{"id":4876,"date":"2026-04-02T15:48:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T15:48:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/?p=4876"},"modified":"2026-04-24T16:32:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T16:32:06","slug":"agridatavalue-at-the-workshop-on-fungal-diseases-of-olive-trees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/index.php\/2026\/04\/02\/agridatavalue-at-the-workshop-on-fungal-diseases-of-olive-trees\/","title":{"rendered":"AgriDataValue at the Workshop on Fungal Diseases of Olive Trees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

On 28 March 2026, NILEAS successfully organised an informative workshop entitled \u201cFungal Diseases of Olive Trees: Methods of Prevention, Monitoring and Intervention.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event began with a presentation by the NILEAS agronomist, Nikos Petoumenos, who referred to the AgriDataValue project, in which NILEAS participates, and the way it is utilised in the fight against fungal diseases. Starting with the phrase \u201cIf you can\u2019t measure something, you can\u2019t control it,\u201d he presented the AgriDataValue project, which has been running for four years as of February 2026. He mentioned that technology provider partners have developed tools for the prediction, monitoring and management of three use cases: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, olive fruit fly, and frost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Synelixis, the coordinating partner, has supplied NILEAS with SynField smart agriculture devices and sensors measuring soil moisture, air and soil temperature, as well as leaf wetness sensors, which are critical for the development of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. It will also provide fungal spore traps, the data from which will be analysed by a specialised laboratory. Technological partners from across Europe are already providing access to meteorological satellite data, as well as drone-based data. Upon completion of this six-year project, these tools are expected to become an additional asset for olive growers in predicting and managing the above-mentioned threats in olive farming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of the above, in combination with the ten AI-based electronic olive fruit fly traps that NILEAS has purchased since last year, the traditional traps installed by the Directorate of Agricultural Economy & Veterinary Medicine of Trifyllia, and the 60 traps placed by NILEAS across the areas where its members operate, provide a comprehensive, real-time monitoring system. However, he emphasised that technology alone is not sufficient; research and proper guidance from agronomists remain essential. Finally, he stressed that past mistakes must not be repeated, as organisational shortcomings, lack of knowledge, inaccurate assessments and poor decision-making have previously led to negative outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was followed by presentations from Dimitris Tsitsigiannis, Konstantinos Aliferis, and Sotiris Giannakaris, all from the Agricultural University of Athens. The speakers addressed multiple aspects of the issue and proposed management strategies for Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, which has been established in Messinian olive groves for over a decade, causing significant damage to production and impacting the local economy. Mr Tsitsigiannis also referred to Alternaria, an emerging olive tree disease that is often confused with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event was attended by more than 140 participants, including representatives of the Regional Unit of Messinia, the Directorate of Agricultural Economy and Veterinary Medicine of Trifyllia and Messinia, and the Kyparissia and Messinia Association of Agronomists, as well as numerous agronomists and olive growers from across Messinia and neighbouring prefectures. Through their questions and observations, participants contributed to a meaningful and in-depth discussion on fungal diseases affecting olive cultivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Conclusions from the event:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is present in Messinian olive groves and, when climatic conditions are favourable, can cause significant damage, particularly in the absence of appropriate interventions and cultivation practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Structural challenges in Messinian olive cultivation (such as small and fragmented plots, steep terrain, low levels of professionalisation, ageing farmers and abandoned groves) make effective management more difficult, placing additional pressure on professional producers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. The occurrence of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is closely linked to olive fruit fly infestations, highlighting the importance of the National Olive Fruit Fly Control Programme and the need for effective management strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. The treatment of fungal diseases significantly increases production costs and, in many cases, may become economically prohibitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. The era when olive cultivation was considered an easy activity has definitively passed, requiring a higher level of expertise and professionalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Addressing these challenges under conditions of climate change requires vigilance, preventive interventions at critical stages, and continuous monitoring of local climatic conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Early harvesting, where feasible, remains one of the safest methods to reduce production losses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. The new olive-growing season, which has already begun, requires careful planning and heightened attention. The risk of recurrence of issues similar to those observed during the 2025\u20132026 season is particularly high due to existing infections in the groves and prevailing weather conditions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

28th of March 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4877,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"cc_featured_image_caption":{"caption_text":"","source_text":"","source_url":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4876"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4876"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4876\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4880,"href":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4876\/revisions\/4880"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4877"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agridatavalue.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}