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.
Nature Plants highlights the advantages of new genome editing techniques but warns of three crucial aspects that still need to be addressed.
“The rapid development of plant biotechnologies is profoundly shaping crop improvement and catalyzing the next revolution in agriculture,” writes an editorial recently published by Nature Plants, entitled Next-generation crop engineering (Next-generation crop engineering).
Crop improvement no longer has to depend on naturally occurring mutations and artificially generated variations can be the raw material for further improvement, the text argues. “A much broader spectrum of phenotypic space is ready for exploration, allowing the development of ideal phenotypes adapted to the heterogeneous environments of Earth, or even Space,” argue the authors of the paper. article, He concluded that “a new agricultural revolution driven by biotechnology could be just around the corner”.
Image: Francesco Gallarotti/ Unsplash
The editorial refers to the promise and advantages of the new genome editing techniques, particularly compared to classical breeding, but not only. And it warns of three crucial factors that are still missing in order to achieve high levels of variation through gene editing: 1) a better understanding of the key regulators for genes that are important from an evolutionary or developmental point of view; 2) being able to dissect networks of genes that control phenotypes of interest and regulatory networks in cis that affect gene expression; 3) to establish stable and efficient transformation and regeneration procedures for most species.
Unless genetic editing in planta is developed quickly, breeding based on gene editing will be unable to benefit recalcitrant species. It is also recalled that there are alternative strategies for engineering new generation crops, such as the transfection of viral RNA in sprays, which allows for the temporary adjustment of agronomic characteristics without modifying the genetic material.
The DGAV has announced new requirements for citrus production and marketing, due to the African citrus psyllid plague.
The technical requirements for the production and marketing of citrus fruits and other rutaceous plants in a place free from Trioza erytreae, the insect vector of the disease citrus greening, were recently updated and published by the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary (DGAV).
The rutaceae are a family of trees in which the genus Citrus is imperative from the point of view of economic value. O citrus greening, greening citrus greening, Huanglongbing disease or citrus greening is caused by the African citrus psyllid (Trioza erytreae), an insect vector that also causes direct damage to citrus fruits.
“In view of the detection of Trioza erytreae in some regions of the country and given the expansion that has already occurred in the area infested by this insect, we have tried to ensure a set of conditions to ensure the continuity of production and marketing of citrus propagating material in regions where the pest is present,” explain the DGAV officials in a press release. document. The update was motivated by “experience gained in the meantime” and by the new legislation in force: Annex VIII of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 and Ordinance no. 142/2020.
A Trioza erytreae is a quarantine pest on national territory.
In the T. erytreae, In addition to the obligatory declaration of mother or nursery plants, citrus and other rutaceous plants must be produced “in a place with complete physical protection against this insect” and have been subject to two official inspections in the last growing season without showing any symptoms of the pest.
For marketing, the plants must also be kept in a place with complete physical protection against this insect “and come from exempt areas (outside infested zones and buffer zones) or from nurseries located in demarcated zones”, among other requirements, which aim to guarantee that no infestation occurs.
InPP has a cooperation project with the DGAV to take part in the task force phytosanitary measures and to support the biological control plan with a view to controlling the Trioza erytreae.
Researchers at InPP are developing machine learning methods for predicting phenotypic traits from genetic information of key crops. The project is led by Manisha Sirsat, from the Data Management and Risk Analysis Department, which is headed by Ricardo Ramiro, in collaboration with the Protection of Specific Crops Department, headed by Paula Oblessuc.
Over the last decade, machine learning has become part of our everyday lives, when it suggests the next song you should listen to or the restaurant you should go to. This branch of artificial intelligence is focused on building models and applications that can learn from data, in order to predict a particular outcome. For this to be possible, large amounts of data are necessary which, until recently, would preclude its application in most fields of biology. However, in the last 20 years, biology has become a data-intensive discipline, due to the revolution brought by high-throughput systems for fields as disparate as genomics and microscopy. Thus, machine learning methods are now being applied to a wide range of biological questions.
At InPP, the team is taking advantage of the availability of high-throughput genomic and phenotypic data for key phenotypes of important crops (e.g. wheat genomes and yield) and using this data to develop machine learning models that can predict the phenotype from the genotype. This approach is termed Genomic Prediction. “The aim is to develop an advanced genomic prediction tool which uses genome-wide genetic markers to predict complex traits,” states Manisha Sirsat. “This will allow us to identify genetic markers that can increase agricultural productivity and that can accelerate plant breeding programs,” adds Ricardo Ramiro.
Image by congerdesign/ Pixabay
Image by annawaldl/ Pixabay
An advanced genomic prediction tool can help accelerate plant breeding programs and increase agricultural productivity.
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