Plant Pathology Research Center 

The Center is equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories, green-houses and screen-houses. It has a large library (the richest on plant pathology existing in Italy). An experimental farm in Monterotondo (30 km from the headquarters) is also available. Most of the activities are performed on these premises. 

Staff  

The staff members, whose number is slightly below the limits established by the present regulations, are the following: 

Director:   Marina BARBA   

Scientists:  

Tiziana ANNESI

Alessandra BELISARIO 
Elisa CONTE  
Francesco FAGGIOLI  
Luca FERRETTI

Vincenza ILARDI  
Alessandro INFANTINO   
Stefania LORETI 
Emma MOTTA

Graziella PASQUINI 
Maria Gioia PIAZZA

Massimo PILOTTI 
Luca RICCIONI 
Marco SCORTICHINI (presently working at the I.S.F., ROME) 
Laura TOMASSOLI 

Technologists: 

Lucia DONNARUMMA 
Anna LA TORRE 
Enzo MARINELLI 
Valter POMPI 
Patrizio PULCINI 

Moreover, 5 technical collaborators, 5 technicians and 10 farm workers, cooperate in the activities. Young graduates and post-graduates under fixed term contracts and fellowships take part in specific research projects.  

The administrative personnel is composed of 4 administrative officers and 5 administrative collaborators and occasionally of other personnel hired on a temporary basis.  

Activities  

The research activities carried out at the Center are aimed at improving the knowledge of disease agents, and protecting crops through the development of strategies involving low risks for health and the environment. The studies, deployed in the laboratories and in specially equipped areas all over the country, have made it possible to achieve important results in basic areas of Plant Pathology. Namely, innovative methods to detect pathogens or to define the threshold at which a pathogen causes economically important losses, have been developed. Treatments for plant protection have been optimised concerning timing and techniques. Sources of resistance to diseases to be used in breeding programmes have been found. Progress has been made in the knowledge of climatic, soil and human factors involved in forest decline. Biological and integrated control of biotic stress factors have been developed in order to assure both farmers' revenue and human and environmental protection. Other important aspects have resulted in recognised achievements concerning pesticide residues on crops and the production of healthy seeds and propagating material. 

Collaborations  

The Center has developed its programmes in cooperation with other research institutes of the Ministry for Agricultural and Forestry Policies and with other scientific organisms in Italy and abroad. Research collaboration is carried out, e.g. with the National Council of Research (CNR), the National Agency for Alternative Energy (ENEA), several University Departments, the National Seed Agency (ENSE), the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Aleppo, Syria (ICARDA), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), The "Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique", France (INRA), and the United States Department of Agriculture (ARS-USDA).  

The Director and several members of the staff are members of national and international committees concerning plant pathology issues (OEPP, EU Commission for plant protection in organic farming, Italian Committee  for the registration of pesticides, etc.).  

Special agreements have been made with local Italian administrations, professional associations and private firms to contribute to the understanding and solving of specific phytopatological problems.  

Publications 

The results of the research activities are published in the most important Italian and international scientific journals.   

The CRA-PAV also edits, since 1991, "PETRIA - Giornale di Patologia delle Piante", a scientific journal with articles in Italian and English (three issues plus a monographic issue per year).  

Important initiatives of the CRA-PAV concern the organisation of scientific meetings and seminars.