Under the auspices of the Societa’ di Ortoflorofrutticoltura Italiana (SOI) - Working Group "Organic Agriculture and Agro-Ecology", the project organized a webinar on the topic " Bioproducts for organic and integrated management of horticultural crops: opportunities and challenges" held by Prof. Eligio Malusá from the Research Institute of Horticulture on May 26, 2020.
During the webinar, which saw the participation of about thirty researchers, students and advisors, the issues arising from the use of biofertilizers and biopesticides in horticulture were presented. In particular, the presentation dealt with the three main factors that influence the effectiveness of the bioproducts in the field: the formulation, the methods of distribution and the effect of the agronomic practices (fertilization, irrigation, etc.). Some results were also presented relating to the effect that these products have on biodiversity, especially at the level of soil microbial populations. During the discussion, issues associated with the legislation governing the marketing of such products and interactions with microfauna (nematodes) were discussed.