News & Events

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NEWS

InPP took part in the kick-off meeting for the European PROSPER project, held on October 2 and 3 in Pavia, Italy. In attendance were the director of the Monitoring and Diagnostics Department, Ilaria Marengo, and the project manager, Bruno Orrico.

PROSPER's main objective is to transform European agriculture by valorizing highly resilient “orphan” legumes - forgotten crops, but full of potential to face the climate and food challenges of the future.

The project promotes sustainable, innovative practices adapted to different agricultural realities.

Over the two days, 27 partners from 13 countries met for presentations, in-depth discussions and strategic talks about the project's next steps.

We are excited about what comes next, certain that this journey will be more than a collaboration - it will be a true cooperation within an exceptional team.

Join us and keep up to date with all the news from the PROSPER Project!

InnovPlantProtect (InPP) was present at the project launch meeting BioLivingLABS - Bioeconomia ao Serviço da Sustentabilidade dos Territórios do Interior (Bioeconomy at the Service of the Sustainability of Inland Territories), which took place on October 1st at the School of Agriculture of the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (IPCB).

Funded by COMPETE 2023, the BioLivingLABS project, led by MORE CoLAB - Laboratório Colaborativo Montanhas de Investigação, in partnership with the InPP, the IPCB, from AQUAVALOR and the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB).

This project's mission is to add value to the low-density territories in the north, center and south of the country by demonstrating and economically boosting the work carried out by the partners - through the creation, demonstration and application of products, processes and services resulting from joint research.

Four living laboratories will be created (Living Labs) in the innovation hubs of Mirandela, Douro, Covilhã and Elvas, which they intend to promote:

  • the transfer of knowledge;
  • technology demonstration;
  • strategic roadmapping and
  • the protection of intellectual property.

BioLivingLABS strengthens the link between academia, business and society, driving innovation and sustainability.

Expected impact:
Over the course of 24 months, and with Living Labs dedicated to sectors such as olive groves and olive oil, vineyards and wine, fruit and cereals, legumes, among others, the project will contribute to:

  • increase regional competitiveness;
  • promote sustainable practices and
  • responding to the environmental, social and economic challenges facing inland territories.

More news about this new project soon.

On September 25, InnovPlantProtect (InPP) was present at the National Exhibition of Blue Bioeconomy Pact Projects, held at the Port of Leixões Cruise Terminal, for the exhibition session of the Algae Vertical project, led by PhytoBloom by Necton.

InPP, leader of sub-project 6 - Agriculture, was represented by department director Cristina Azevedo and executive director António Saraiva, who presented some of the new algae-based biosolutions that our team and partners are developing.

There were more than 300 participants and 80 entities, including companies, research centers and political decision-makers. The Opening Conference was attended by the Chairman of Inovamar's General and Supervisory Board, José Soares dos Santos, and round tables were held on the future of the blue economy in Portugal.

Algae Vertical explores the biotechnological potential of algae in sectors as diverse as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and energy.

Find out more about the Algae Vertical Project here

EVENTS

The CEO of InnovPlantProtect (InPP) is the guest at the next session of ‘A Day With...’, which will take place on November 30 at 10:30 am, online. Pedro Fevereiro will talk about the work of the collaborative laboratory he runs in Elvas to innovate plant protection.

This is an initiative of CEBAl-Centro de Biotecnologia Agrícola e Agro-Alimentar do Alentejo, one of the founding entities of InPP, with the support of MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development.

O access to the lecture is free. More information here.

InnovPlantProtect's Specific Crop Protection Department began field work this morning with the sowing of 350 lines of bread wheat. The aim of this trial is to test the response of wheat to yellow rust, a disease that threatens the future and stability of Portuguese cereal crops.

This is a fight against a biologically dynamic pathogen which, if not stopped in time, can cause major social and economic damage.

Portugal and the entire Mediterranean basin are already suffering from the impacts of more aggressive plant pests and diseases, which are more difficult to combat. This is the case of the fungus that produces yellow rust on wheat, which has evolved into races adapted to higher temperatures.

Find out more about this disease, its life cycle, transmission process, control, prevention and the potential for scientific innovation in a paper by InPP researchers Paula Rodrigues Oblessuc, Miguel Teixeira, Pedro Rosa and Annalisa Somma published in the journal Rural Life.

Genome editing and its contribution to fulfilling the European Commission's ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy will be analyzed in the online seminar that the European Technology Platform is holding tomorrow between 12:00 and 13:45. Under the theme ‘Genome editing: A ‘precision breeding to fork’ strategy’, this event will feature several international experts in this field.

Participation requires registration.