Who we are

CRPV (Crop Production Research Centre – www.crpv.it) is a cooperative company located in Cesena (Po Valley, Northern Italy), operating in the development of research on crop production, through four main topics:

a) fruit, vegetables, seeds, floriculture; b) viticulture, oenology and olive oil; c) cereals, beets and oilseed crops; d) bio-energy. The CRPV members are producers associations, institutes for technical assistance and professional education, provincial administrations and the main economic organizations. CRPV, registered in Europe as a SME, in 1998 received the acknowledgment by the Emilia-Romagna Region as centre for planning, research co-ordination, experimentation and results' diffusion.

Its mission is to promote, coordinate and manage research and experimental projects on agro-food sector and spread the emerging results to the agricultural production system. The beneficiaries of these projects are in fact the producers and stakeholders of the agro-food sector.

CRPV main activities carried out are:

1. research for sustainable crop protection for both organic and integrated crop production,
2. genetic improvement and patents (Plant Breeders' Rights) management,
3. research for production's optimization and integrated production guidelines updating,
4. application of modern ICT tools in agriculture,
5. bio-energy development,
6. economic analyses to support farmers' development,
7. planning and experimentation about the use of biomasses for bio-energy production,
8. supporting chain producers in quality and traceability certification process,
9. dissemination of research results and technologies transfer.

CRPV is able to provide considerable experience for what concerns the experimental field activities and assessments on the IPM and biological control of pests and pathogens affecting vegetable and fruit crops, weeds control as well as for dissemination of results about crops production research. CRPV has availability of facilities like experimental vineyards, orchards, greenhouses, equipped laboratories for chemical, biochemical, bio-molecular and microbiological analyses. CRPV is also linked to other organizations, which are specialized in different topics like test facilities, experimental farms, I.C.T. enterprises, etc. The participation in working life of such structures provides possibilities of interdisciplinary collaborations.

Skills and strength points of CRPV

The most important CRPV's innovative aspects and advantages are related to the following issues:

• CRPV is registered as a SME at EU level, operating mainly in research matters and in particular on demonstrative activity and experimental trials; therefore it is aware about the research interventions;
• research is made mostly for open field crops, although other growing systems can be evaluated;
• CRPV has a wide availability of testing conditions about fruit and vegetable crops, due to its strict link with farmers/producers and experimentation farms;
• CRPV is located in Emilia-Romagna, with wide cultivation of fruit crops (e.g., peach, apricot, apple, pear, plum, kiwi, cherry, grapes), vegetables (e.g., tomato, lettuce, onion, potato, cabbage), seed crops and cereals;
• CRPV has implemented several projects related to traceability of productions and systems;
• relevant experience on food quality and safety (e.g., data collection, sensorial analyses) has been gained;
• very large experience has been developed on integrated pest management (IPM) and on biological control including use of biological agents (insects, viruses, bacteria and nematodes) and low environmental impact products/methodologies;
• experience on precision farming, mostly related to water management, is being implemented, through the collaboration with relevant institutes focused on developing the use of remote sensing and application of Variable Rate Technology;
• CRPV has very large experience in dissemination of results to stakeholders at local/national/EU level.

Other Services: technology transfer, data bank management, guidelines for IPM application updating, new variety production, tracing of supply chain, accounting and administrative support.

For further information please contact:

Maria Grazia Tommasini – Manager

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Gian Luca Barchi – Manager

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