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.
The InnovPlantProtect team looking for a solution to pyriculariosis was at the Open Day for Rice Growing in Baixo Mondego. The infected rice samples taken afterwards are already being analyzed in the laboratory.
Cristina Azevedo, Tiago Amaro e Pedro Rosa are researchers at InnovPlantProtect (InPP) and are working on the development of biopesticides against rice pyriculariosis, one of the most common diseases of this cereal worldwide and also in Portugal. As a result of the be present at the Open Day of Rice Culture in Baixo Mondego, organized by the DRAP Centro, On September 14, they subsequently made two field trips to collect samples of infected rice.
The team carried out the harvests in the Mondego area in Montemor-o-Velho, with the support of António Jordão, from DRAP Centro, and in the Tejo area in Salvaterra de Magos, with the support of Lourenço Palha, from the COTArroz, after a contact initiated by the INIAV Ana Sofia Almeida. The aim of these collections is to isolate and genetically characterize the isolates (cultures of microorganisms) of Magnaporthe oryzae, the fungus that causes the disease, present in Portugal today.
The Open Day showcased “the excellent work carried out by the INIAV team in the national rice improvement program and by Lusosem in various field trials,” says Cristina Azevedo, director of the InPP's New Biopesticides Department.
Rice Culture Open Day in Baixo Mondego
In the laboratory, the researchers are now trying to isolate the fungi from rice samples collected in the field; the next step will be to characterize them from a genetic and infectivity point of view - the ability of a pathogen to invade an organism and cause an infection - in order to know the current genetic diversity of the fungi. Magnaporthe oryzae in Portugal.
In 2021, there will be a higher incidence of rice pyriculariosis in Portugal, especially in Baixo Mondego, due to fewer hours of sunlight (more days with less open skies), among other climatic conditions, explains António Jordão, from DRAP Centro.
The European Rice Meeting will be held on September 7, starting at 10 a.m., in the Auditorium of the Companhia das Lezírias fairground Agroglobal 2021. The director of InnovPlantProtect will speak at 12 noon about the contribution of the Elvas CoLAB to the control of pyriculariosis.
Under the motto “A more sustainable European rice sector”, the ANIA - The National Association of Rice Producers and Casa do Arroz - Interprofessional Rice Association are organizing a meeting of the rice sector next Tuesday, September 7, at the National Association of Rice Producers. Agroglobal 2021. At 12 noon, Pedro Fevereiro, executive director of InnovPlantProtect, will talk about the contribution of the Elvas CoLAB to the control of pyriculariosis, one of the diseases that most affects this cereal.
The agricultural fair, where InnovPlantProtect will be present with its own stand and program, runs until the 9th in Valada do Ribatejo (Cartaxo, Santarém).
The European Rice Meeting begins at 10 a.m. in the Auditorium of Companhia das Lezírias, with the presentation of the project to promote European rice “Sustainable European Rice - Don't Think Twice”. At 11am, the INIAV and COTARROZThe National Program for the Genetic Improvement of Rice will be highlighted. Trace-rice - European Innovation Project for the Traceability and Valorization of Rice will be presented at 11:30.
The event ends at 12.30pm with a rice tasting.
Feature image: Donald Groth, Louisiana State University AgCenter, Bugwood.org
The collaborative laboratory (CoLAB) InnovPlantProtect (InPP) is present in Agroglobal 2021, The CoLAB will also have its own stand and a series of activities and initiatives aimed at publicizing CoLAB and the bio-based services and products it already offers and can offer to different sectors for protecting crops against pests and diseases (see details below).
A Agroglobal 2021 takes place on September 7, 8 and 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., in Valada do Ribatejo (Cartaxo, Santarém). It is considered the major trade fair for the agricultural sector, particularly in terms of Innovation & Development. InPP is at Stand 119:
A InPP programming has:
Demos and presentations short and interactive presentations by each department of the InPP, with time for dialog with visitors
InPP ComVida... – flash happenings with invited partners and associates (see below)
Flavors of Elvas in Valada: raffle of Elvas plums among the visitors (with the support of elvense Artisanal Fruit)
among other surprises...
InPP PROGRAM (currently being updated):
HIGHLIGHTING 7/9, TUESDAY:
12pm: InPP participation in the European Rice Meeting, in the Auditorium of Companhia das Lezírias, with the speech by CEO Pedro Fevereiro “The contribution of CoLAB InnovPlantProtect to the control of pyriculariosis”
Xylella fastidiosaMeet XfSTOP - a combat strategy being developed by the InPP.
Chestnut trees, education and the Internet of Things: why are we putting sensors in trees?
Combating cork oak decline: find out what our AI-based remote detection and early warning can do for your production
Geolocated pests and diseases, for optimal/unparalleled online management, planning and visualization, right after sampling
HIGHLIGHTING 8/9, WEDNESDAY:
10am: Are diseases causing damage? We identify the pathogen and suggested ways of biological control. Do you want a product developed just for you? We do that too!
Xylella fastidiousMeet XfSTOP - a combat strategy being developed by the InPP.
Chestnut trees, education and the Internet of Things: why are we putting sensors in trees?
Cicadas in the vineyard: what can we offer to remote sensing, monitoring and diagnostics in the field pests and diseases
Risk models: climate at the service of agriculture: “The clouds that hang in the air / Drawn by the wind / Fetch water from the sea / To water in any weather” * Pathogens have long since learned the same tune and quickly respond to the weather. We develop and validate models and computer applications for predicting the risk of different diseases based on climate data
O microbiomethe importance ofunraveling the secrets of the microbial ecosystem that inhabits soils and plants
From 14:30: InPP ComVida... CEPAAL: olive oil tasting - because only healthy olives produce quality oil without defects
At 17:30,InPP ComVida... CEPAAL: signing ceremony of a partnership protocol between InPP and the Center for the Study and Promotion of Alentejo Olive Oil
From 10am: InPP ComVida... GREEN-IT: phenotyping and plant health/ cut protection + demonstration of phenotyping equipment in the field
Want to know a biological control agent?
11:30 a.m: Presentation of the ‘DIMAP: A digital ecosystem for integrated disease management in pear orchards‘ (SmartAgriHubs), which aims to add a consortium to evaluate the integration of methodologies for Rocha pear disease detection
We develop genomic prediction based on machine learning, which can accelerate the achievement of more resistant varieties diseases or with higher yield
I knew that biopesticides innovative and sustainable are only effective thanks to specifically designed formulations? InPP has an entire department dedicated to this discipline - see what we can offer you
Experience it live and in color: smart hydrogels based on natural polymers to facilitate the application/effectiveness of biological control agents
12pm:InPP ComVida... AHSA - Association of Horticulturists, Fruit Growers and Flower Growers of the Counties of Odemira and Aljezur (subject to confirmation)
3pm: InPP ComVida...Ambitrevo(subject to confirmation)
InnovPlantProtect (InPP) is a collaborative laboratory (CoLAB) dedicated to developing bio-based products and services for protecting crops against pests and diseases.
We are a private non-profit association with 12 founding members, This includes companies, universities, a municipality, an R&D center, a national research institute and producer associations.
Headquartered at INIAV's Elvas Campus and 150 m2 laboratories, we have a team with 38 highly qualified human resources (16 PhD, 17 MSc, 5 undergraduates), with the following skills:
Molecular Biology of Plants, Diseases and Pests
Biochemistry and Microbiology
Biotechnology and Molecular Improvement
Bioinformatics and Biostatistics
Formulations and Nano-/Micro-technology
Product Development
Geographic Information Systems
Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence
Project and Communication Management
OUR MISSION: Developing innovative bio-inspired products and services to protect Mediterranean crops
OUR VISION: Use the latest scientific knowledge to collaborate with stakeholders national and international, to solve the problems posed to Mediterranean agriculture by the emergence of new pests and diseases and the reduced availability of active ingredients
OUR OBJECTIVES - To produce: - New biopesticides for pests and diseases - New [plant] varieties resistant to pests and diseases - New monitoring and diagnostic methods - New risk analysis models
WHAT WE PRODUCE: New biopesticides (oligopeptide/ dsRNA-based)
Produced by GRAS microorganisms or from the phytomicrobiome
Formulated with biocompatible micro/nanoparticles
New plant varieties
Through molecular marker-assisted selection
Through genome editing
Detection and early warning systems
Based on remote sensing and Artificial Intelligence
Genomic prediction tools
Based on high-throughput sequencing and genotyping
Risk analysis models
Agricultural formulations
COLLABORATION WITH COMPANIES:
1. Exclusive contracts 2. Cooperation with funding from different programs 3. Services 3.1 Laboratories 3.1.1 Identification and molecular diagnosis of pests and diseases 3.1.2 Characterization of matrices using FT-NIR 3.1.3 Molecular identification of plant varieties 3.1.4 Development of agricultural formulations 3.1.5 Micropropagation of elite plants 3.2 Digital 3.2.1 Digital monitoring of pests and diseases 3.2.2 Models for predicting the spread of pests and diseases based on remote sensing and AI data 3.2.3 Risk models for emerging pests and diseases 3.2.4 Microbiome analysis 3.2.5 Comparative genomics 4. Agreements 5. Contracts with startups: product functionality screening; toxicological profile assessment; pre-development
*InPP is a recognized entity SIFIDE (System of Tax Incentives for Corporate R&D) - in other words, companies that invest their R&D expenses in us (part d’) will be able to deduct a percentage from their corporate income tax (IRC).
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