SPINFERT

"Encapsules technologies: Here, There, Everywhere" (Tecnología de encapsulación: aquí, allí y en todas partes)
2025-11-27 00:00 - 23:59 UTC
online

On November 27, Prof. Tylkowski from Eurecat, Tarragona, Spain, delivered an online lecture titled “Encapsules technologies: Here, There, Everywhere” ( Tecnología de encapsulación: aquí, allí y en todas partes) as part of promoting Spin-Fert project.

The lecture was organized by the Association of Soil and Substrate Preparers for Cultivation (Asociación de Preparadores de Tierras y Sustratos para Cultivo (APTYS), (https://aptys.org)). APTYS is a national association that brings together companies that manufacture or market substrates in Spain, understanding substrates as growing media other than natural soil used for plant cultivation in gardening and horticulture. The lecture was an excellent opportunity to familiarize Spanish stakeholders with the scope of the project and to share with them the first non-confidential results related to the delivery technology developed by Eurecat within the framework of the project.

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SPIN-FERT at the Agricultural Chemistry Winter School (ACWS) 2026
2026-02-02 00:00 - 2026-02-05 23:59
Bologna, Italy

Ri.Nova and Crea at the Agricultural Chemistry Winter School with the SPIN-FERT project

Ri.Nova and Crea, partners in the European project SPIN-FERT, participated in the Agricultural Chemistry Winter School (ACWS), a training and scientific event for PhD students and early-career researchers working inagricultural chemistry, biostimulants, soil–plant interactions, and soil health management.

The school was an important opportunity for scientific updating and interdisciplinary exchange, thanks to lectures and contributions from internationally renowned scientists, which promoted the transfer of knowledge and the sharing of innovative methodological approaches.

During the event, RINOVA and CREA presented two posters showcasing ongoing experimental and research activities in the Horizon Europe SPIN-FERT project.

🌱 Ri.Nova pictured: Sara Turci and Elettra Frassineti) presented the results of pot trials aimed at evaluating a new peat-free substrate, supplied by project partner Enomondo, in combination with different biostimulants applied in aqueous formulations via root and foliar treatments. The experiments, conducted on lettuce, zucchini, and tomato, assessed the performance of the new substrate and analysed the physiological and productive responses of the crops following biostimulant application.

🌾 Crea (poster presented by Maria Cristina Sorrentino) outlined the workflow of upcoming research activities focused on the characterisation of soil organic matter fractions in experimental fields managed by RINOVA, where soil management practices aimed at increasing organic matter content, such as green manure and compost application, are being implemented. The study seeks to evaluate the effects of these practices on organic matter dynamics, a key indicator of soil health.

Participation in initiatives such as the ACWS underscores the value of networking and scientific research aimed at developing more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems.

A special thanks to the University of Bologna team for organizing the event.

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She-nziate – CNR-ISB Open day
2026-02-11 00:00 - 23:59
SPIN_FERT by the STEM Week and the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (CNR_ISB)

On February 11, at the Territorial Research Area of the National Research Council – Rome1 (CNR-ARRM1), Carmelo Cannarella (CNR-ISB) held a workshop entitled: “Phytoacoustics – Plants in Music: How to Transform Nature into Sound,” an outreach initiative connected to a research activity exploring the relationships between plants and sound.

This workshop was part of the Open Day “She-nziate” which falls within both STEM Week and the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The Open Day featured approximately 15 activities, including workshops, seminars, and demonstration sessions.

Investigating the biophysical and bioelectrical processes of the plant world and translating them into sound phenomena makes it possible to communicate science through a sensory, interdisciplinary language that brings together biology, physics, technology, art, and listening practices. Sound thus becomes a tool for scientific inquiry, as well as for mediation and data representation, making often hidden phenomena audible.

Approximately 100 lower secondary school students attended the event, with about 50 participating in phytoacoustics activities, divided into three groups.

During the workshop, the SPIN-FERT project’s activities were also presented, highlighting in particular that soil is a complex living system and a fundamental prerequisite for the well-being of plants and trees. Soil itself was therefore the subject of a sonification demonstration, contributing to a dialogue between scientific knowledge and society, encouraging new ways of listening to the natural world and new forms of relationship between human beings and the environment.

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At the CNR in Montelibretti, the “Curious by Nature” Open Day Celebrates World Nature Day
2026-03-03 00:00 - 2026-03-05 23:59
Rome, Italy

On March 3, 4, and 5, 2026, the Territorial Research Area of the National Research Council (ARRM1) in Montelibretti (Rome) open its doors to primary school students for the “Curious by Nature” Open Day, an initiative dedicated to celebrating World Wildlife Day.

During these three days, children are involved in a multidisciplinary and engaging exploration of science, technology, innovation, and Art & Science. Through interactive experiments, hands-on demonstrations, and discussions with researchers, young participants have the opportunity to discover firsthand how scientific knowledge is created and how it contributes to the protection and enhancement of our natural heritage.

The initiative aimed at stimulating curiosity, encouraging critical thinking, and promoting scientific culture from primary school onward, within a dynamic and inclusive environment. “Curious by Nature” represents a valuable opportunity to bring younger generations closer to the world of research, showing how science and creativity can work together to interpret and understand the complexity of nature.

The Open Day is part of the outreach activities promoted by the CNR Territorial Research Area in Montelibretti, which has long been committed to strengthening the connection between the scientific community, schools, and the local area.

Within this event, CNR-ISB participates with three activities: Carmelo Cannarella (“The Secret Music of Plants”), Valerio Muzzini (“Discovering the Environment with Sensors”), and Giovanni D’Orazio (“Science and Color: Painting with the Colors of Nature”).

CNR-ISB’s activities have also been designed to increase awareness of the central role of soil health for both human life and the planet — a fundamental principle that inspires the SPIN-FERT project.

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SPIN-FERT & Hort2theFuture – Policy Scoping Workshop
2026-03-03 10:00 - 13:00
SPIN-FERT & Hort2theFuture Invite to Policy Scoping Workshop On Tuesday, 3 March 2026, the Horizon Europe projects SPIN-FERT and Hort2theFuture (H2F) convened a joint Policy Scoping Workshop in Brussels (REA headquarters) to present and discuss project results related to EU policies on peat-free growing substrates and biostimulants.

Bringing together representatives from SPIN-FERT consortium, Hort2theFuture consortium, relevant EU policy experts (e.g., DG AGRI, DG ENV), REA, REA External review monitors, invited external stakeholders (industry, organic sector, NGOs), and topic experts, the workshop aimed at:

• Reviewing the current policy landscape and the state of play of project results

• Providing preliminary information suitable for policy recommendations

• Identifying key issues and gaps to define actions relevant to policies

The programme included policy updates from EU officers, presentations of key innovations from both projects, and a joint discussion on opportunities for coordinated policy briefs.

Workshop report

The meeting confirmed that the operational synergy between SPIN-FERT and Hort2theFuture represents a strategic asset for effectively meeting the objectives of the topic and the overall Mission Soil.

It is our feeling that the collaboration between the two consortia has revealed a value that transcends individual project KPIs.

Involving representatives from DG AGRI in this process, i.e. during the session, was not only useful but necessary. The possibility of involving other DGs related to the subject (e.g. ENVI) in future similar events would provide an even better framework for the discussion and the work we carry on. The direct dialogue between institutions developing innovation and those defining the regulatory framework is suitable to avoid the risk of producing scientific and technically excellent solutions that are bureaucratically inapplicable. This exchange was therefore essential to bridge the gap between research and regulatory implementation, favouring real-world application.

Systematizing both projects’ pathways would allow for:

standardizing recommendations for peat-free substrates;

aligning technical innovations with the developments of the Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR);

identifying the regulatory gaps that still hinder the large-scale adoption of such solutions, from both the manufacturers and farmers points of view.

The discussion with stakeholders and other project partners during the workshop allowed us to better understand possible options for policy recommendations. Indeed, there is a clear sense that our scientific evidence is effectively providing a compass for future policy recommendations regarding bio-based substrates and fertilizers, which, however, have to face some regulatory constraints that derive from both EU and national provisions. In this respect, the session and workshop allowed us to acquire some additional knowledge useful to define possible technical solutions that better fit with the current legal framework and also present the issues that we face because of a lack of clear/common regulations (e.g. in case of adjuvants).

We believe that the approach of the session, i.e. direct discussion between projects and DGs’ officers, can help defining the scientific activity and support a better understanding of the implications that its results can have on current policies or legal frameworks, supporting technical choices to be considered by the authority/ies when developing or modifying the provisions (e.g. in relation to the inclusion of new microbial genera under microbial biostimulants). Indeed, besides the normal lobbying and consultation activity from/of industrial parties, we believe that the scientific evidence can be better expressed during such kind of events/meetings and thus would welcome a kind of their “institutionalisation” among the normal dissemination activities of any project.

To maintain the proactive momentum generated in Brussels, we have already scheduled technical meetings between the key players of both projects in the coming weeks. The objective is to define a common strategy (“the way forward”) that integrates the feedback received during the policy session and coordinates upcoming research and dissemination activities, moving forward in a unified and synergistic direction. This is seen as a possibility of providing the EU Commission with a “common single message” based on policy recommendations derived from both projects independently, but with a synergistic approach.

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Soil Quality: The Role of Organic Fertilisers, from Theory to Field
2026-03-06 10:30 - 16:30
Cesena, Italy

On Friday, March 6, the workshop “Soil Quality: The Role of Organic-Based Fertilizers, from Theory to Field” took place in Cesena, Italy, as part of the European SPIN-FERT project. The event was organized by Ri.Nova, sponsored by Herambiente.

The technical meeting, which was well-attended both in person and online, highlighted strong interest in biostimulants and their applications, while also highlighting several aspects that require further discussion and investigation.

Soil quality is a fundamental lever for the future of agriculture, ecosystem protection, and land resilience, but in recent decades it has been progressively compromised by intensive management practices and the effects of climate change. Soil organic matter plays a central role in countering these processes and improving soil fertility and resilience.

In particular, through scientific contributions and the presentation of long-term case studies and applications across different crop types, the conference offered a forum for discussion and technical-scientific updates for technicians, agricultural sector operators, researchers, and public decision-makers.

Eligio Malusò from CREA and In Hort, together with Maria Grazia Tommasini from Ri.Nova, presented the possibility of considering all components of soil fertility within a soil quality index, according to the SPIN-FERT approach.

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SeedCon 2026 International Conference on the Seed Microbiome and Microbial Inheritance
2026-05-05 00:00 - 2026-05-07 23:59
Potsdam, Germany

🌱SeedCon 2026🌱 the first International Conference on the Seed Microbiome and Microbial Inheritance is now open for registration & abstract submission!

From May 5–7, 2026, researchers & industry partners will gather at the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) in Potsdam, Germany to discuss the latest advances in seed microbiome research and microbial inheritance, bridging fundamental knowledge with agricultural applications.

🌱 Register for the conference at https://seedcon.org/collection/registeration-timeline-and-costs

🌱Submit your abstract at https://seedcon.org/call-for-abstracts

🌱All info on program, speakers and travel details at https://seedcon.org/

We encourage early registration to benefit from reduced fees and to secure your participation. Abstract submissions are welcome for oral and poster presentations across all relevant topics.

Please also feel free to forward this announcement to colleagues and networks who may be interested in joining SeedCon 2026 and contributing to the discussion.We look forward to welcoming you in Potsdam in May 2026!

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Food Revolution 2026 Conference
2026-05-11 00:00 - 2026-05-13 23:59
Mestre, Italy

From May 11–13, 2026, researchers, industry partners, and changemakers will gather at Venice-Mestre, Italy to explore groundbreaking innovations and forge lasting partnerships that will revolutionize how we produce, distribute, and consume food globally.

SPIN-FERT is part of the Food Revolution 2026 conference in Mestre (Italy) with Loredana Canfora (CREA) as invited speaker on the topic: Microbial inoculant success in soil: the importance of tracking inoculative species.

As a molecular biologist and biotechnologist in the field of soil microbial ecology Loredana Canfora is involved in the study of soil biodiversity, microbial ecology, integrated pest management, evaluation of impact on soil microbial community, and assessment of a new tool for the detection of bio-inoculants in soil.

Presentation:

Microbial inoculant success in soil: the importance of tracking inoculative species

Key Points:

• Are we truly certain the bioinoculant has established itself?

• Monitoring the persistence of inoculated species in soil is essential to understand their efficacy, optimise formulations, and ensure safe and effective use.

• Innovative approaches are replacing conventional offerings with faster, more accurate tools.

• Innovative molecular tools enable rapid, precise, and cost-effective monitoring of microbial inoculants.

• Hope or horizon? Aptamers-based tool in the monitoring of Bacillus subtilis in the field.

Lecture:May 11

Start 14:00 – Soil health

Microbial inoculant success in soil: the importance of tracking inoculative species

https://www.foodrevolution.events/

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CIGR–EurAgEng World Congress 2026
2026-06-24 00:00 - 2026-06-26 23:59
Turin, Italy

The CIGR – EurAgEng 2026 Conference covers a broad range of scientific and engineering topics addressing current and emerging challenges in agricultural and biosystems engineering.

SPIN-FERT is taking part in the conference with a submitted oral presentation by CREA:

Violino S., Figorilli S., Canfora L., Manfredini A., Moscovini L., Pallottino F., Antonucci F., Costa C., Furmanczyk E.M., Popinska W., Pepe A.G., Miglio E., Del Santo F., Sala S., Malusa E. Data-Driven Chemical-Physical Soil Quality Index And Visualization Tool.

For more information on the schedule of the conference please visit the website:

https://www.cigr-eurageng-2026.org/homepage/

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