PurPest research recognized by CAP Network Ireland

PurPest has recently attracted the attention of CAP Network Ireland, which is identifying Horizon Europe projects that can provide practical knowledge and insights for Irish farmers, policymakers, and agricultural stakeholders.

As part of this initiative, Leo McGrane of the Irish CAP Network interviewed PurPest Coordinator Andrea Ficke to discuss how the project's results could continue delivering value beyond its lifetime. The conversation focused on several key outputs with long-term potential, including the development of an open-access FAIR database of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with plant pests and diseases, as well as data on the economic and ecological impacts of the five target pests studied within PurPest.

These resources could help inform future plant health strategies and support evidence-based policymaking to improve pest monitoring, prevention, and management.

The discussion also highlighted PurPest's longer-term innovation ambitions. By combining advanced sensor technologies with biological knowledge of pest-associated VOC signatures, the project is laying the groundwork for future tools capable of detecting horticultural and agricultural pests in fields, nurseries, and import inspection sites.

The Irish CAP Network is currently preparing a series of "knowledge pods" summarizing the relevance of selected Horizon Europe projects for Ireland's agricultural sector. PurPest looks forward to reviewing the forthcoming summary and exploring how its research can contribute to strengthening plant health and sustainable agriculture across Europe.