Cristina Sudiro, Rossella Bortolaso, Salvatore Grasso, Pietro Santangelo, Adriano Altissimo
Phytophthora infestans (known as late blight) is a potentially devastating pathogen on potatoes, and it is also a serious pathogen on tomatoes in cooler climates. The name is derived from the Greek:
Phyto = plant, phthora = destroyer. Plasmopara viticola (known as downy mildew) is a highly destructive disease of grapevines in all grape-growing areas of the world with spring and summer rainfall
at temperatures above 10°C. The use of plant protection products is fundamental for crop cultivation. However, as all pesticides, fungicides may cause point source or diffuse pollution of soils, ground
and surface waters. They are currently subject to increasing resistance, thus losing effectiveness (FRAC). Researches show that 2-8,7% of edible plants tissues display pesticide residues above the legal
threshold (MRL). Although very little is known on the factorial effect on human health, consumers and their retailers tend to required “Zero residues” food, only achievable by boosting the plant’s self
defences. LL017F24 is a novel plant extract that activates the primary and secondary metabolism of the plant leading to a strong enhancement of the crops comfort and therewith its defence systems
called CFE (Crop Fortification Efficacy).
