Research |

New real-time tools for monitoring diseases and fungicide resistance to support a smart and sustainable crop protection platform in Brazil

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Emerging plant pathogens are described as pathogens that: (i) have been recently discovered or described; (ii) have recently evolved; (iii) have increased in incidence, expanded geographically or broadened their host range; and (iv) have changed their pathogenic properties. An emerging pathogen may be a new virus, bacterium or fungus with the potential to become endemic, epidemic or even pandemic. Plant-pathogenic fungi, in particular, are known to cause high yield losses in agricultural crops, with consequent economic impact, and devastating new fungal diseases are constantly emerging in agroecosystems. South American agriculture is particularly vulnerable to the emergence of plant pathogens. Because our understanding of the risk of pathogen emergence in agroecosystems is still limited, strategies for monitoring, surveillance and risk prediction must be developed.

Using residues as substitutes for farm inputs and soil amendments

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

After the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) harvest, a large volume of substrate is left over and is usually discarded. This project, which is also my undergraduate thesis, evaluates the nutritional composition of this spent mushroom substrate in different formulations, to find out whether it can return to the field as a biofertilizer.

What we investigate

Macro- and micronutrient contents of the substrate under different treatments;
The relationship between substrate formulation and mushroom yield;
The potential agricultural use of the material, closing the production cycle.

The first results are part of a paper for CIC 2026.

Red propolis against azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aspergillus fumigatus is a common environmental fungus that can cause serious infections in people with weakened immunity. Its resistance to azole antifungals is a public health concern, and part of it is linked to the use of similar fungicides in agriculture — an example of how human health and food production are connected (the One Health approach).

In this project, we investigate red propolis as a source of compounds active against resistant isolates of A. fumigatus.

Assays with A. fumigatus are carried out in the laboratory under biosafety protocols.

Microbial bio-inputs with Azospirillum and Bacillus

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Bacteria such as Azospirillum and Bacillus help plants grow: they promote root development, nutrient uptake and stress tolerance. They are the basis of many bio-inputs, which reduce dependence on chemical inputs.

This project develops a microbial bio-input proposal and was submitted to the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition (CICSIC 2026).

Stingless bees — jataí honey

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The jataí (Tetragonisca angustula) is a native stingless bee, important for pollination and producer of a highly valued honey.

This research line covers the characterization of jataí honey, including microbiological analyses, and monitoring of hive temperature.