IPSP is working on behalf of the University of Turin on bee virus diagnosis in the Melior’api project, funded by ALCOTRA 2021-2027. The project consists of 8 points: The goal of the Melior’api project is to enable beekeepers to improve the results of their operations by selecting queens that show the best performance during the season in terms of production, population dynamism, Varroa resistance, and winter survival. The Melior’api project uses a multicriteria indicator (operator) to rank colonies in an apiary dedicated to this selection operation. This indicator (operator) ranks…
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Metodi Innovativi per la DIfesa dalla Flavescenza Dorata della vite (MIDI)
Grapevine flavescence dorée (FD) is a serious economic problem for the Piedmont wine industry. In the last three years, there has been a resurgence that in some situations is justified by the high presence of the vector insect, Scaphoideus titanus. This situation requires further studies also in the light of the most recent knowledge about the insect and the disease, both with in-depth scientific studies and field trials to verify the effectiveness of insecticide treatments and the use of biostimulant formulations in order to raise plant’s defences, by stimulating the…
Read MoreNatural and BIOtechnological genetic RESistances against Flavescence dorée for vineyard sustainability – BIORES
The main objective of BIORES is to explore natural and biotechnological resources for genetic resistance of grapevine against Flavescence dorée (FD). This important quarantine disease, caused by phytoplasmas strains within the 16SrV ribosomal group, is controlled only by indirect and preventive measures, with important economic and environmental concerns. Genetic resources from the great variety of Vitis vinifera germplasm together with application of new frontiers of bioengineering and genome editing through CRISPR-Cas, will be applied to produce resistant/tolerant plants with obvious improvement of vineyard sustainability. The project will firstly evaluate different…
Read MoreReSet- RNA interference for the control of sap-sucking insect plant pests: Scaphoideus titanus as case study
The ReSet project aims to explore the mechanism of RNAi applied to control phytoplasma insect vectors, endowed with pierce/sucking mouthparts. Research activities will be focused on the leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), main vector of the grapevine Flavescence dorée (FD) phytoplasma. The presence of an effective RNAi mechanism in the organisms under study has already been described and applied in the laboratory by the Research Units involved in the Project. The control of this species currently requires mandatory repeated applications of insecticides in the vineyard, with undesired effects on the…
Read MoreRNAi_PJ-RNA interference to control alien pests by exploring microalgae and cyanobacteria as cost-effective dsRNA producing platforms: the Japanese beetle Popillia japonica as case study
In the present project, RNAi will be explored for the control of the Japanese beetle Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), an alien quarantine species highly polyphagous that cause severe damages to crops. The management of P. japonica in Italy is under the official control of the National Plant Protection Services and mainly based on applications of chemical insecticides. Therefore, innovative and sustainable alternative strategies are urgently needed. The use of microalgae and cyanobacteria for production and delivery of dsRNA offers the advantage of the direct foliar application of the microorganism avoiding…
Read MoreRNA interference for the control of hemipteran pests causing direct and indirect damages to crops: a case study to define best practices for sustainable and environment-friendly application of RNAi (HEMipteran INTerference, HEMINT)
In the HEMINT Project, RNAi will be explored for the control of two hemipteran species that cause severe damages to crops: the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), and the leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), main vector of Flavescence dorée (FD) phytoplasmas of grapevine. Both species currently require repeated applications of chemical insecticides for their control, thus disrupting the IPM programs developed in their absence in orchards and vineyards. Therefore, innovative and sustainable alternative strategies are urgently needed. The occurrence of RNAi in the pests under study, already…
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