From April 9–11, 2025, the Shield4Grape partners convened in Susegana, near Venice, Italy, for the project’s second consortium meeting, hosted by CREA – Research Center for Viticulture. The three-day event brought together researchers from across Europe to discuss progress, strengthen collaboration, and align on next steps in the project’s mission to develop disease-resilient grapevine systems.

The meeting opened with a warm welcome from Giorgio Gambino and Riccardo Velasco (CREA), followed by presentations highlighting key developments across work packages and cross-project collaborations.

Among the notable sessions on Day 1 were updates on grapevine biodiversity, disease resilience, and a valuable insight into thesister projects: VitisGen3 initiative by Lance Cadle-Davidson, along with an overview of the ForestAgriGreenNudge project by Nikolaos Georgantzis from Burgundy School of Business.

Day 2 focused on key scientific and technical aspects, including:

  • Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies and the adoption of tolerant grapevine genotypes, led by experts from CREA, AUTH, AGRENAOS, and AVIPE.
  • Socio-economic impact assessments discussed by BSB and CREA partners.
  • Communication, dissemination, and exploitation strategies presented by CETRI.

The day concluded with a visit to the Experimental Vineyard of Villa Sandi, including a tour and wine tasting—a perfect blend of fieldwork and cultural exchange.

On Day 3, the focus shifted to project coordination and planning. A comprehensive MC meeting was led by Giorgio Gambino addressing project progress, internal management, challenges faced and strategic alignment. This was followed by a productive roundtable discussion on cross-project collaboration, bringing together representatives from Shield4Grape, GrapeBreed4IPM, VitisGen3, and ForestAgriGreenNudge. The meeting concluded with WP-specific planning sessions, a networking lunch, and closing remarks.

This second consortium meeting not only marked significant progress in technical work but also fostered stronger links between European projects working toward a shared goal: a more sustainable, disease-resilient, and climate-smart future for viticulture.

A heartfelt thank you goes to the CREA Ricerca team for their outstanding hospitality and seamless organization throughout the event.

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