Researchers from the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB) participated in a training session for farmers, where the main pests (olive fruit fly and olive moth) and the most important diseases of olive groves were addressed. During the training session, results from the works that is being carried out by IPB in the NOVATERRA Project were shown: “WP2 Subtask 2.2.4: Testing low-rate combinations of Spinosad and Bacillus thuringiensis for olive moth control”, “Subtask 2.2.6: Use of entomopathogen fungi to control Bactrocera oleae: wintering population in the soil and adults in summer and autumn in olive groves”, “Task 2.4: Use of mass trapping for olive fly,” and “Task 2.3: Minimizing conventional pesticides using innovative technologies, Subtask 2.3.2: Copper Nanoparticles.”
The activity was a success with many participants and interactive participation between farmers and researchers. Farmers asked many questions; some also took some olive branches with diseases to clarify, and they also explained the main concerns of their region. Even after the event closes, many farmers continue asking and addressing researchers about some olive problems and how to address them.