piriculariose – InnovPlantProtect

NEWS

InPP joins BioLivingLABS project - Bioeconomy at the service of the sustainability of inland territories

September 22, 2025
Blog, Highlight, News, Project
Ines Ferreira

InnovPlantProtect (InPP) recently received approval for an application submitted to COMPETE2030-2024-6 - Collective Actions - Transfer of scientific and technological knowledge - BioLivingLABS - Bioeconomy at the service of the sustainability of inland territories, led by MORE CoLAB - Laboratório Colaborativo Montanhas de Investigação, Associação, in partnership with the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB), the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (IPCB) and AQUAVALOR.

BioLivingLABS aims to promote the economic valorization of research and development (R&D) results obtained by various institutions in the North, Center and Alentejo. To this end, it will create an experimental demonstration network, the so-called Living Labs, The project will be held in the innovation hubs of Mirandela, Douro, Covilhã and Elvas. In addition, demonstration actions, workshops, an inland innovation catalog and training on intellectual property protection will be developed with the aim of encouraging the incorporation of innovative solutions in the business sectors of these regions.

Scheduled to begin in October and lasting 24 months, the project has a total eligible investment of over 740,000 euros, financed by COMPETE2030 - Thematic Program for Innovation and Digital Transition. For InPP, this project is a strategic opportunity to strengthen its mission as a center for technology development and transfer, boosting the practical application of scientific knowledge to promote sustainable development.

This initiative confirms InPP's commitment to open and sustainable innovation, integrating science, technology and regional development to respond to the challenges and potential of the interior of the country.

InPP took part in an Open Day dedicated to the cereals of Baixo Mondego

September 19, 2025
Blog, Highlight, News
Ines Ferreira

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.

(Re)watch the interview here.

Image credits: InnovPlantProtect and Voz do Campo magazine

Maize in Portugal: phytosanitary challenges and new emerging threats

August 19, 2025
Blog, Highlight, News
Ines Ferreira

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.

EVENTS

InnovPlantProtect celebrates 6 years of looking to the future

January 16, 2025
Blog
Ines Ferreira

InnovPlantProtect (InPP) celebrates its 6th anniversary this Friday. January 24th, from 2:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., at the headquarters located at National Plant Breeding Station, INIAV center in Elvas.

The commemorative date will bring together, in addition to InPP members, political decision-makers, representatives of other CoLABs in the agri-food sector, producer associations and farmers, with the aim of marking a new phase for InPP, which will be guided by the growth, expansion and consolidation of the brand, as well as the development of new technologies, products and services with a strong technological and innovation component, which make a difference in meeting the various challenges of agricultural crop protection.

The welcome session will start at 3pm and will feature a speech by António Saraiva, InPP's executive director, who took office in December 2024. At 3:10 p.m., the session “What innovation is produced at InPP?” will take place, in which our team will present the work and scientific-technological innovation that has been developed in the various areas of activity of the collaborative laboratory (CoLAB), namely in the areas of New Biopesticides, Protection of Specific Crops, Formulations and Process Development, Data Management and Risk Analysis, and Monitoring and Diagnosis.

On the day of the celebrations, the closing session will be attended by the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, José Manuel Fernandes.

Also present to mark the date will be the Secretary of State for Agriculture, João Moura, the Vice-President of CCDR-Alentejo, Roberto Grilo, and the Mayor of Elvas, José Rondão Almeida.

You can register for the ceremony by until 5pm on January 23rd, through sending an email to inpp@iplantprotect.pt.

Mark your calendar and join us on this commemorative date! We'd be delighted to welcome you!

PROGRAM:

Reception of participants | 14h30

Welcome Session | 15h00

António Saraiva | Executive Director of InPP

Session “What innovation is produced at InPP?” | 15h10

Cristina Azevedo | Director of the New Biopesticides Department
Sandra Correia | Director of the Department for the Protection of Specific Crops
David Learmonth | Director of the Formulations and Process Development Department
Ricardo Ramiro | Director of the Data Management and Risk Analysis Department
iLaria Marengo | Director of the Monitoring and Diagnosis Department

Closing Session | 15h40

José Manuel Fernandes | Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries

Tour of the facilities | 15h50

Beberete | 16h00

New Year, new challenges in our journey to protect cultures!

January 6, 2025
Blog
Ines Ferreira

For us, the year just ended was a great journey, and we tried to make the best of it.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have been with us throughout 2024!

We're ready and raring to go for this new year full of challenges!

In 2025 we will continue to work to grow, innovate and be better and better.

We want to continue to count on our members, partners and clients.

Keep following us on our journey to protect crops!

Happy holidays to all!

December 16, 2024
Blog
Ines Ferreira

As the year draws to a close, we would like to express our deep gratitude to all InnovPlantProtect's associates, partners and clients for the partnership and trust they have placed in us this year.

Together, we are succeeding in transforming the crop protection sector, fighting to combat pests and plant diseases in a smarter and more innovative way.

In 2025, we will continue to work to offer the best laboratory and digital solutions to all our current and future customers.

May next year's challenges be transformed into opportunities for growth and consolidation and may the new year bring many new journeys, achievements, discoveries and conquests.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2025!

Thank you for trusting in our science and technology to transform the future of crop protection.

From the InnovPlantProtect Team

News & Events