Estamos em contagem decrescente para a Feira Nacional de Agricultura (FNA), uma das maiores feiras agrícolas do país!
É já de 7 a 15 de junho que o InPP vai estar na 61ª edição da Feira Nacional de Agricultura, que se realiza no CNEMA – Centro Nacional de Exposições, em Santarém.
O tema da edição deste ano é “Biosoluções”e pretende destacar a importância das soluções e tecnologias inovadoras no setor agroalimentar e na promoção de práticas mais sustentáveis e eficientes.
A FNA reúne agricultores, empresários e especialistas dos setores agroalimentar, pecuário e agrícola e é um excelente espaço para aumentar a nossa rede de contactos, trocar conhecimentos e apresentar as mais recentes tendências e soluções agrícolas que a nossa equipa tem desenvolvido.
Vai poder encontrar-nos no stand nº.18, à entrada do Espaço dos claustros, dedicado à Agenda InsectERA, entre as 10h e as 20h.
InnovPlantProtect (InPP) took part in the National Olive Growing Fair (FNO 25) in Campo Maior, from May 23 to 25, presenting its latest biological and digital innovations for crop protection, including projects focused on biopesticides for olive diseases and early detection of fungi that cause gafa, and monitoring insect vectors of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, which attacks olive groves. The Elvas CoLAB was present with its own stand to demonstrate its strengths and the impact of its research on agricultural sustainability, inviting producers, technicians and researchers to learn about its innovative bio-based and digital solutions and to actively participate in the discussion of the sector's challenges.
The collaborative laboratory (CoLAB) welcomed visitors at the stand no. 14, located at thematic area at the Campo Maior Municipal Garden, to showcase their activity, the ongoing projects that are developing solutions to the main olive diseases, the patents already submitted, the apps for agricultural management and the bio-based and digital products and services they have to offer the agricultural sector and the market. Throughout the three days of the fair, some of InPP's researchers were at the stand to demonstrate to visitors the various features of the Elvas CoLAB, which has been developing innovation that it hopes will contribute to the sustainability of agricultural systems.
InPP announced ValorCannBio project, which is processing biomass that is not used in the medical cannabis industry to develop effective and sustainable biopesticides against gafa and tuberculosis, The project will be carried out in the municipality of Elvas, which is responsible for decimating entire harvests, leading to severe economic losses and compromising food quality. The impact of this project will be felt in the municipality of Elvas, where the project is being developed, but it is expected that it will extend to the entire olive-growing region from Trás-os-Montes to the Algarve, where production losses are increasing due to these diseases. O AlViGen project was also one of the protagonists and is using cutting-edge technology to detecting and identifying the strains of fungi that cause gafa, long before the symptoms become visible. The project team has used traps to collect spores that circulate in the air to monitor the presence of fungi, which can give farmers an important advantage in preventing infections and protecting their crops, reducing production losses.
O SNM_XylellaVt project, The SNM_XylellaVt project, led by DRAPCENTRO and in which InPP actively participates, was also highlighted at FNO. SNM_XylellaVt is monitor the insect vectors of the bacteria Xyllela fastidiosa, in particular the foam leafhopper, the insect responsible for transmitting the bacterium, which attacks various agricultural and forestry crops, and in particular olive groves. The project team is developing new tools, such as risk prediction models which, in the presence of the bacterium, whether in plants or insect vectors, will allow the National Agricultural Warning Service (SNAA) to alert, in real time, about the economic attack levels (EAL) for these insects, thus allowing prevent infection of the main crops. As part of this project, the team has also developed an online platform where citizens can report the sighting of foams, which are signs of the presence of the insect vectors of X. fastidiosa, This will help to map its temporal and spatial distribution and to plan measures to combat this bacterium.
The FNO, organized jointly by the Campo Maior City Council and the Centre for the Study and Promotion of Olive Oil in the Alentejo (CEPAAL), is an event that aims to enhance national olive growing, and in particular Portuguese olive oil, boosting the local economy and bringing together professionals from the sector - producers, technicians, or researchers - from all over the country to discuss challenges and trends in the Portuguese olive and olive oil sector.
Each year, crop diseases cause devastating losses in agricultural production, threatening food security and the livelihoods of millions of farmers. In the heart of Alentejo, an innovative project is harnessing the power of genomics to help combat these invisible threats. The AlViGen Project, with the participation of InnovPlantProtect researchers Rute Rego and João Bilro, is paving the way for a new era of crop surveillance and protection.
The Problem and the Solution
“Yellow rust in wheat and olive quick decline syndrome are real scourges for farmers,” explains Rute Rego, a researcher at AlViGen. “These diseases can decimate entire harvests, leading to severe economic losses and compromising food quality.”
But AlViGen is not limited to observing the problem. The team is using cutting-edge technology to detect and identify the strains of fungi that cause these diseases, long before the symptoms become visible.
“We use traps to collect spores circulating in the air,” Rute continues. “These traps allow us to monitor the presence of fungi in real-time, which gives us an important advantage in preventing infections.”
But the magic happens in the laboratory, where the team extracts the DNA from the spores and performs advanced genomic analyses, using powerful DNA sequencing technology based on the metabarcoding method, carried out with cutting-edge technology like the portable Nanopore sequencer.
Rute Rego, a researcher at InnovPlantProtect, analyzes samples of the fungus causing olive quick decline syndrome as part of the AlViGen project.
Unraveling the Genetic Code of Fungi
To better explain what metabarcoding is and its advantage in detecting the presence of species or strains of fungi that cause diseases in crops, the researcher gives the example of a bag full of different types of grains - rice, beans, corn - being analyzed by the reader. “Metabarcoding is like placing a unique label (a ‘barcode’) on each type of grain. Then, you can mix all the grains in a single sample, and by reading the labels, you can identify the quantity of each type of grain present.'”
In the case of AlViGen, this technique allows for the analysis of multiple fungal species simultaneously (in multiple samples), each with its own genetic ‘barcode,’ and to ‘identify exactly which fungi are present, even in small quantities,'” the researcher explains.
And what is the practical impact of this method for monitoring and predicting disease? The AlViGen project researcher can identify, with high precision, the moment when the pathogenic agent begins to appear in the field, which makes it possible to alert farmers in real-time about the risk of disease. Producers can adopt preventative measures and apply the necessary products to avoid infection, contributing to a rapid and effective response in disease prevention.
The Timeline of Fungal Evolution
AlViGen's research is not limited to identifying the microorganisms harmful to crops; it also seeks to understand their evolution and diversity. João Bilro, another researcher on the project, is dedicated to studying the phylogeny of the Colletotrichum fungus, a microorganism responsible for causing olive anthracnose or blight, a disease that affects olive groves in Portugal. This disease mainly affects the olives, which compromises the quality of the olive oil.
“Phylogeny is crucial for understanding how the different strains of Colletotrichum Just as a family tree traces the history of a family, showing how members are related to each other, phylogenetic trees reveal the evolutionary relationships between the different strains of this fungus. Each branch of the tree represents an evolutionary lineage, and the nodes indicate common ancestors. By comparing the DNA sequences of these strains, we can reconstruct their evolutionary history, identifying which are genetically closer or more distant, and thus infer characteristics such as virulence or resistance to fungicides,” he reveals.
This knowledge allows researchers to identify patterns of dissemination and adaptation of the fungus, which is fundamental for developing more effective strategies to contain and/or reduce the damage this fungus causes to Portuguese olive groves.
“One of the challenges of our research is the great genetic diversity of the Colletotrichum,” admits João. “However, by uncovering their evolutionary secrets, we are paving the way for the development of more precise and targeted detection and control methods.”
Left photo: João Bilro, a bioinformatician at InnovPlantProtect, studying the phylogeny of the Colletotrichum fungus within the scope of the AlViGen project; Right photo: Rute Rego and João Bilro discuss ideas about the AlViGen project.
The Future of Agriculture Starts Here
The AlViGen Project aims to have a significant impact on the agricultural landscape, especially in Alentejo, a region with a strong agricultural tradition. By providing farmers with early detection tools and precise information about the microorganisms that cause crop diseases, the project intends to aid in decision-making, allowing farmers to protect their crops and reduce production losses.
“Our ultimate goal is to empower farmers with the knowledge and tools they need to protect their crops sustainably,” states Rute. “We believe that genomic surveillance is a key tool for the future of crop protection.”
João Bilro agrees and adds, “Continuous research is fundamental to keep up with the evolution of harmful microorganisms and to develop new, consistently effective control strategies. In the future, we hope to expand the scope of AlViGen to include other microorganisms and crops, and to make genomic surveillance an accessible tool for all farmers.”
Science at the Service of Agriculture
The AlViGen Project, supported by the Promove Program of the “la Caixa” Foundation, in partnership with Banco BPI and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), is an inspiring example of how science and technology can be applied to solve real-world problems and transform agriculture. By unraveling the genetic secrets of crop microorganisms, Rute Rego and João Bilro are paving the way for a safer, more sustainable, and resilient agriculture.
The fight against crop diseases continues, but with AlViGen, farmers can finally see the enemy before it becomes visible.
The software used to access and visualize the data sent by the Tree Talker sensors installed in chestnut trees in Sabugal has been improved and is now more intelligent and interactive, thanks to the use of data science tools. This development was carried out by the Monitoring and Diagnostics Department as part of the project “Educating to know, protect and monitor chestnut trees through IoT technology”, co-financed by the Environmental Fund and led by InnovPlantProtect (InPP) in collaboration with Sabugal Municipal Council (CMS).
The application of the technology known as “Internet of Things” (IoT, from the English Internet of Things) is the main novelty of this year. innovative environmental education program. By installing remote sensors on the trunks, the trees communicate their state of health, including parameters such as water consumption, biomass growth, stem humidity, absorbed solar radiation and the state of health of the leaves through light reflection.
Once collected by the TT Cloud concentrator (gateway), the raw data from the Tree Talkers is transmitted to a server via the Internet and converted into “readable” information, in the form of graphs, tables and fault alerts, among other things. With the new development, users can no longer view static graphs but can interact with dynamic graphs, which, for example, allow them to zoom in on a particular peak or curve to access a very specific and precise time period.
In addition to facilitating and improving the consultation and analysis of data on the variation in the voltage of the batteries that power the Tree Talkers, or on the temperature recorded, among many others, the new software automatically triggers email messages to pre-defined users in the event of an alert - for example, if a battery suddenly runs out of charge, in which case a trip to the site is necessary to replace the power supply device.
As part of its strategy for developing bio-inspired products, InnovPlantProtect (InPP) is building a library of microorganisms isolated from various environments, which are being identified by molecular characterization and evaluated for their biochemical properties, indicative of their potential role as Biological Control Agents (BCA). In parallel, InPP is building up a portfolio of phytopathogenic agents (bacteria and fungi), which will serve as a basis for evaluating the BCA. in vitro e in vivo the potential of isolated BCA.
Isolated fungi growing on plates in culture medium.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), around 40% of global agricultural production is lost every year due to pests and diseases, which translates into losses of more than 195 billion euros. For decades, phytopharmaceuticals have played a fundamental role in maintaining agricultural health, protecting crops against pests and diseases and ensuring food safety. However, their excessive and sometimes inappropriate use has a negative impact on soil, water and biodiversity, and can have harmful effects on the health of animals and humans.
As part of the “From Farm to Fork” strategy, one of the pillars of the European Green Deal, the European Commission has set targets for the sustainable use of phytopharmaceuticals, one of which is to reduce their use by 50% by 2030. In order to cope with the withdrawal of these products from the market, it is necessary to develop effective, sustainable, environmentally friendly and economical alternatives.
Bacterial growth inhibition test.
One of these alternatives is the use of BCA. These microorganisms are efficient at reducing the incidence or severity of diseases caused by phytopathogens, and some also act as biostimulants, i.e. they have the ability to increase the strength and speed of plant development.
There are several mechanisms through which BCAs carry out their functions, namely: inducing resistance mechanisms in the plant; competing with pathogens for space and nutrients; interacting through antibiosis mechanisms (in which one organism harms the development of the other); secreting antimicrobial or antifungal compounds; and invading and/or killing the cells of plant pathogens.
In the current context of climate change in the Alentejo region, the green leafhopper (or cicada) represents one of the biggest challenges in terms of pests faced by wine producers, with a significant impact on production. It was against this backdrop that a team from InnovPlantProtect (InPP) designed and carried out the experimental trial “Monitoring and Diagnosis of Green Leafhopper Infestations in Vineyards of the João Portugal Ramos”, work on which began in May 2021, on the Vila Santa estate in Estremoz.
The green leafhopper (species Jacobiasca lybicand Empoasca spp.), in this case, is a pest that sucks the leaves of the vine, altering their color and shape. The leaves lose their ability to photosynthesize, darken and, in the most serious cases, fall off. The grapes lose quality and quantity. The vineyard can also be weakened in the post-harvest period.
The main objectives of this trial, led by Pest and Disease Monitoring and Diagnosis Department of the InPP, were to characterize the damage caused by leafhoppers and to obtain information on the demographic parameters of these insects, which will serve as a basis for using remote sensing to predict the time and space of the pest's occurrence.
In the first phase, traps were placed in 14 locations, in collaboration between technicians from João Portugal Ramos and the InPP. These traps were monitored weekly between May and August by an InPP team to count adult individuals of the green leafhopper. In June, field work intensified, with surveys being carried out to detect vines infested by green leafhoppers.
The surveys ran until the end of July and 58 vines were selected and marked for weekly monitoring. The selected vines were monitored between June and August, and the number of nymphs was counted, the instar of the nymphs observed (stage of metamorphosis between two moulting periods), as well as recording the severity of the symptoms observed.
All the information obtained was recorded using the app ODK Collect for Android, being immediately accessible through a WebGIS platform created with the software open source QGIS/Lizmap. Other tasks carried out included collecting specimens for identification in the laboratory and prospecting for the pest in potential natural hosts during the winter period.
InPP will soon be presenting some of the results of this trial, and the R&D plan for 2022 is currently being prepared.
Português 
English