Projects
International projects
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Plant-pathogen-bodyguard interaction across the European continent (CTS 22:1876)
Principal investigator PI: Johan Stenberg (Department of Plant Protection Biology, Alnarp, Sweden – SLU)
WP leader: Alessandra Di Francesco
Duration: 24 months
Funds: Carl Trygger Foundation
The project aims to isolate and characterize wild strawberry Aureobasidium pullulans strains across the European continent and to evaluate their potential application as biocontrol agents of domesticated strawberry fungal pathogens.
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National projects
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Laboratorio Apistico Regionale (LAR)
Principal investigator PI: Desiderato Annoscia
Duration: 3 years
Funds: Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia
link al sito dedicato: https://laboratorioapisticoregionalefvg.uniud.it/
The project aims to support regional beekeeping through experiments regarding several aspects relevant to beekeeping, such as, for example, supplementary nutrition, bee flora, bee pathology, bee systematics in the Region.
National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies (AGRITECH)
UniUD scientific coordinator: Alessandro Peressotti
EPV scientific project manager: Desiderato Annoscia
Duration: 3 years
Funds: Unione Europea
link: https://agritechcenter.it
The project aims to counteract the effects of climate change, to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, and improve productivity and sustainability. In particular, we study the effects of climate change on bees and, consequently, on the ecosystem services provided by these pollinating insects.
ECOsystem services enhancement in DiveRsifiEd Soybean-based Systems (ECO-DRESS)
Principal investigator PI: Vittoria Giannini
WP leader (DI4A): Elisa Marraccini
EPV scientific project manager: Desiderato Annoscia
Duration: 2 years
Funds: MUR (PRIN)
The project aims to study innovative intercropping systems of soybean with buckwheat and quantify ecosystem services. In particular, the entomology group evaluates the presence and abundance of pollinators, as well as natural enemies of soybean pests.
National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC)
UniUD scientific coordinator: Michele Morgante
EPV scientific project manager: Francesco Nazzi
Duration: 3 years
Funds: Unione Europea
Link: https://www.nbfc.it/
The project concerns the study and valorization of biodiversity in Italy. In this context, the entomology group aims to study, in collaboration with the botany group, how climate change could influence plant-pollinators interactions.
Proliferation, resistance and infection dynamics in epidemics (PRIDE)
Principal investigator PI: Franco Blanchini
EPV scientific project manager: Francesco Nazzi
Duration: 3 years
Funds: MUR (PRIN)
PRIDE aims to develop novel multi-scale dynamical models to study antimicrobial resistance
Interconnected Nord-Est Innovation Ecosystem (INEST)
UniUD scientific coordinator for Spoke 7: Mauro Spanghero
Task (S7_Rt2.4) leader: Alessandra Di Francesco
Duration: 3 years
Funds: Unione Europea
link: https://www.consorzioinest.it
Novel plant disease management, insect control, and stress resistance strategies. Bioactive compounds from waste materials as plant biostimulants.
Fungal postharvest pathogens of apple in a climate change scenario: PRediction models, Epidemiological studies and sustainable control Strategies (PREST.APPLES)
Principal investigator PI: Alessandra Di Francesco
Duration: 2 years
Funds: MUR (PRIN)
The project will focus on the support of prediction modelling and biological tools to find out a sustainable approach against apple pathogens such as Neofabraea vagabunda and Tilletiopsis.
Preciso
Leader: Comune di Lamon
WP leader: Paolo Ermacora
Duration: 3 years
Funds: Fondazione Cariverona, bando Habitat
Promotion of sustainable environmental and socioeconomic development through the biodiversity protection project network aimed at the sheep and bean supply chain. The objective is to support an economic model in which food production and nature can coexist in order to benefit from each other. Involves the selection of ecotypes of Lamon bean with qualities of resilience to important diseases, the use of treated sheep's wool as bean fertilizer.
Unveiling the plant exposome to dissect a multifactorial disease: the kiwifruit vine decline (KVD-BIOME)
Principal investigator PI: Leonardo Schena
WP leader: Paolo Ermacora
Duration: 2 years
Funds: MUR (PRIN)
The kiwifruit industry in Italy is threatened by the spread of the Kiwifruit Vide Decline Syndrome (KVDS). Efforts to identify the causal agent(s) are still not able to fully explain the disease, which might be caused by a complex interaction between different biotic and abiotic agents. Thus, with KVD-BIOME we aim at disentangling the complexity of this disease, breaking down each component to understand the mechanisms that lead to the induction of KVDS and its spread in the field.
Exploring the genomic variability and the molecular MEchanisms underlying the PAthogenesis of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma SOLani’ (MEPASOL)
Principal investigator PI: Fabio Quaglino
WP leader: Marta Martini
Duration: 2 anni
Funds: MUR (PRIN)
Due to the lack of knowledge on ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ (CaPsol) pathogenicity factors and the importance of understanding the host-pathogen interactions for developing effective disease management, the main aim of the project MEPASOL is to investigate these topics by means of experimental and natural plant hosts (tomato, periwinkle, and grapevine), the main insect vector Hyalesthes obsoletus, and distinct CaPsol strains.
From SOil to Soil: origin and remediation to KIWIfruit Vine Decline Syndrome (SOS-KIWI)
Principal investigator PI: Marta Martini
Duration: 42 months
Funds: Ager-Agroalimentare e ricerca
SOS-KIWI aims at investigating a multifactorial plant disease using kiwifruit vine decline syndrome (KVDS) as model, dissecting the mechanisms behind this complex syndrome, and identifying biomarkers and prevention and control strategies that can be used to contrast its spread and to improve plant health.