LIFE MICROFIGHTERS: an EU funded project for the implementation and use of innovative Zeobiopesticides, based on beneficial microorganisms, as an alternative to the use of copper-based products.

Copper, as a pesticide, has been used in agriculture for more than 150 years. During the last three decades, limitations in its use have been imposed by the European Commission, in order to avoid its accumulation in agricultural ecosystems. Meanwhile, alternatives to copper–based chemicals have been suggested, e.g. by using microbial biocontrol agents or by applying natural zeolites to the crops. The LIFE MICROFIGHTER project was conceived to demonstrate in open field, and on different crops, the effectiveness of innovative pesticide formulations based on the intimate association of bacterial antagonists with zeolites micro-particles, which will support bacterial viability and efficacy after their spray on the crop canopy. The pathogen-crop association considered by the project are: Plasmopara viticola and grapevine; Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and Xanthomonas vesicatoria on tomato; Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi and olive. The Zeo-biopesticides will be used to control pathogens in vineyards, tomato fields and olive groves located in Italy, Croatia and Spain, and results will be compared to those obtained by using copper compounds according the local IPM. Copper dynamics, as an environmental pollutant, will be studied in all fields where the experiments are conducted, in order to confirm its reduction in the agricultural environments. The project has a duration of 42 months and 9 partners are participating: Symbiagro (coordinator, Roncadelle, Italy), UNIMORE (Reggio Emilia, Italy), UNIFE (Ferrara, Italy), UNIZD (Zadar, Croatia); Astra Innovazione e Sviluppo (Faenza, Italy), Consorzio Agrario di Ravenna (Cotignola, Italy), Ibe-CNR (Bologna, Italy), Consorcio Cooperatives Agroalimentaries (Valencia, Spain); CO&SO (Firenze, Italy). This research is funded by the European Commission, under the LIFE-2021-SAP-ENV Call (Circular Economy and Quality of Life—Standard Action Projects).