Nano-Enabled Agriculture: Perspectives in Crop Protection


21 Sept.			14:00 - 15:30



AGRI-FOOD
NANOTECHNOLOGY-BASED INNOVATIVE APPROACHES IN AGRICULTURE
TT.VII - Technical Multi-Track with Parallel SYMPOSIA
Nano-Enabled Agriculture: Perspectives in Crop Protection
Co-organized with University of Tuscia & University of Udine Chair: Sara FRANCESCONI, University of Tuscia
Under the patronage of

Plant protection plays a fundamental role in granting food security: the current estimations indicate a worldwide crop loss of 20% due to plant pests and pathogens per year. Moreover crop protection has a huge impact on the overall supply-chain sustainability, since most of the control strategies nowadays still relies on the use of heavy metals and synthetic molecules, such as cupric salts and fungicides, with potential health and environment issues. In this context, nanotechnology could provide more effective tools in counteracting plant adversities, by providing controlled release of loaded active principles and a better canopy coverage, leading to a decrease of inputs in the agro-ecosystems. Nanomaterials often show different properties than their bulk counterparts, which can lead to novel and efficient antimicrobial properties: many of the antimicrobial mechanisms of nanopesticides are still largely unknown since many factors have to be taken in account when approaching the interaction among nanomaterials and microorganisms or arthropods, such as exposition time, redox and catalysis reactions, biological detoxification capabilities. The aim of this session is to highlight the most advanced research lines conducted in Italy about the study of nanopesticides and their potential in controlling plant adversities.
The symposium is part of the Workshop WS.III
TT.VII.E.1 WS.III.2.1	Chiaraluce MORETTI - CV University of Perugia Silver nanoclusters with Ag²⁺/³⁺ oxidative states are a new highly effective tool against phytopathogenic bacteria
TT.VII.E.2 WS.III.2.2	Sara FALSINI - CV University of Florence Enhancing the efficacy of bioactive molecules in the Mediterranean fruit fly control by nanocarriers with exopolysaccharides from cyanobacteria
TT.VII.E.3 WS.III.2.3	Davide SAVY - CV University of Naples Novel nanocarriers and antibacterials from compost-extracted humic substance
TT.VII.E.4 WS.III.2.4	Francesca BALDASSARRE - CV University of Salento Thyme-based nano-biocides exploring Calcium Carbonate and Cellulose Nanocrystals: the case studies of Xylella fastidiosa and Pseudomonas savastanoi
TT.VII.E.5 WS.III.2.5	Stefania BOI - CV NanOmnia srl Nanostructured pesticide formulations‟ fate after different plant application forms