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PHEM FORUM 2026 – IL FUTURO DELLA MODELLISTICA PER LA SALUTE DELLE PIANTE: STRUMENTI E METODI

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Piacenza, 28–29 gennaio 2026  lI Centro di Ricerca Plant Health Modelling (PHEM) organizza, nei giorni 28 e 29 gennaio 2026, il Forum “Il futuro della modellistica per la salute delle piante: strumenti e metodi”, che si terrà presso la sede dell’Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Piacenza. ll PHEM Forum 2026 sarà un’occasione di incontro tra ricerca, imprese e professionisti per promuovere il dialogo e la collaborazione tra mondo accademico e sistema produttivo, favorendo un approccio integrato, innovativo e sostenibile alla gestione delle colture e alla salute delle piante. Il Forum offrirà un contesto di approfondimento e discussione sulle più recenti innovazioni in materia di modelli previsionali, Decision Support Systems (DSS), sensori di nuova generazione, tecnologie agrometeorologiche e intelligenza artificiale applicata alla difesa fitosanitaria. Saranno inoltre affrontati i temi dell’agricoltura smart, dell’agritech e del ruolo strategico dei dati digitali nella definizione di modelli predittivi sempre più efficaci e sostenibili. Particolare attenzione sarà dedicata al coinvolgimento dei giovani ricercatori e tecnici, incoraggiati a partecipare attivamente al dibattito e a sviluppare nuove forme di collaborazione con imprese e istituzioni di ricerca. Programma Giorno 1 – 28 gennaio 2026 Giorno 2 – 29 gennaio 2026 Iscrizione e costi La deadline per la presentazione degli abstract, inizialmente prevista per il 21 novembre 2025, è stata prorogata al 17 dicembre 2025. Il Comitato Scientifico PHEM valuterà gli abstract pervenuti all’indirizzo phem.segreteria@unicatt.it ai fini della selezione delle presentazioni orali. Al fine di garantire un’adeguata organizzazione dell’evento, tutti gli interessati sono cortesemente invitati a completare l’iscrizione entro il 15 gennaio 2026, anche nel caso in cui non intendano presentare lavori, accedendo al seguente link. I partecipanti saranno ammessi in ordine cronologico di iscrizione, nel rispetto dei requisiti di accesso previsti. L’evento verrà attivato solo al raggiungimento di un numero minimo di iscritti. In caso contrario, la quota di iscrizione già versata sarà interamente restituita. La partecipazione al Forum avra’ un costo di: Dowload Per maggiori informazioni, visita il sito formazionecontinua.unicatt.it

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Meeting – debate on MODELLING AND PLANT HEALTH: RESEARCH AND APPLICATION

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December 5th, 2024 Organized by: Plant Health Modelling Research Center, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Plant health modelling has historical roots, dating back to the first empirical observations on the relationships between environmental variables and the development of harmful organisms, then translated into simple rules. This field has since developed considerably in terms of improved knowledge of biological and ecological processes, development of methods for simulating these processes, development of tools and techniques for the automatic collection and processing of meteorological and biological data. Mathematical models have been widely used in crop protection, to the point where they are an integral part of IPM (Integrated Pest Management) tools and the EC directive 128 on Sustainable use of plant protection products. Mathematical models are now an integral part of Decision Support Systems (DSS) within Agriculture 4.0. Still, there is the need for: giving continuity to scientific research on plant health modelling; creating knowledge networks on methodological approaches, developments and applications of models between researchers and model users; promoting educational activities for the staff within the field; raising awareness and involving Public Administrations and Private Facilities in the rational development and use of models. IN ORDER TO MEET THOSE NEEDS, UNIVERSITÀ CATTOLICA ESTABLISHED A SPECIFIC RESEARCH CENTER CALLED “PLANT HEALTH MODELLING” PHEM, DRAWING ON THE GAINED EXPERIENCE IN PLANT HEALTH MODELLING.The main purpose of the center – which has a Board of Directors and a Scientific Committee – is to promote and perform basic and applied scientific activities in this sector and in a “One Health” context. The activities embrace every plant health aspect, from the point of view of causal agents (pathogens and mycotoxigenic fungi, phytophages, weeds, abiotic stress), of plants (growth and development models, damage and response mechanisms to harmful organisms) and of mitigation/protection means (fungicides models, biocontrol agents). It is also interested in mathematical, statistical and computer technologies for model development, calibration and validation, as well as aspects of crop environment monitoring that are functional to the acquisition of data that feed the models. PHEM ORGANIZES A MEETING – DEBATE ON “MODELLING AND PLANT HEALTH: RESEARCH AND APPLICATION” ON DECEMBER 5th, 2024.During the morning, members of the Scientific Committee will debrief about the state of the art and research prospects in this field.In the afternoon, users of the models (experts in technical assistance, companies offering Agriculture 4.0 solutions and technical means) will discuss their needs and sector prospects. SPONSORED BY AIAM, AIPP, SIN, SIA, SOI, SIPAV, SICA PROGRAM Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences – Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore – Piacenza 9:30 / 9:45 Opening and welcome by the Dean of Faculty9:45 / 10:15 Evolution of plant pathology modelling and plant protection applications (Prof. Vittorio Rossi, Board of Directors ) I SESSION: RESEARCH ON PLANT HEALTH MODELLING 10:15 / 12:15 State of the art and perspectivesENVIRONMENT MONITORING AND SENSING(Prof. Daniele Trinchero, Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino)PLANT DISEASE EPIDEMICS(Prof. Paul Esker, PennState College of Agricultural Sciences)FOODSTUFF SPOILAGE AND MYCOTOXINS(Prof. Angel Medina Vaya, Director of Environment and Agrifood Theme, Cranfield University)ARTHROPOD PESTS(Dott. Luca Rossini, Automatic and Systems Analysis Service, Free University of Brussels)PLANT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT(Prof. Pier Paolo Roggero, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Sassari; Prof. Stefano Amaducci, DiProVEs, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Piacenza)12:15 / 12:45 Discussion12:45 / 14:15 Lunch break II SESSIONE: PLANT HEALTH MODELLING APPLICATIONS 14:15 / 14:45 AGRITECH vision – National Research Centre for AgriculturalTechnologies(Prof. M. Lorito)14:45 / 15:45 Round table (coordinating Dr.ssa Costanza Fregoni): Dr. Riccardo Bugiani (Emilia-Romagna Plant Protection Service); Dr.ssa Chiara Corbo (Smart AgriFood Observatory); Dott. Diego Scudellari (OP Grandi Colture Italiane); Dott. Mauro Coatti (Federchimica – Agrofarma)15:45 / 16:15 Debate16:15 / 16:45 role of the Plant Health Modelling Research Center (Prof.ssa Paola Battilani, PHEM director). Participation is free of charge upon registration. For further information, please contact:vittorio.rossi@unicatt.it o segreteria-phem@unicatt.it

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Biosolution Academy Masterclass 2025: everything new about the upcoming edition

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Registration is open for the third edition of the advanced training course at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Piacenza. A rich teaching plan, divided into 6 modules, to create experts in the development of plant health biosolutions. The plant protection sector is increasingly moving towards biocontrol and biostimulation solutions, due to ever more stringent European regulations and growing consumer demand for certified organic products. This framework is accelerating the expansion of the biosolutions market.  In addition, the EU’s From Farm to Fork and Biodiversity 2030 strategies also aim to triple organic-cultivated areas and halve the use of plant protection products by 2030, pushing the entire agricultural supply chain to adapt quickly. Biosolution Academy, the advanced training course of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, now in its third edition, connects the academic world with the professional world, with the aim of forming expert figures in biosolutions with a 360-degree vision. An approach that aims to provide skills which can be used in different fields: in the research and development of effective new solutions, in the regulatory field, in technical development, as well as in communication and marketing of products. “In continuity with previous editions, the course aims to contribute to a new professional figure’s education, which looks at biosolutions with a system approach in an integrated and organic farming context, to meet the needs of ever-expanding markets and technical progress” explains the new scientific director of the course Giorgia Fedele Academy 2025-2026 latest news Appointment in February 2025 with the new edition of the Biosolution Academy – Masterclass that will be held at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Piacenza. The news of the 2025-2026 edition is that the course will be divided into 6 modules to meet the needs of the professional world. Fedele confirms: “The training proposal for the new edition of the Biosolution Academy – Masterclass has been profoundly rethought, structuring the course into six distinct modules. With the possibility of registration to individual modules, participants will be able to build their own training path based on their training and work needs”. Two types of modules are planned: crop modules and cross-sectional modules. Each of the three crop modules will take place over 4 consecutive days, from Tuesday to Friday, for a total of 29 hours. The first event will be dedicated to industrial tomatoes in February 2025, followed by vines and wheat. The cross-sectional modules will cover three consecutive days, from Wednesday to Friday, for a total of 20 hours focusing on Good Experimental Practice (GEP), marketing and regulatory. The possibility of enrolling in individual modules allows the construction of a personalised learning path, chosen entirely by the single participant. The scheduling of teaching days is designed to avoid overlapping with peak work seasons. A theoretical part with lectures and a more practical part with research projects are planned. The lecturers who will teach the modules come from academia, business, and institutions. At the end of the course, participants will be issued a certificate from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Registration is open  for the first module in February 2025. For more information on the Academy and prices, you can download the course brochure or visit the dedicated website. Biosolution Academy is a training course for high-level experts in the development of alternatives to synthetic chemicals for plant protection against harmful organisms (biosolution). It is organized by the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and it is aimed at company employees that produce and market biosolution, agronomists, consultants and students. The aim of Biosolution Academy is to train a new professional figure, who looks at biosolutions with deep and transversal knowledge. The Academy will be organized through innovative and experiential teaching, with the collaboration of companies in the sector, the best skills from university research and the professional world. For information and registration please visit the course page. Image Line® is the course media partner.

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