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.
Around 50 Biology, Technology and Tourism students spent part of the morning and afternoon of November 4 with the InnovPlantProtect (InPP) team, in order to understand the importance of protecting trees, and in particular chestnut trees, a local natural heritage. The project, led by InPP, is directed by Sabugal Town Hall (CMS).
The InPP-led project was presented to students...
... from the 12th grade of the Sabugal School Group
The day was an Education 4.0 experience, in which traditional subjects such as Biology and Ecology were integrated with a description and explanation of the application of “Internet of Things” (IoT) technology to tree monitoring. Incidentally, the presentation coincided with the COP 26 Climate Summit, which ties in perfectly with the main issues being discussed in Glasgow, Scotland.
In the afternoon, the pupils were taken to a meadow used as a study area by the InPP and CMS team. It was there that they were able to see and understand first-hand how IoT sensors work. The visit to the grove was an opportunity for them to take part in practical exercises and learn how to measure some of the physical parameters of trees, such as height, diameter and crown width using traditional methods, while at the same time seeing more modern tools in action.
With in-depth knowledge of the strains and breeds that exist in the country, the Elvas CoLAB can thus devise more efficient and targeted combat strategies.
InnovPlantProtect (InPP) is analyzing yellow rust samples collected from wheat fields in Portugal. Identification at InPP is carried out using PCR techniques and analysis of DNA fragments using SeqStudio, which makes it possible to determine the lineage of the fungus by examining molecular markers.
The polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, is a technique that allows you to copy a specific region of DNA, in vitro. SeqStudio is a sequencing machine that also allows the length of fragments to be measured, from which it is possible to correlate the size of different molecular markers with a given lineage.
Yellow rust is a disease caused by the fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, This pathogen, which affects wheat and other cereals all over the world, jeopardizes the future and stability of cereal crops. This pathogen is biologically very dynamic, adapting quickly to climate change and to the resistant cereal varieties that are being introduced onto the market.
A. Yellow rust on wheat; B. Molecular markers amplified by PCR on an agarose gel; C. Fragment analysis to determine the size of the markers and establish the fungal lineage
So far, the PstS10 strain, the most prevalent in Europe, has been identified. PstS10 has proved to be very aggressive, affecting wheat varieties that were previously resistant to yellow rust. The race of this strain was determined by RustWatch in Denmark to be Benchmark. InPP sent samples to this European project to combat wheat rusts, which, among many other aspects, also involves genotyping and identifying the strains and races of the fungus that causes yellow rust.
With in-depth knowledge of the strains and races present in Portugal, the InPP can therefore devise more efficient and targeted combat strategies, by improving wheat varieties resistant to yellow rust and developing bioinspired control agents.
No product currently on the market is capable of eliminating Xylella fastidiosa, the Commission for the Regional Budget of Puglia, southern Italy. The bacterium continues to seriously affect olive groves in Italy's main olive oil producing region.
“The two products marketed in recent weeks as a treatment against the drying out of trees, and useful for bringing plants back to their original glory, are a mixture of natural soaps or adjuvants,” said the director of Puglia's phytosanitary observatory, Salvatore Infantino, at a public hearing, quoted by OliveOilTimes. The heads of the regional budget commission for this area of southern Italy, which forms the “heel” of the “boot”, guarantee that there are currently no products on the market capable of eliminating the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa of infected trees, particularly olive trees.
This bacterium is the most active pathogen affecting olive trees in Italy's main olive oil producing region. For Salvatore Infantino, the development of a product capable of combating it remains an important goal for many of those striving to reduce the devastation caused by the bacteria. Xylella fastidiosa.
Public authorities must not make the mistakes of the past by giving credence to unscientific theories that have already caused so much damage and wasted so much time.
Fabiano Amati, president of Puglia's regional budget committee
A Xylella fastidiosa was first detected in the European Union precisely in Puglia, in October 2013, and was responsible for an outbreak that, by 2015, had already infected one million olive trees in this Italian region alone. “Currently, good agricultural practices and eradication are the only weapons we have against the Xylella, It's a way of saving time while we wait for a truly effective treatment,” says Salvatore Infantino.
Olive groves infested with Xylella fastidiosa, Puglia, Italy, 2019.
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