Plants comprise the key component for -direct or indirect- human nutrition. Agriculture must be highly productive in order to meet the increasing demand for food, feed, fuel and fibre to support a rapidly growing global human population, as well as reach higher quality providing health benefits.

Because of the large areas devoted to agriculture and the large demand of resources, the technologies used in the production and protection of plants are highly relevant for the global environment.

Pathogens and pests compete with humans for plant-based food. The impact of these biota onto plants and plant protection in agriculture, forestry and the natural (non-human made) environment is the main area for the Plant Health (PH) working group (WG) of EPSO.

To sustainably improve plant health specifically in European agriculture, the Plant Health WG proposes to focus on three tasks:

  • To develop novel, sustainable pathogen & pest control methods for plant health protection
  • To detect pathogens & pests that affect plant health and reduce crop yields
  • To develop ready-to-apply pathogen & pest management technologies and disseminate them to end users.

Raising the societal awareness on how plant health protection could contribute to food security, sustain farmers’ income, protect biodiversity and reduce impacts on the environment, ensuring a high-quality product and boosting economic development is a major challenge. This requires a joint effort and engagement of academia with industry, farmers, citizens and policy makers.

This draft statement will be discussed at first meeting of the new EPSO ‘Plant health Working Group online on 5th July 2022.

 

Looking forward to collaborating with you in the Plant Health WG

Beat, Tina, Maria, Gian Paolo, Andreas and Karin

 

Plant Health WG co-chairs: Beat Keller, Tina Romeis, Maria Jose Pozo, Gian Paolo Accotto and Andreas Voloudakis.

EPSO Executive Director: Karin Metzlaff

  

Click here to read: Full ‘EPSO Plant Health Draft statement’

 

Contacts:

  • EPSO Plant Health WG co-chairs:
  • Beat Keller, Uni ZUR, CH
  • Tina Romeis, IPB, DE
  • Maria Jose Pozo, CSIC, ES
  • Gian Paolo Accotto, CNR / IT
  • Andreas Voloudakis, AUA, GR
  • EPSO:    Karin Metzlaff, EPSO Executive Director
  • Sofia Ciravegna, EPSO Executive Assistant