SHIELD4GRAPE - Introduction of breeding and integrated plant protection strategies in vineyards to reduce dependence on chemical pesticides

The SHIELD4GRAPE (S4G) Horizon Europe project applies sustainable agroecological approaches aimed at enhancing the resilience of the viticulture system against pests and diseases in the context of climate change. The S4G consortium brings together leading experts in the sector; it is multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, collaborative, and well represents the EU’s various biogeographical regions. S4G exploits grapevine biodiversity and identifies new resistance traits; it also carries out breeding activities, including new breeding techniques and mutagenesis, and introduces safer and more sustainable strategies against pathogens. Demonstration sites will be established across all key EU viticulture regions to improve the efficiency of integrated plant protection procedures combined with newly resistant genotypes.

S4G aims to support farmers and researchers, provide advisory services, and assist value chain stakeholders by creating an interconnected community that facilitates knowledge and best practice exchange at various levels, as well as socio-economic resilience. The impacts of S4G will enhance the wine heritage of EU regions by reducing chemical treatments by at least 50%, adopting less environmentally harmful strategies, and prioritizing beneficial organisms. S4G contributes to the protection of land (especially areas with a high concentration of vineyards), human health, agricultural producers, residents of vineyard regions, and consumers.

The University of Pécs Viticulture and Enology Research Institute participates as an associated consortium member in the project, enabled by a grant of HUF 123,713,100 awarded by the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund’s Innovation Fund section, as decided by the minister responsible for science policy coordination.