CURE-FX aims to establish a multidisciplinary research program to answer the urgent need to improve prevention, early detection and control of Xylella fastidiosa (Xf). An appropriate approach to this emergency should include a coordination and multidisciplinary interaction between a plurality of competences and it can be facilitated by a more intense exchange and mobility of researchers.The objectives of CURE-FX are: To exchange the scientific capacities and novelties among the European Countries as well as between EU and third countries, in particular sensitive neighbor countries. To strengthen the knowledge and the know-how on Xf in third countries having intense exchange of plant material with Europe. To raise awareness in relation to Xf. These objectives will be acheived through: Strengthen preventive measures by consolidating expertise and awareness of plant health agencies, decision-makers and relevant stakeholders; Analyze Xf-hosts interaction and epidemiology; Develop advanced diagnostic tools for the detection and characterization of Xf and associated vectors; Consolidate innovative approaches for disease prevention, monitoring and control; Improving pest risk analysis, phytosanitary legislations and contingency measures for a safe plant material trade and Integrating with current platforms for adequate communication and dissemination ensuring an effective knowledge transfer among the various actors involved. The proposal involves partners from the following countries: Italy, France, Greece, Spain, Belgium, UK, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and Iran. Partner countries selected are differently involved in the study and management of quarantine pests, although each one with a different role, approach and competence. These countries can be divided into two groups: Group 1: countries where the disease is already present (Italy, France, Iran); Group 2: the other countries where the disease is currently absent, but the risk of its introduction is high

BIOVEXO demonstrates a set of new and innovative biopesticides targeting the plant-pathogenic Xylella bacterium and its transmitting spittlebug vector, to fight a disease that seriously threatens olive and almond production in the European Mediterranean region. BIOVEXO’s biopesticides will reduce the input of chemical insecticides and will sustainably increase and secure European olive cultivation in its valuable socio-economic context. The biopesticides will be tested for use in curative and preventive approaches. We introduce six promising candidate biocontrol solutions acting either against Xylella or its vector, which include two bacterial strains, a microbial metabolite, two plant extracts, and an entomopathogenic fungus. Following small-scale on-field validation and improved formulation, BIOVEXO will upscale production of best-performing biopesticides (minimum two Xylella- and two vector-targeting ones) to large pilot scale for real-life evaluation in two major Xylella outbreak regions in Europe (Apulia, Italy and Mallorca, Spain) representing distinct pedoclimatic conditions. Then, BIOVEXO’s biopesticides will be demonstrated in a combined and integrated approach (IPM) on traditional and newly planted olive orchards in the two areas. Additional testing is done on almond trees in mainland Spain and Mallorca. The BIOVEXO consortium coming from academia, large industry, SMEs and associations contributes complementary expertise all along the value chain including practical knowledge and hands-on experience by participating olive growers and farmer associations. BIOVEXO will provide a mechanistic understanding of the biopesticides’ mode of action to support final product development and will ensure environmental and economic sustainability by performing LCA and risk, toxicity, and pathogenicity analyses. Thorough evaluation regarding regulatory compliance will prepare BIOVEXO’s biopesticides for smooth market entry post project.

The Organic fruit sector is highly dependent on inputs, particularly in terms of plant protection. Climate change is increasing impacts and risks to organic fruit production. Large market demand is expanding for organic fruits but the current commercial cultivars (cvs) range previously selected in high input paradigm are, for most of them, not adapted to organic production. InnOBreed proposes to mobilise Innovative Solutions (ISs): social innovations, new ideotypes, new methods for screening robust cvs and genitors with larger genetic bases for fostering organic fruit breeding. These ISs will be targeted and developed on participative, multi-actor and multi-trait based approaches and then applied for evaluating underutilized Fruit Tree Genetic Resources (FTGR), pre-breeding and advanced material. InnOBreed’s scope encompasses many Rosaceous species but also citrus and grape. InnOBreed aims to improve the whole Fruit chain through the implementation of an Organic Variety Testing Network of actors. It deals with (i)identification and definition of current lock-in in organic fruit farming systems (OFS),(ii) co-designing new ideotypes fitting with local OFS,(iii)identification of performant IS already available, (iv)development of new climate change ISs but also for fruit quality, pests and diseases tolerance, low input fitness and robustness, and their application by FTGR curators,(v) IS’s validation process and implementation by several public-private case-studies in different regions for evaluating their efficiency , and (vi)checking sustainability and consistency with actual regulations before being disseminated for maximizing IS impacts on the value chain.InnOBreed is deeply connected with running initiatives, programmes and resources involved in OFS, organic fruit participative and classical breeding, fostering FTGR uses by fruit-chain, scientists and stakeholders. Particular attention will be paid to embed the relevant stakeholders at national and European levels.

BeXyl will contribute to promote research and innovation and specifically provide interdisciplinary solutions according to the demand of the stakeholders embebed in the project, contributing to deliver specific impacts for each of the expected outcomes as foreseen by the HORIZON-CL6-2021-FARM2FORK-01-04 call. In line with the conceptual approach of the new EU Plant Health Law, BeXyl has been conceived to strengthen the two pillars of plant protection: i) prevention and ii) control strategies for the priority quarantine pathogen Xylella fastidiosa (Xf). The workplan is designed to assess the risk of new Xf outbreaks in the EU under changing climate (WP1), improve the methods for border inspections and surveillance for early detection (WP2), ensure the phytosanitary standards for the trade of plant propagation materials using non-chemical treatments (WP3), restore outbreak areas based on the strategies to improve host plant resistance (WP4) and disease management tools (i.e., Decision Support Systems and IPM protocols) in conventional and organic production (WP7) based on investigations for the control of insect vector populations (WP5) and innovative biological tools for Xf (WP6). Outbreak management approaches will take fully into account the ecological and socioeconomic contexts for their adoption and implementation (WP8). In line with the EU Green Deal for a transition to environmentally sustainable, healthy and resilient agriculture and forestry, BeXyl will support research, innovation and transfer of knowledge (WP9) for crisis preparedness to help to prevent new Xf outbreaks and further spread of currently infested areas, as well as to support agricultural/forestry sectors for remaining productive in outbreak areas.

Agriculture must adjust to future climate change already pushing growers to constantly try to monitor plants’ health to offset yield losses. To reduce yield losses and facilitate effective management practices constant and precise monitoring of plant health is essential. Current monitoring approaches fall short in fulfilling early detection of physiological perturbations that could threaten productivity and make corrective interventions possible. In PANTHEON, our major goal is to establish approaches with unprecedented precision and sensitivity for constant monitoring of plant health focusing on Brassicaceae and Grapevine. These are important annual and perennial species, respectively, for the EU economy and among the most valuable crops in the world. We will develop remote sensing coupled with spectroscopy-based approaches allowing high spatialization of results during abiotic stress and pest diseases. We will complement these approaches with remote or lab microtechnologies, imaging sensing for label-free, fast and sensitive analysis focusing on early stress perception. In parallel, we will establish computational approaches to manage monitoring data and provide software for monitoring the plant’s health and yields. PANTHEON comprises nine partners, five academic and four non-academic partners. Academic institutions, nurseries, breeders, software developers, and other private sectors will be the main recipients of the novel knowledge and technical advances obtained. The approaches that will be developed can be adapted for monitoring the health of any important plant species, apart from Brassicaceae and Grapevine. Finally, PANTHEON is endowed with significant training activities for the training of the next generation of researchers to meet the growing demands of Academic and Industry settings.