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).
On March 18th, InnovPlantProtect (InPP) took part in the Ucanorte XXI Field Day, organized by our associate Fertiprado.
The morning kicked off with an auditorium session featuring InPP. António Saraiva, executive director of CoLAB, introduced InPP and the different innovative solutions and technologies that are being developed to protect crops. Ricardo Ramiro, director of the Data Management and Risk Analysis department, was another speaker who presented the services that can be of use to corn silage producers.
Samira Andrade, a researcher at Fertiprado, shared the promising results of her collaboration with the InPP team on seed coating.
Many thanks to Fertiprado for the invitation and the opportunity to strengthen our partnership!
Image credits: Fertiprado
Photos from left to right: António Saraiva, executive director of InPP; Ricardo Ramiro, director of the Data Management and Risk Analysis department and Samira Andrade, Fertiprado researcher collaborating with CoLAB.
InPP is the leader of a project that aims to develop sustainable and effective biopesticides to control two of the most important diseases of the olive grove, gafa and tuberculosis. This biopesticide, obtained from the plant biomass left over from the production of cannabis for medicinal purposes, will innovate and boost sustainability in this booming industry in Portugal. With an investment of 150,000 euros from the “la Caixa” Foundation, ValorCannBio promises to revolutionize the sector, positioning it as an important player in the circular economy and in reducing waste.
You have to travel to the heart of the Mediterranean, one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change, to get to the olive grove, an ancient crop and economic engine, and understand the uphill battle it faces. Gafa and tuberculosis, two of the most important olive diseases, threaten the production of olive oil, one of Portugal's most valuable export products, especially in the Alentejo, where 75% of national production is concentrated.
Gafa, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum sp., can decimate up to 80% of production, representing losses of more than 50 million euros and threatening traditional Portuguese varieties such as Galega. Tuberculosis, caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi (Pss), compromises the quality of olive oil, and current copper-based control methods are ineffective and harmful to the environment.
Left photo: Olive grove, agricultural crop in focus of the ValorCannBio project; Center photo: Olive infected with the fungus Colletotrichum, The bacterium, which causes gafa, one of the most important diseases of the olive grove; Photo on the right: Olive tree infected with the bacterium Pseudomonas savastanoi, which causes tuberculosis, one of the most important diseases of the olive grove.
Cannabis: A New Hope for the Olive Grove
In a promising turnaround, the production of medical cannabis (with the scientific name Cannabis sativa) flourishes in Portugal, including in the Alentejo, with the country on its way to becoming one of the world's largest producers. However, the flower, rich in valuable compounds such as THC and CBD, is the only part of the plant that is used, while the remaining biomass legally has to be incinerated, a process with high economic and environmental costs.
What if this biomass, with its more than 500 chemical compounds, some of which have proven antibacterial and antifungal properties that are already known and others that have yet to be discovered, could be transformed into a solution to the challenges facing the olive grove? This is where the ValorCannBio: Valorization of medicinal cannabis by-products as a biopesticide for olive groves, a beacon of innovation and sustainability.
ValorCannBio: Science and Sustainability in Action
Led by InPP, in partnership with NOVA FCT's Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV requimte) and the companies GreenBePharma (GBP) and AGR Global, ValorCannBio is transforming surplus biomass from medical cannabis into effective and sustainable biopesticides against Gafa and Tuberculosis.
This is the first time that InPP has joined projects related to innovation and sustainability in the cannabis production industry and it wants to play a decisive role in the value chain. “Our team of researchers is developing sustainable biofungicides and biobactericides, using new extraction methods with environmentally friendly solvents. We are creating solutions that increase the efficiency and sustainability of this industry,” says Tatiana Gil, an InPP researcher involved in the project.
But the team of researchers isn't stopping there. “We are still unraveling the secrets of endophytic cannabis bacteria, microorganisms that live in symbiosis with the plant, as biological control agents,” he adds.
And how do you turn a cannabis leaf into a shield for the olive grove? Tatiana Gil explains the process step by step: “First, we test the effectiveness of the extracts in the laboratory, like detectives looking for clues. Then we formulate the biopesticide and assess its impact in a greenhouse, in a controlled environment. Finally, we take the solution to the field for the final test.”.
Tatiana Gil, InnovPlantProtect researcher, analyzes samples of cannabis leaf extracts as part of the ValorCannBio project.
An Impact that extends across the Territory
Cristina Azevedo, InPP researcher and project leader, anticipates the impact of ValorCannBio: “All of these impacts will be felt in the municipality of Elvas, where the project will take place, but it is expected that they will extend to the entire olive-growing region from Trás-os-Montes to the Algarve, where production losses due to gafa and tuberculosis are increasing, and eventually to Mediterranean countries where these diseases are equally prevalent.”.
ValorCannBio not only aims to offer a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides, but also opens up a new way of valorizing the remaining biomass of the cannabis plant that is not used for medicinal purposes, transforming it from a waste product into a valuable resource.
“We want to create a parallel and complementary industry to the production of medicinal cannabis, involving the production of biopesticides,” reveals Cristina Azevedo, “which will pave the way for other innovations,” she adds.
A Sustainable Future for the Olive Grove
The ValorCannBio project is an example of how innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand, offering solutions to the challenges of modern agriculture. By harnessing the potential of medicinal cannabis, ValorCannBio is helping to build a greener, more prosperous future for olive groves and the planet.
With the support of the “la Caixa” Foundation, in partnership with Banco BPI and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), ValorCannBio, which began in October 2024, promises to be a success story until November 2027.
By the end of spring, the National Vector Insect Monitoring System project team will be working on the Xylella fastidiosa (SNM_XylellaVt), funded by the PRR, challenges citizens to keep an eye on plant foams: by detecting foams on plants, recording the data in the app and filling in the online form, it helps them to create an up-to-date map of the temporal and spatial distribution of the appearance of the juvenile stage of 4 species of leafhoppers in Portugal, which, once adult, are responsible for carrying the quarantine bacterium Xylella fastidiosafrom one plant to another.
The presence of the bacteria has already been detected in Portugal Xylella fastidiosa in four species of leafhoppers in mainland Portugal, but little is known about the current temporal and spatial distribution of these insects in our country. With this in mind, the project team SNM_XylellaVt, challenges citizens to be on the lookout for foams, located mainly on the stems of plants, in their daily lives, on vacation in Portugal, or when walking in natural spaces, olive groves, vineyards, pastures, orchards or in the montado. Foams are signs of the presence of these insect species that are vectors for the transmission of the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa.
Left and center photos: Examples of foams found in plants; Right photo: foam leafhopper, an insect that transmits the bacteria. Xylella fastidiosa
“With the help of all citizens, we will be able to understand the population dynamics of insect vectors and their relationship with plants, which could help us plan measures to combat Xylella fastidiosa, preventing the spread of this bacterium. This is very relevant given that we don't have a direct curative treatment for this bacterium, which makes its control extremely difficult,” explains Ilaria Marengo, a partner in the SNM_XylellaVt project and researcher at InPP. “Destroying infected plants and controlling insect vectors are currently the main measures to prevent the spread of the bacterium,” she adds.
Everyone can contribute to the “Help us save your plants!” campaign that is currently underway: all you have to do is, when you spot the leafhopper foams, take photos of the foams, located on the stems of the plants, and of the plant where you found them, record the data in the ODK Collect 2024 application available for your cell phone (see image below), record the date and geographical location - if possible with GPS coordinates - or alternatively, submit this data using a online form on the project platform. Once you have submitted your data, you will be able to view it on the available map aqui.
Steps on how to install and use the ODK Collect 2024 application on your cell phone or tablet. To install, go to the guide on the DGAV website here.
The “Help us save your plants!” campaign is being developed as part of the SNM_XylellaVt project, which is currently underway. SNM_XylellaVt, led by the Centro Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR CENTRO), and in which InPP is a partner, aims to contain the disease to the areas identified so far and to stop it spreading to the rest of Portugal. To this end, it is creating a network for monitoring the X. fastidiosa and its vector insect(s), in particular the foam leafhoppers, with the scientific name Philaenus spumarius, Philaenus tesselatus, Neophilaenus lineatus e Cicadella viridis, This will enable the development of new tools, such as risk forecasting models that will allow the National Agricultural Warning Service (SNAA) to warn in real time about the economic attack levels (NEA) for these insects, and prevent the spread of infection to crops that are relevant to national agriculture.
In 2019, the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa was first detected in Portugal, in the metropolitan area of Porto, and has since been detected in other areas of mainland Portugal. This bacterium attacks a wide range of plants, posing a risk to agricultural and forestry crops of significant economic importance.
For more information on the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa access the website of the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary (DGAV) here.
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