Plant Protection

This Unit focuses on crop protection to decrease reliance on pesticides and improve well-being and the land-based economy with the development of innovative and sustainable agricultural practices.

Topics

Agrosystems and bioeconomy

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Mission

Focusing on the sustainable protection of agricultural crops from insect pests (agricultural entomology) and microorganisms (plant pathology and microbiology), to reduce chemical inputs in agriculture, enhance the useful environmental components (pollinators, endophytes, biocontrol agents and biofertilizers), prevent and/or contain the spread of invasive alien species and preserve biological fertility of the soil, in a global change context.

Innovation and methods

The multidisciplinary approach includes biotremology, chemical ecology, biological control, evolutionary genomics, and the study of plant pathology, biopesticides, biofertilizers and soil microbiology (see also: Biotremology, Quarantine and Biofungicides Platforms)

Facilities

Biotremology

We develop and apply behavioral manipulation methods based on biotremology techniques. For example, we can characterize vibrational signals and select/create synthetic playbacks to stimulate target insect species in both laboratory and semi-field conditions.

Further details

Development of Biofungicides and Biofertilizers

To support sustainable agriculture, we identify, enhance and develop novel products for the promotion of plant growth, tolerance of abiotic stress and control of plant diseases.

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Quarantine

We rear native and exotic insect pests and their natural predators, and provide a series of structures and tools for the study of their biology, physiology and behavior.

Further details