engenharia genética – InnovPlantProtect

NEWS

InPP joins BioLivingLABS project - Bioeconomy at the service of the sustainability of inland territories

September 22, 2025
Blog, Highlight, News, Project
Ines Ferreira

InnovPlantProtect (InPP) recently received approval for an application submitted to COMPETE2030-2024-6 - Collective Actions - Transfer of scientific and technological knowledge - BioLivingLABS - Bioeconomy at the service of the sustainability of inland territories, led by MORE CoLAB - Laboratório Colaborativo Montanhas de Investigação, Associação, in partnership with the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB), the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (IPCB) and AQUAVALOR.

BioLivingLABS aims to promote the economic valorization of research and development (R&D) results obtained by various institutions in the North, Center and Alentejo. To this end, it will create an experimental demonstration network, the so-called Living Labs, The project will be held in the innovation hubs of Mirandela, Douro, Covilhã and Elvas. In addition, demonstration actions, workshops, an inland innovation catalog and training on intellectual property protection will be developed with the aim of encouraging the incorporation of innovative solutions in the business sectors of these regions.

Scheduled to begin in October and lasting 24 months, the project has a total eligible investment of over 740,000 euros, financed by COMPETE2030 - Thematic Program for Innovation and Digital Transition. For InPP, this project is a strategic opportunity to strengthen its mission as a center for technology development and transfer, boosting the practical application of scientific knowledge to promote sustainable development.

This initiative confirms InPP's commitment to open and sustainable innovation, integrating science, technology and regional development to respond to the challenges and potential of the interior of the country.

InPP took part in an Open Day dedicated to the cereals of Baixo Mondego

September 19, 2025
Blog, Highlight, News
Ines Ferreira

On September 18, the executive director of InnovPlantProtect (InPP), António Saraiva, the director of the New Biopesticides Department, Cristina Azevedo, and researcher Luís Grilo attended the Open Day “The Cereals of Baixo Mondego”, promoted by the Centro Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR Centro), at the Bico da Barca Experimental Unit in Montemor-o-Velho.

The event highlighted the latest innovations from the Coimbra Innovation Hub, from new technologies applied to maize and rice, to fertilization strategies, protection and the use of biostimulants on these key crops in the Baixo Mondego region.

Our team also monitored trials with biofungicides, including the product I21, developed with our collaborative laboratory to combat pyriculariosis in two rice varieties, which is being patented.

In an interview with Voice of the Countryside, Cristina Azevedo shared the work we have been doing in the area of biosolutions.

(Re)watch the interview here.

Image credits: InnovPlantProtect and Voz do Campo magazine

Maize in Portugal: phytosanitary challenges and new emerging threats

August 19, 2025
Blog, Highlight, News
Ines Ferreira

Maize continues to be the Portugal's most important arable crop, The sector has a significant impact on food safety and the national agri-food industry. Involving thousands of producers and generating tens of millions of euros a year, the sector is currently facing increasingly complex phytosanitary challenges.

Among already known pests and emerging diseases, there are risks ranging from cartridge caterpillar until Maize Rugose Dwarfism Virus (MRDV), The presence of this virus is increasing in Portugal. This virus, transmitted by the corn leafhopper, can seriously compromise production and is found in the climate change increasingly favorable conditions for its spread.

However, it's not just MRDV that's worrying. There are new threats that require vigilance, such as the coleopter Diabrotica virgifera or the MDMV virus (Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus), already detected in neighboring countries, and also toxic weeds, such as the winter fig (Datura stramonium), which in addition to impacting productivity pose public health risks.

Faced with this reality, the answer is integrated and sustainable strategies, matching:

crop rotation and good agricultural practices;
careful use of insecticides to avoid resistance and environmental impacts;
resistant or tolerant varieties, where available;
research and technological innovation, including new digital tools for early detection.

As the InnovPlantProtect researcher points out, Nuno Faria, in the article entitled “The main emerging pests and diseases of the maize crop in Portugal”, available in the August edition of Voz do Campo magazine: “The phytosanitary panorama of maize in Portugal requires continuous vigilance, investment in research and the application of integrated and sustainable strategies capable of responding to an increasingly dynamic and unpredictable reality.”

To find out more about the main current risks and mitigation measures, read the full article published in the August issue of Voz do Campo magazine (pages 88-89), available on newsstands and online.

EVENTS

Discovering the fascinating trees in the Elvas Municipal Garden

April 28, 2021
Latest
Ines Ferreira

O InnovPlantProtect (InPP) and D. Sancho II Secondary School, from Agrupamento de Escolas n.º 3 de Elvas, are going to organize a pedipaper at the Elvas Municipal Garden for 10th graders to explore, identify and marvel at the different trees in the garden and their differentiating characteristics. The initiative is part of and will take place on Fascination of Plants Day.

The event, to which Elvas City Council (CME) joins, will be held on the morning of May 18, 2021, Fascination of Plants Day. The Municipal Garden of Elvas is the largest green space in this Alentejo city, where the InPP is based. There you'll find specimens of olaias, linden trees, olive trees, cedars, orange trees, horse chestnut trees, mulberry trees, casuarinas, ash trees and carob trees, among many others.

Olaia in the Municipal Garden of Elvas — Among olaias, linden and olive trees, you can find orange trees, horse chestnuts and casuarinas, among many other trees, in the Elvas Municipal Garden.

The activity starts at 8:30 a.m. and will be divided into three sessions of 90 minutes each, for three 10th grade classes at Escola Secundária D. Sancho II: from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.. InPP researchers and teachers from the school will be on site to assist the participants. Another class, from the multimedia technical course, is due to take part, reporting on the event. At a later date, a similar activity will be offered to the class from the technical-vocational agricultural course.

The topic of Biodiversity is covered by the 10th grade. As a result of this activity, InPP, Escola Secundária D. Sancho II and CME will continue to collaborate on the development of a physical identification system for the Garden's trees, based on a QR (Quick Response) code.

This QR code, once scanned by a visitor's smartphone, will give access to a database on the trees in the Elvas Municipal Garden, including their identification, description, curiosities, history and mythology. This database/digital brochure will be created by InPP researchers and the school's students and teachers, and made available to the CME and all the secondary schools in the municipality of Elvas, in a project that should run until 2022.

The Municipal Garden is located on Avenida António Sardinha in Elvas.

Fascination of Plants Day is an initiative of the European Plant Science Organization (EPSO) and seeks to arouse enthusiasm and draw attention to the importance of plant science in various areas, from agriculture and sustainable food production, to forestry and the production of non-food goods, as well as culture and leisure.

In Portugal, the initiative is coordinated by ITQB NOVA and Portuguese Society of Plant Biology, The aim is for Portuguese institutions and companies to join hundreds of organizations from more than 40 countries in celebrating the wonderful world of plants. Portugal is considered a success story and is traditionally one of the countries that brings the most institutions together to celebrate this day.

Chasing Elvas Municipal Garden's fascinating trees

April 27, 2021
Blog
Ines Ferreira

InnovPlantProtect (InPP) is organizing a paper chase game (peddy-paper, in Portuguese) with D. Sancho II Secondary School for 10^th graders to explore, identify and marvel at Elvas Municipal Garden’s diverse trees and their differentiating characteristics, as a celebration of Fascination of Plants Day.

This event, with which the Municipality of Elvas associates itself, will take place in the morning of May 18, 2021 - Fascination of Plants Day. The Municipal Garden is the biggest green space in this small city of the Alentejo region where InPP is based. It holds specimens of Judas trees, lime trees, olive trees, cedars, orange trees, horse chestnut trees, mulberry trees, Casuarina, ash trees and carob trees, among many others, which are yet to be catalogued and mapped.

The activity will start at 8:30 AM and will be divided into 3 (three) 90-minutes time slots, for three different 10^th grade classes from D. Sancho II School: 8:30 - 10 AM / 10 - 11:30 AM / 11:30 AM - 1 PM. InPP researchers and teachers from the school will be on site to assist the participants. A different class, from the multimedia technical course, shall also participate, reporting on the event. At a later date, a similar activity shall be proposed to the class from the professional technical course in mixed farming.

The theme of Biodiversity is taught in the 10^th grade in Portugal. As a result of this activity, InPP and D. Sancho II Secondary School will continue collaborating to develop a physical signing system for the trees, based on a QR code. The code, once read by a visitor's smartphone, will give access to a complete data base about the trees of the Municipal Garden, including their identification, description, curiosities, history and local mythology. This data base/ digital brochure is to be built by InPP researchers and the school's students and teachers, and made available to the Municipality and all its secondary schools, in a project that should last until 2022.

The Municipal Garden is located in Avenida António Sardinha, in Elvas.

Fascination of Plants Day is promoted internationally by the European Plant Science Organization (EPSO) with the aim of awakening enthusiasm and calling attention to the importance of plant science in different areas, from agriculture and sustainable food production, to forestry and the production of other kinds of goods, as well as culture and leisure.

In Portugal, the initiative is coordinated by ITQB NOVA and Portuguese Society of Plant BiologyThe goal is that national institutions and companies join hundreds of organizations worldwide, from more than 40 countries, to celebrate the wonderful world of plants. Portugal is considered a success story and is traditionally one of the countires with more organizations joining the celebrations.

InnovPlantProtect wins “la Caixa” with AI project

April 9, 2021
Blog
Ines Ferreira

Artificial intelligence at the service of prediction and early detection of Phytophthora cinnamomi in assembled received funding from the Promove 2020 program.

We are delighted to share that our project “AI applied to a system for the prediction and early detection of Phytophthora cinnamomi in mounted/ dehesa” is one of the winners of the Promove 2020 Program, launched by the “la Caixa” Foundation, in partnership with the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).

The results of the competition were announced today. “We are sure that the conditions are in place for this to be a successful partnership,” says the message we received. Congratulations to the Pest and Disease Monitoring and Diagnosis department, and to the entire InPP. Now, let the work continue!

Mount infected by *Phytophthora cinnamomi*.

Feature image: Juan Glez/ Pixabay

News & Events