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.
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.
InnovPlantProtect (InPP) is pleased to announce the publication of an international patent application (PCT) for a strain of Bacillus velezensis with application as a plant biostimulant. This innovation represents a significant milestone in our research, with a direct impact on sustainable agriculture and crop resilience in the face of climate and environmental challenges.
A natural and effective solution
The biostimulant developed by our team has been carefully studied and tested on different vegetable crops, such as tomatoes and lettuce, and on cereals, such as rice. The results obtained demonstrate the potential of this technology:
Greater development in the early stages of crops, This promotes more vigorous and healthy starts.
Increased productivity, This is evidenced by greater fresh biomass in lettuce and greater fruit production in tomatoes.
Proven molecular responses, with analyses confirming the activation of genes associated with plant responses to different types of abiotic stress.
These results reinforce the effectiveness of the Bacillus velezensis as a natural biostimulation tool, capable of boosting crop performance and contributing to more sustainable agriculture.
From the lab to the field
This patent is another step in InPP's commitment to developing innovative, sustainable biotechnological solutions with industrial applicability. The aim is clear: to support farmers and companies in the sector in meeting the challenges of crop productivity, quality and resilience, in an era when agriculture needs sustainable, high-impact responses.
We are looking for strategic partnerships
We are currently looking for new partnerships with companies and entities in the agricultural sector to take this technology from the laboratory to the field. We believe that collaboration is the key to turning scientific innovation into practical solutions that benefit the entire agricultural value chain.
If you're interested in learning more about this technology or exploring opportunities for collaboration, talk to us. Together we can drive a more productive, resilient and sustainable agriculture.
Innovate together. Protect better.
Image credits: InnovPlantProtect - Inês Ferreira (Photos from left to right: Sandra Caeiro and Rui Figueiras, researchers from the Specific Crop Protection Department and Inês Mexia, researcher from the Formulations and Process Development Department.
InnovPlantProtect (InPP) took part in the debate session on breeding and genomic techniques, the subject of the most recent edition of the CULTIVAR publication by the Planning, Policies and General Administration Office (GPP), which took place on June 27 at the Marquês Hall of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Lisbon.
The opening session was led by the GPP's director-general, Eduardo Diniz, and also included the participation of Pedro Fevereiro, executive director of the InPP, Benvindo Maçãs, director of INIAV, IP, Catarina Ginja, professor at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health (CIISA), Irina Castro, from the Transgenics Out Platform. The panel was moderated by Pedro Castro Rego, from the GPP.
As can be read in the news published on the GPP website: “During the debate, although there was no consensus on the subject, it was clear that the improvement essentially seeks to respond to the challenges of food supply and climate change.
As European regulations have not yet been stabilized, the scientific complexity and the effects associated with technological application on nature were highlighted. The speakers stressed the importance of approaching breeding as a process that interconnects various domains within genetic diversity, highlighting the multidisciplinary nature of this activity. Breeding and genomic techniques could develop solutions for more sustainable agricultural production, not only in environmental terms, but also in economic and social terms. However, the time and conditions in which these solutions are made available were questioned, particularly with regard to biodiversity and consumer concerns.
Public policies were mentioned as the privileged instrument for delimiting the impact of breeding and genomic techniques on agriculture and food in the near future. In this context, political commitments will have to act in conjunction with socially responsible technological innovation in favor of greater agricultural productivity and income in the long term.”
On June 27 at 10:30 a.m., InnovPlantProtect (InPP) will take part in a debate session promoted by the Planning, Policies and General Administration Office (GPP) on Improvement and genomic techniques, the subject of the most recent edition of the publication CULTIVAR - Cadernos de Análise e Prospetiva.
The initiative aims to contribute to reflection on the definition of appropriate policies for the use and development of the best practices available in this area, which will generate benefits for agents in the agri-food sector and the population in general.
The session includes a brief presentation on the topic and a round table with a panel of experts, including InPP's executive director, Pedro Fevereiro, followed by a debate with the participants.
Pedro Fevereiro will be one of the speakers at the round table, who will talk about the article entitled “Plant breeding and molecular-based technologies, in particular genomic editing”, which he wrote for the magazine CULTIVAR.
Participation in the session is free, but to attend in person at the GPP's premises at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Lisbon, prior registration is required, available until June 26, here.
The session will be broadcast live on the GPP's YouTube channel.
“(...) Faced with the most recent challenges, the combination of the development of scientific knowledge about the value of algae as a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds and the enormous pressure in the agricultural production sector to replace these same chemically synthesized fertilizers, biostimulants and pesticides with more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives has led to the expansion of the algae sector in agriculture,” reads an article produced by the InnovPlantProtect (InPP) team, published in the June edition of Voz do Campo magazine.
In the article, produced by the InPP team involved in the Vertical Algae Agriculture sub-project, together with several partners, our researchers are tracking the activity of a set of more than 30 macro and microalgae and some of their by-products, made available by Portuguese companies as biostimulants and biopesticides.
Researchers Miguel Claro and Rui Figueiras and department heads Cristina Azevedo and Sandra Correia were involved in the production of this non-scientific article.
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