Subprojects II
Task 1.- Dehesas and Montados Observatory Coordinating Entity:
Centro de Investigación La Orden-Valdesequera. Consejería de Empleo, Empresa e Innovación del Gobierno de Extremadura.
Lead Researcher:
Mónica Murillo Vilanova. Centro de Investigación La Orden-Valdesequera
+34 924014066
Participating entities:
- D.G. de Modernización e Innovación Tecnológica.
- Instituto del Corcho, la Madera y el Carbón Vegetal (ICMC - IPROCOR). Gobierno de Extremadura.
The Dehesas and Montados Observatory is developed on a digital platform that aims to provide a comprehensive view of the dehesa (grasslands) through a consultation and information search area. It includes several modules: Digital Library, Geoportal, Training Platform and specific contents related to the dehesa farming and usage sectors
(farming, forestry, hunting, tourism and other sectors).
The project also includes the beginning of scientific studies to solve the current woodland regeneration problems.
Task 2.- Defoliating pests in Dehesas: identification of risk areas for defoliating pests and forest fires Coordinating Entity:
Instituto Politécnico de Beja.
Lead Researcher:
Maria Margarida da Fonseca Ribeiro Pereira.
+351 284314400
Participating entities:
Instituto Politécnico de Beja/Escola Superior Agrária.
The phytosanitary situation of the Dehesa (montado) in Portugal is getting progressively worse. One of the causes associated with this problem is the presence of defoliating pest populations which threaten the foliage of the trees and, as a result, various vital physiological processes, such as photosynthesis, respiration and ranspiration.
Knowledge about the life cycle of these pests, such as their bioecology and population dynamics, is essential for the sustainable management of the Dehesa ecosystem.
Another major problem in this ecosystem, particularly in recent years, is forest fires. It is vital, therefore, to adopt preventive measures and highly specific strategies to mitigate the risk of forest fires and, if they should occur, the risk of them spreading. Therefore, this project studies and analyses these threats so that integrated measures can be defined to prevent, control and provide a tool for the protection and improvement of the multifunctionality of the Dehesa ecosystem.
Task 3.- Genetic Resources. Characterization and selection of ecotypes of annual meadow species, medicinal plants and grain legumes gathered in Extremadura and Alentejo. Techniques for establishing grasslands Coordinating Entity:
Centro de Investigación La Orden-Valdesequera. Consejería de Empleo, Empresa e Innovación del Gobierno de Extremadura.
Lead Researcher:
Andrés Gil Aragón. (Centro de Investigación La Orden-Valdesequera)
+34 924014034
Participating entities:
- Centro de Investigación La Orden-Valdesequera.
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV - Elvas e INIAV-Oeiras).
- Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre (Escola Superior Agrária de Elvas).
This project involves two lines of work. The first of them involves firstly, multiplying and characterizing meadow plants (trifolium, medicago, ornithopus, biserrula, plantago, etc.), lupines and medicinal plants (Plantago, chicory and Sanguisorba) collected in Extremadura and Alentejo in the previous RITECA project and introducing them into the corresponding Germplasm Banks. Secondly, it aims to value these collections through the evaluation and selection of the best lines, which will then be used as the basis for further work or projects.
In the case of meadow plants and lupines these will help create better varieties which are better adapted to the southwest Iberian soil and climatic conditions. Medicinal plants will be introduced into animal feed to try to avoid the treatments presently applied in order to reduce the presence of chemical residues in the meat and improve quality and wellbeing.
In the line of work on techniques for establishing grasslands various treatments with different forage species (oats, triticale, ryegrass and lupine) have been introduced alongside the traditional sowing (mixed legume meadow species), with the aim of increasing the winter production that year and seeing which one has a better performance and yield.
Task 4.- Characterization of olive and olive oil varieties in Alentejo and Extremadura Coordinating Entity:
Instituto Tecnológico Agroalimentario de Extremadura. Consejería de Empleo, Empresa e Innovación del Gobierno de Extremadura.
Lead Researcher:
Jacinto Sánchez Casas, (INTAEX)
+34 924012667
Participating entities:
- INTAEX
- Centro de Investigación Agraria Finca La Orden-Valdesequera
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INRB-L-INIA Elvas)
The aim of this project is the genetic characterization of indigenous olive varieties in the regions of Alentejo and Extremadura, as well as their morphological characterization and the physico-chemical and sensory characterization of the oils obtained. The application of the results of this work in the sector is immediate in that it would clarify and add value to the varieties studied and their oils, providing an important and valuable differentiation to improve their marketing.