 260 projects approved
More than 1,300 qualified jobs created
19M€ in tax revenue generated
More than 900 interactions with companies
33 patent applications (10 granted)
680 scientific articles published
The two afternoon panels were attended by companies, partners and management entities, who reflected on the impact generated so far and presented proposals for maximizing CoLAB's long-term contribution to both the economy and Portuguese society.
At a time when the basic funding options for CoLABs are being discussed, this event is of the utmost importance. The area of crop protection, in particular, needs more investment in innovation. Holding this event was important for bringing this urgent and strategically important issue to the debate.
The InPP was also present in the exhibition area, receiving important visitors, including the Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, the Secretary of State for the Economy, João Rui Ferreira, the Secretary of State for Science and Innovation, Helena Canhão, the President of the FCT, Madalena Alves, the President of the National Innovation Agency, António Grilo, the President of the National Monitoring Committee for the RRP, Pedro Dominguinhos and the Executive Director of Ciência Viva, Ana Noronha.
On June 11th, InnovPlantProtect (InPP) held a seminar on “Six years of innovation: CoLABs” path to the future of the agricultural and agri-food sectors", at the National Agriculture Fair (FNA) in Santarém.
The event brought together, for the first time, six Collaborative Laboratories (CoLABs) with direct involvement in the agricultural and agri-food sectors: InnovPlantProtect, CoLAB4Food, FeedInov CoLAB, Food4Sustainability, MORE CoLAB and SmartFarmCoLAB.
Round table 1 - Sofia Couto (ANI), Paulo Madeira (InPP), André Mota (Colab4Food), Cristina Monteiro (FeedInov), Margarida Palma (Food4Sustainability), Albino Bento (MORE CoLAB), and Helena Vazão (SmartFarmCoLAB)Round table 2 - Isabel Martins (Vida Rural), Pedro Viterbo (Fertiprado), Rui Lima (SenseTest), Jaime Piçarra (IACA), Gonçalo Amorim (BGI), Andreia Afonso (Deifil Technology) and André Sá (TEROMOVIGO)Closing session - Tiago Pinto (ANPROMIS), António Saraiva (InPP), Miguel Teixeira (CoLAB4Food), Ana Sofia Santos (FeedInov), Nuno Serra (Food4Sustainability), Albino Bento (MORE CoLAB) and Helena Vazão (SmartFarmCoLAB)
The program included two round tables. The first, dedicated to “Innovation in Action: The Results and Impacts of CoLABs in Agriculture and Agrifood”, representatives from each CoLAB took part, presenting success stories and projects developed, with emphasis on the intervention of the innovation manager at InnovPlantProtect, Paulo Madeira, He shared InPP's achievements in developing solutions for more sustainable agriculture.
The second round table, under the theme “Partnerships for the Future: How CoLABs are Driving Innovation in the Agricultural and Agri-Food Sector”, The event was attended by partner companies and associations, who stressed the importance of collaborating with the CoLABs. Among the speakers were Pedro Viterbo, manager of Fertiprado, InnovPlantProtect's partner, accompanied by representatives of the following organizations Sense Test, Associação Portuguesa Dos Industriais De Alimentos Compostos Para Animais (IACA), Building Global Innovators (BGI), DEIFIL Technology and TeroMovigo.
The seminar ended with a moment of joint reflection, with speeches from all the executive directors of the CoLABs present, including the executive director of InnovPlantProtect, António Saraiva, The meeting was organized by the European Commission, which stressed the importance of cooperation and strategic coordination between the Collaborative Laboratories, reinforcing their collective commitment to innovation and sustainable development in the agricultural and agri-food sectors.
Round table 1 - Paulo Madeira (InPP)Round table 2 - Pedro Viterbo (Fertiprado)Closing session - António Saraiva (InPP)
Throughout the seminar, the importance of synergies between science, innovation and the market became clear, as did the need to strengthen funding and guarantee conditions for the continuity and growth of these Collaborative Laboratories, whose impacts are already visible in the national agricultural and agri-food ecosystem.
This meeting was an important moment for sharing experiences and strengthening collaborative work, charting a joint path towards a more competitive, sustainable and innovative future for agriculture and agri-food in Portugal.
InnovPlantProtect (InPP) is taking part in a European project, coordinated by the University of Minho (UMinho), which aims to create nanobiopesticides and nanobiofertilizers to combat pests in viticulture, protecting the environment, increasing production, reducing costs and tackling climate change. The project is called VINNY, brings together 19 partners from ten countries and will receive 8.3 million euros over the next four years from the Horizon Europe program. The European Union is the world's largest wine producer and is therefore looking to invest in ecological and economically sustainable production based on Portuguese know-how.
The VINNY kick-off meeting took place on July 25 and 26 in Porto and the Douro wine region, in an experimental field at Quinta do Pôpa, and was attended by InPP, represented by the directors of the New Biopesticides and Specific Crop Protection departments Cristina Azevedo and Sandra Correia. Moving from intensive to sustainable viticulture on a global scale and cutting agrochemicals in the sector by 50% are the main objectives of the consortium led by Margarida Fernandes, from the Center for Microelectromechanical Systems (CMEMS) at UMinho's School of Engineering.
The kick-off meeting of the VINNY project brought together all the partners in Porto and the Douro wine region
“We're going to study the microbiomes of vineyards in Portugal, Spain, Austria and Denmark to create potent cocktails with antifungal and plant protection profiles which, through nanoencapsulation and stimulation, will be more stable and effective. We're also going to create biofertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium based on by-products from the meat industry and wastewater treatment,” he explains. The project will also propose agrotextiles impregnated with these nanobiofertilizers, as well as testing their efficiency, efficacy and safety in the laboratory, in pilot areas and in the field.
VINNY is expected to give rise to several projects in co-promotion with companies and associations. The project also has a social aspect, establishing the “European Vineyard Network” made up of three Living Labs and a Lighthouse to disseminate sustainable practices to farmers and organizations in the area, thus boosting innovation and sustainability in the primary sector.
At a national level, in addition to InPP, the consortium includes CMEMS (which is joined by the Center for Biological Engineering, as part of the associated laboratory LABBELS), the Center for Molecular and Environmental Biology, all from UMinho, as well as ADVID - Cluster da Vinha e do Vinho, and the communication agency LKCOM. At European level, it brings together five universities, eleven companies and three associations from ten countries. VINNY stands for “Advanced nano encapsulation of bio-based pesticides and fertilizers for a circular and sustainable viticulture”.
On July 24th, Eixo InFrass organized a webinar as part of the New Bioindustry - The future has already begun series of sessions, on the topic of “Agronomic valorization of organic insect fertilizer”.
The Secretary General of the Agenda, António Campos, opened the session and presented the InsectERA Mobilizing Agenda, followed by Sandra Correia, representing InnovPlantProtect as the leader of this WP, who presented the objectives of this axis.
This was followed by Ivã Lopes, from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, who spoke about “The Potential and Advantages of Using Organic Insect Fertilizer”, resulting from the research he is carrying out. This included evaluating the chitin of three insects (black soldier fly, crickets and mealworms).
He concluded his speech by outlining the prospects for using frass:
Frass is an organic fertilizer with similar characteristics to conventional organic compounds... but there are differences!
The concentration of biostimulants in frass seems to be higher than other organics, which results in superior growth and metabolic effects
Frass contains a large amount of chitin, a natural stimulant of plant immunity
Can we consider applying frass alone? Yes. However, combining it with other raw materials results in more significant effects
We need to unravel the mechanisms behind how frass works! To do this: tests and more tests, with partnerships between industry and academia
Frass stimulates microorganisms that affect communication between plants. How can this synergistic effect be optimized?
Clarice Sousa (EntoGreen), Marisa Santos (Thunder Foods) and José Gonçalves (The Cricket) addressed the topic “Innovative Production of Organic Fertilizers: Insect Companies Present Sustainable Solutions”, which focused on the technical aspects of producing black soldier fly, tenebrio and cricket (Acheta domesticus), including the physical and chemical composition of the frass.
Sara Campos, from INEGI, presented “Challenges and Solutions in Frass Processing: Efficiency and Regulation”, addressing the issue of experimental analyses of frass quality, with variations in time and temperature and the technologies/processes used by partners for heat treatment, recalling that the work underway is for the development and application of new methods for processing insect excrement (frass) that comply with European standards and increase the efficiency of the process in terms of time and energy, without jeopardizing the quality obtained.
Ana Rita Caranova, from the DGAV, spoke about the “Legal Framework for Farmed Insect Excrement, its Treatment and Use”. She began by presenting the DGAV, its Mission and Vision. He then outlined the Agenda, in particular the legal issues, such as technical clarifications, meetings with partners, clarifications and the preparation of material to support the interpretation of the legislation in force. He referred to the definition of frass, as well as the legal requirements for placing frass on the market, as FOCOS (Organic Fertilizer and Organic Soil amendment), supported by Regulation (EU) 142/2011, points a), b), d) and e) of section 2, Chapter I, Annex XI.
He finished by referring to labeling, transport and placing on the market, which are covered by specific regulations.
Regina Menino and António Cordeiro, from INIAV, developed “Frass as an Organic Fertilizer”. Regina Menino began the presentation by saying that frass is being used in various greenhouse and field trials, with the aim of assessing its agronomic potential (both in soils and in different crops). She also mentioned the trials in pots, which are being carried out using ryegrass as a model crop, and whose aim is the agronomic enhancement of frass from different origins.
António Cordeiro presented information on the work being carried out in the olive grove field trials - hedged and intensive, and in partnership with Nutrifarms. There are many expectations in terms of monitoring and analyzing the results.
Ricardo Ramiro and Leonor Martins, from InnovPlantProtect, presented “The Impact of Frass on Plant and Soil Health”. Trials are being carried out which include assessing the effect of different frass: on vegetables (physiological parameters and crop productivity), on corn (physiological parameters and growth assessment), and on the susceptibility of different crops to diseases, by carrying out controlled infection trials. The effect of different frass on the microbiome of different crops will also be tested.
The intervention culminated in a very important question: Frass: a new tool for manipulating the microbiome? Since frass is rich in organic matter, macro- and micronutrients, with chitin being a key component, the properties of frass vary according to several factors:
insects' diet
application of treatments (e.g. temperature)
incorporation of other products
==> such versatility could allow for customized applications
The application of frass to the soil leads to an increase in the abundance of organisms capable of degrading chitin (e.g. Actinobacteria; Bacillus; Mortierellomycetes), with multiple benefits for the plant.
Diogo Cardoso, from the University of Aveiro, closed the presentations with the topic “Analysis of Soil Functionality and Ecosystem Services with the Use of Insect Frass: Sustainability and Impact Assessment”. He began by highlighting the problem of food sustainability for the global population and the need to adopt more sustainable agricultural practices. This is where organic fertilizer (Insect frass) can come in, boosting enzymatic activity, benefiting soil health, making it biologically active, with high microbial activity and good nutrient recycling. It is in this context that laboratory work is being carried out to assess the impact of frass on soil and plants, and on soil leaching. Tests are also being carried out in greenhouses and in the field.
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