program – brias agri2025

Conference schedule

6 February 2025

8:30 – 9:00: Registration

09.00 – 09.30: Conference opening ceremony (Room 1)
Prof. Frank Deconinck, Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies
Prof. Emanuele Garone, Université Libre de Bruxelles
Prof. David Cannella, Université Libre de Bruxelles
Raschad Al Khafaji, FAO – Director of Brussels Liason Office with EU and Belgium

09.30 – 10.10: Plenary lecture 1 (Room 1)
           Moderator: Emanuele Garone
Insects need smart promotion … or eradication.
Prof. Frédéric Francis, Gembloux-Agro Bio Tech.

10.20 – 11.00: Parallel Session 1 – Advances in pests and diseases research (Room 1)
Moderators: Luca Rossini and Silvia Turco

10:20 – 10:40
Extracting insect information from entomological museum collections to identify potential insect pests and beneficials using deep learning methods.
G. Noël, N. Delcommune, G. Black, D. Vandenspiegel, P. Semal, F. Francis

10:40 – 11:00
Development of Bruchus rufimanus Boheman 1833 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) at different temperatures with special emphasis on rearing and modelling approach.
A. Segers, L. Rossini, R. Caparros Megido, E. Garone, F. Francis

10.20 – 11.00: Parallel Session 2 – Advances in modelling in plant protection (Room 2)
Moderators: Irene Salotti and Yafit Cohen

10:20 – 10:40
A win-win combination in plant disease prediction: field data to update model estimations, estimations to drive field data collection.
O. Benhamouche, L. Rossini, N. Bono Rosselló, M. Pezzutto, S. Turco, E. Garone

10:40 – 11:00
Adaptation of a physiologically based model for predicting the phenology of Philaenus spumarius: first validation in Italian olive groves.
Z. Sweidan, M. Corbetta, O. Bouaicha, S. Gualano, N. Baser, F. Santoro, T. Caffi, V. Rossi

11.00 – 11.30: Coffee break

11.30 – 12.50: Parallel Session 1 – Advances in pests and diseases research (Room 1)
Moderators: Luca Rossini and Silvia Turco

11:30 – 11:50
Innovations and challenges in black soldier fly farming: Infrastructure, automation, and waste valorization.
H. Luttenschlager, J. Carpentier, F. Francis, S. Finet, R. Caparros Megido

11:50 – 12:10
A novel strain of Akanthomyces muscarius as a promising biological control agent against Toumeyella parvicornis.
N. Di Sora, S. Turco, F. Brugneti, L. Rossini, M. Contarini, S. Speranza, A. Mazzaglia

12:10 – 12:30
Improving management of emerging and re-emerging pests and diseases of Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.
F. Brugneti, L. Rossini, A. Cardacino, M. Cirilli, A. Mazzaglia, S. Turco

12:30 – 12:50
Characterizing spatiotemporal dynamics of biotic stresses to optimize sampling strategies in agricultural systems.
R. Gafni, D. Levanon, Y. Cohen, Y. Edan

11.10 – 12.50: Parallel Session 2 – Advances in modelling in plant protection (Room 2)
Moderators: Irene Salotti and Yafit Cohen

11:30 – 11:50
A mechanistic, five-step approach for prediction modelling: Alternaria-tomato pathosystem as case study.
I. Salotti, M. Camardo Leggieri, P. Battilani

11:50 – 12:10
AI-Driven pest control: Sustainable agroecosystems through remote monitoring and predictive modeling.
R. Ascolese, G. Langella, F. Nugnes

12:10 – 12:30
Urban-agricultural interface: Impact of urban habitats on Mediterranean fruit fly dynamics in citrus orchards.
C. Katz, M. Ben-Yosef, E. Goldstein, R. Nakar, Y. Cohen

12:30 – 12:50
Pest control SDSS – From academy to industry.
A. Cohen, Y. Cohen, G. Gefen

12.50 – 14.00 Lunch break and poster session

14.00 – 15.00 Session 3: Advances in plant health sensing (Room 1)
Moderators: Francesco Lamonaca and Valerio Cristofori

14:00 – 14:20
GeoAI, metrology and remote sensing for smart agriculture: Mapping land transformation and climatic impacts to optimize crop resilience and water management in a Mediterranean region.
A. Vitale, F. Lamonaca

14:20 – 14:40
Integrating spatio-temporal vegetation indices with machine learning for dynamic maize field performance monitoring: Development of a real-time crop monitoring framework.
Y. Cohen, A. Malka, Y. Goldwasser, E. Scudiero, E. Goldshtein, G. Ravid

14:40 – 15:00
Spectral-based weed detection across diverse environmental conditions.
R. Su, N. Boonham, A. Prashar

15.00 – 15.30: Coffee break

15.30 – 16.30 Session 4: Advances in plant health sensing (Room 1)
Moderators: Francesco Lamonaca and Valerio Cristofori

15:30 – 15:50
Moving towards regenerative agriculture: Advancements in remote sensing tools to measure soils health regeneration.
M. Silvestri

15:50 – 16:10
How to capture within-field heterogeneity across multi-year crop rotation: High-resolution insights from sentinel-2.
T. Kenda, X. Draye, P. Defourny

16:10 – 16:30
A low-cost and AI-integrated imaging device for plant-parasitic nematodes quantification and classification.
G. Bi, Z. Yuan, P. Yue, N. Musa, P. Yang

16:30 – 16:50
Early detection of nutrient deficiencies: The hazelnut case-study
F. Fuoti, M. Lippi, A. Rabbai, C. Carletti, A. Gasparri, V. Cristofori

16.50 – 17.40: Plenary lecture 2 (Room 1)
          Moderator David Cannella
Plant defense priming.
Prof. Uwe Conrath, RWTH Aachen University.

19.00: Social dinner at Fondation Universitaire (11 Rue d’Edgemont, 1000 Brussels)

7 February 2025

8:30 – 9:00: Registration

09.20 – 10.10: Plenary lecture 3 (Room 1)
          Moderator David Cannella
Agroecological models explained.
Dr. Niels Holst, Aarhus University.

10.20 – 11.00 Parallel Session 5 – Robotics in precision farming (Room 1)
Moderators: Andrea Gasparri and Fabrizio Dabbene

10:20 – 10:40
A control architecture for semi-autonomous robots in agriculture settings.
J. Palmieri, P. Di Lillo, S. Chiaverini, A. Marino

10:40 – 11:00
A robotic arm design for autonomous kiwi harvesting.
S. Rossi, D. Mengoli, N. Omodei, L. Marconi

10.20 – 11.00 Parallel Session 6 – Technologies for sensing and phenotyping (Room 2)
Moderators: Luca Bascetta and Christian Hermans

10:20 – 10:40
Automated X-ray plant phenotyping from seedlings to the field.
G. Lehretz, T., Malzer, S. Gerth

10:40 – 11:00
Uncovering the role of Serendipita williamsii volatiles in establishing its own plant beneficial endophytic colonization: A parallel study of the headspace composition and mode of action.
J. Van Vooren, M. Blomme, T. Tran Minh, N. De Zutter, W. Desmedt1, C. Walgraeve, S. Mangelinckx, K. Audenaert

11.00 – 11.30: Coffee break

11.30 – 12.50 Parallel Session 5 – Robotics in precision farming (Room 1)
Moderators: Andrea Gasparri and Fabrizio Dabbene

11:30 – 11:50 
A distributed framework for task allocation and safe coordination in networked multi-robot systems for precision agriculture.
A. Miele, M. Lippi, A. Gasparri

11:50 – 12:10
Motion planning for an autonomous agricultural robot in unstructured terrain.
M. Lorenzen, M. Mammarella, C. Ravazzi, M. Ghorab, F. Dabbene

12:10 – 12:30
Motion planning for agricultural tasks with robotic manipulators.
G. Liu, B. Boom, N. Slob, A. Nowe, B. Vanderborght

12:30 – 12:50
Self-supervised local NBV planning for 3D plant reconstruction by a robot.
J. Ci, X. Wanga, E. J. van Hentena, G. Kootstra

11.10 – 12.50 Parallel Session 6 – Technologies for sensing and phenotyping (Room 2)
Moderators: Luca Bascetta and Christian Hermans

11:30 – 11:50
Using a digital twin of a tracked mobile robot for the design and validation of estimation and control algorithms.
L. Bascetta, A. Febbraro, G. Ferretti

11:50 – 12:10
RootForce 4.0: a review of the classical image processing pipeline for root system architecture of cereals.
L. A. Torres-Cisneros, T. Lang, M. Rehak, T. Malzer, S. Gerth

12:10 – 12:30
constellr HiVE – A satellite constellation for monitoring diurnal temperature cycles and enabling smart agriculture.
M. Iranmanesh, D. Spengler, E. Ibrahim, A. Pregel-Hoderlein, J. Berhin, C. Lerot

12:30 – 12:50
Cellulose-derived oligosaccharides obtained by LPMO oxidation biostimulate tomato weight, inflorescence, and immunity through ethylene and ROS-free signalling.
D. Cannella

12.50 – 14.00: Lunch break and poster session

14.00 – 15.00 Session 7: Smart irrigation and soil biodiversity (Room 1)
Moderators: Luis Orihuela and José Maria Manzano

14:00 – 14:20
Application and assessment of model-based leak localization methods in an irrigation network.
F. M. Neto, L. Orihuela, J. M. Manzano

14:20 – 14:40
Harnessing predictive data analytics of soil microbiota for enhanced bio-sustainability in agriculture.
R. Pace, V. Schiano di Cola, A. Napolitano, F. Palomba, M. M. Monti, S. Cuomo, M. Ruocco

14:40 – 15:00
Design and deployment of a cloud platform for data-driven leak detection in agricultural irrigation systems.
J. M. Manzano, F. M. Neto, A. Tapia, L. Orihuela

15.00 – 15.30: Coffee break

15.30 – 16.50 Session 8: Biostimulants and soil biodiversity (Room 1)
Moderators: David Cannella and Silvia Turco

15:30 – 15:50
Leveraging rhizosphere microbial diversity and drought-tolerant bacterial isolates to enhance soybean resilience in South Africa.
A. S. Ayangbenro, F. R. Kutu, O. O. Babalola

15:50 – 16:10
Tailoring plant roots for enhanced nitrogen capture in soil.
L. Haelterman, C. Hermans

16:10 – 16:30
Harnessing biostimulants for sustainable agriculture: A case study or Nurspray® in tomato cultivation.
C. Leclef

16.30 – 17.20: Plenary lecture 4 (Room 1)
          Moderator: Emanuele Garone
AgRobotics for smart agriculture.
Prof. Yael Edan, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

17:20 – 17:40: Closing remarks

17:40 Beer and vine tasting and aperitiser  

Poster presentations

1. First detection of bufavirus, cutavirus and tusavirus (Parvoviridae) in bivalve mollusks in Italy.
   Y.T.R. Proroga, A. Mancusi, T. Vicenza, O. Di Maro, T. Cardellicchio, A. Balestrieri, E. Suffredini
2. Preliminary findings from a genome-wide association study on genetic loci associated with brucellosis resistance in buffaloes.
   A. Rinaldi, M. Georgia Riccardi, B. Cecere, R. Paradiso, G. Rofrano, E. De Carlo, G. Borriello
3. Embryonic development and incubation stages of B. rufimanus eggs.
   L. Rodrigue, A. Segers, L. Rossini, G. Noël, R. Caparros Megido, E. Garone, F. Francis
4. Integrated model for identifying priority areas in the fight against antibiotic resistance: Spatial analysis and GIS applications.
   D. Signorelli, G. Rofrano, M. Esposito, L. J. D’Auria
5. Autonomous vehicle with enhanced kinematics for indoor/outdoor agricultural applications.
   G. Manca, L. Bianchi, M. Vulcano, J. Farmani, S. Figorilli, S. Mattogno, R. Masocco, A. Tenaglia, C. Possieri, M. Sassano, F. Pallottino, D. Carnevale
6. LPMO-oxidized cellulose oligosaccharides evoke immunity in Arabidopsis conferring resistance towards necrotrophic fungus B. cinerea.
   D. Cannella
7. Testing a mathematical model for the population dynamic of Frankliniella occidentalis in table grape vineyards of Southern Italy.
   M. Corbetta, T. Caffi, A. Guario, V. Lasorella, L. Rossini, V. Rossi
8. Biological control of Toumeyella parvicornis with two ladybug species.
   N. Di Sora, L. Rossini, M. Contarini, S. Speranza
9. Seed quality, production, agronomic and morpho-physiological characteristics assessment of some minor cereals in Southern Italy.
   P. P. Adinolfi, E. De Falco, M. Amato, E. L. Frusciante, A. Porfidia, M. Lami, R. Scorziello, M. Giannatiempo, G. M. Cioffi, S. Del Gaudio, N. Trotta
10. Characterization of local cereals of Vallo di Diano.
    P. P. Adinolfi, E. L. Frusciante, M. Mele, D. Zito, Vecchio, P. Giglio, N. Trotta
11. Automated crop field inspection for efficient protection treatment planning and delivery.
    P. Falcone
12. Mycotoxins contamination in Campania and Calabria regions: A review.
    R. D’Ambrosio, T. Toscano, S. Cavallo, P. Gallo, M. Esposito, L. Ambrosio, G. Lucifora, L. Barca, G. Rofrano, L. J. D’Auria, E. De Carlo, L. Baldi
13. The use of precision agriculture technologies in on-farm experimentation (OFE).
    S. Bossuyt, E. Ampe
14. Genomic and pathogenic characterization of Akanthomyces muscarius isolated from living mite infesting hazelnut big buds.
    S. Turco, M. I. Drais, L. Rossini, N. Di Sora, F. Brugneti, S. Speranza, M. Contarini, A. Mazzaglia
15. Effect of temperature on in vitro germination and growth of Colletotrichum fioriniae, a new emerging pathogen of olive fruits.
    F. Brugneti, L. Rossini, M. I. Drais, S. Turco, A. Mazzaglia
16. A bud’s life: Metabarcoding analysis to characterise hazelnut big buds microbiome biodiversity.
    S. Turco, F. Brugneti, I. Giubilei, C. Silvestri, M. Petrović, M. I. Drais, V. Cristofori, S. Speranza, A. Mazzaglia, M. Contarini, L. Rossini
17. Fire smoke dispersion in rural areas: a tool for official controls.
    S. Cavallo, R. Montella, D. Di Luccio, A. Riccio, R. D’Ambrosio, R. Pellicanò, R. Brunetti, F. Gargano, S. Smeraldo, M. Esposito, L. Baldi
18. Advanced irrigation and unrecognised wells mapping tools.
    S. Cavallo, O. R. Belfiore, R. D’Ambrosio, R. Pellicanò, R. Brunetti, F. Gargano, M. Esposito, L. Baldi, G. D’Urso
19. Underground timekeepers: Exploring the interplay between circadian clock and root nutrient uptake for chronoculture.
    S. Porco, S. A. Kay, C. Hermans
20. Cellulose-derived oligosaccharides obtained by LPMO oxidation biostimulate tomato growth, inflorescence and immunity through ethylene and ROS-free signalling.S. Lorrai, D. Cannella