Interview to Carmen Capiscol, responsible of R&D of Citoliva
The verticilosis is an illness
that, in stadiums advanced, forces to start the olivos, and for which for the time being
does not exist cure. However, a detection to time allows to save
exemplary and, especially, avoid the contagion. In the Technological Centre of the Olive grove
and of the Oil (
Speak us of the fungus Verticillium dahliae and of the potential danger for our olivos.
Do not exist available exhaustive data of assessment of losses by verticilosis in Spain, but the prospecciones realised show that the apparition of new cases is increasingly frequent. To way of example, in Andalucia affects to around 40% of the olivares, being the illness of the olivo more important together with the repilo. In the zones olivareras of the Valley of the Guadalquivir, where concentrates the greater part of the surface of this crop, and in which it is occurring in elder measured his intensification from the years of the decade of 1990, the apparition of new plantations infected shows that the situation is grave, especially in young plantations of 3 to 5 years of age. Besides, at present the verticilosis of the olivo no only affects to the Andalusian Community, where purchases his greater importance, but to all the areas olivareras Spanish.
How it detects the illness?
The agriculturalist is used to to realise it ‘to visu', by the identification of external symptoms in the tree, in concrete, the dried of branches in the same, the main characteristic.
How it treats the once detected tree the presence of the fungus?
In spite of a lot of years of investigation the reality is that in the actuality there is not any effective method of fight against the fungus in the olivar by what can not reach the efficient control of the verticilosis by means of the application individualizada of concrete measures.
Then?
The verticilosis of the olivo is very complex and requires of the put in practice of a strategy of integrated cheese cheese control, as it has mentioned previously. The actions of control of the verticilosis of the olivo more effective and economic are those that have preventive character, headed to avoid that the pathogen establish in the plantation.
What does in this case?
Can use material resistant vegetable to the fungus. When it has detected the presence of the illness, it would be necessary to realise a handle adapted of the plantation regarding irrigation and laboreo to avoid the dispersion and the contagion to healthy vegetal material. In the last years have developed , besides, biological methods to combat the verticilosis of the olivo, like the funguses of the gender Trichoderma.
In what will consist the kit that are developed?
The kit will incorporate a technology of identification based in biochemical technicians, by means of the detection of genetic material of the pathogen in plant and floor. The device will be of reduced dimensions and of easy handle for his utilisation in situ, and will put to disposal of the producers to a very affordable price.
How much will take in showing the results?
The results will show in real time, that is to say, the result will be able to obtain in situ and to the moment.
It will need of some type of theoretical knowledges or skilled learning for his use, that is to say, will be able to employ it any person?
The device will be very simple to use and will not require special knowledges for his utilisation.
There is not risk that it confuse the verticilosis with other pathologies? Which is the margin of error?
The margin of error will be very narrow, since the first phase of the project consists precisely in the tuned of a technology of specific detection to avoid false positive.
It can detect the presence of other threats for the olivo? In contrary case, have thought to endow to the kit of the necessary technology for this?
No, the kit will be specific to detect verticilosis, and in the context of the project Vertigeen is not foreseen to expand it to the detection of other pathologies of the olivo. Nevertheless, once finalised the project, the knowledge generated could use to develop a device of detection of another type of pathologies.
And once it see the light the device, predictably in 2014, have intention to commercialise it? Where and how will be able to purchase ?
The announcement of the 7º Program Mark that it funds the project forces precisely to that realise an exploitation of results and to the commercialisation of the technology generated in the context of the project. In this sense, the commercialisation of the results of the project will be responsibility of the associations of Spanish producers, Portuguese, Italians and Greeks, that licenciarán the exploitation of the results to companies biotecnológicas so that they facilitate it to price of cost.
What thinks that will contribute to the sector the utilisation of this kit?
In Citoliva have like mission contribute innovative solutions to the sector of the olivar, but always from an optics of sustainability and RSC. Thus, we consider that the project Vertigeen redunda in a profit for the producers but taking into account both appearances. Like this, in the current context of economic crisis a tool that put to disposal of the agriculturalists and that allow them avoid losses is a good news. In this sense, the development of a kit of detection in reliable field, so that it can detect the presence of the fungus in samples of floor and in trees infected that they still do not manifest the illness for being in the most initial phases of his development, will report profits to those producers that use it.
Carmen Capiscol is graduate in Biology by the University of Jaén and doctor in Sciences by the Autonomous University of Madrid. With more than 10 years of experience in the public sector and private, has developed his professional career in organisms of investigation of first level and prestigious signatures of international quality consultancy. In the actuality, Capiscol is the manager of R&D of the Technological Centre of the Olivar and of the Oil (Citoliva).
