Agronomy Webinar | Natural Products and Microbial Strategies for Integrated Crop Protection with Broader Applications, 6 February 2026

Crop protection remains one of the most pressing challenges in modern agriculture, with plant diseases continuing to threaten yield stability, food security, and environmental sustainability. At the same time, there is growing demand for solutions that move beyond conventional chemical inputs—solutions that are effective, field-ready, and aligned with societal expectations regarding safety and sustainability. Recent advances in plant science and microbiology have opened up new pathways to meet these demands by drawing inspiration from nature itself.

Research increasingly demonstrates how nature-derived compounds and beneficial microorganisms can play a pivotal role in sustainable crop protection. Allelopathy-inspired chemistry, for example, is revealing promising avenues for greener pest and weed management, including innovative concepts based on strigolactone mimics and benzoxazinoid-derived bioherbicides. In parallel, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria are gaining attention as biocontrol agents capable of enhancing plant resilience while reducing reliance on synthetic agrochemicals. Compounds sourced from food and medicinal plants are also attracting growing interest for their broader protective and regulatory benefits.

To explore these developments and their practical implications, we have invited distinguished researchers from the Universities of Cádiz (Spain), Naples Federico II (Italy), and Graz (Austria) to share their insights. Together, their contributions bridge fundamental understanding of this topic with application-oriented strategies, highlighting how science is responding to evolving agricultural and societal needs.

We warmly invite you to join this Agronomy-hosted webinar for an engaging and thought-provoking discussion on advancing sustainable solutions for crop disease control and beyond, and to explore how these research directions continue to shape the future of agriculture.

Date: 6 February 2026 at 10:00 a.m. CET | 5:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 873 9540 1662
Website: https://sciforum.net/event/Agronomy-8

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations made with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch online.

Program:

Speaker/Presentation	Time in MST	Time in CET
MDPI Introduction	10:00–10:10 a.m.	5:00–5:10 p.m.
Dr. Jesús García Zorrilla (Chair) Chair Introduction Biocommunicators and Allelopathy-Inspired Organic Chemistry for Greener Crop Protection	10:10–10:30 a.m.	5:10–5:30 p.m.
Dr. Francisco Javier Rodríguez Mejías Allelopathy for a Greener Agriculture: From Natural Phenomena to Field Applications of Benzoxazinoid-Based Bioherbicides	10:30–10:50 a.m.	5:30–5:50 p.m.
Prof. Rachele Isticato Beneficial Bacteria in Action: Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria as Biocontrol Agents for Sustainable Crop Protection	10:50–11:10 a.m.	5:50–6:10 p.m.
Prof. Franz Bucar Phenolic Compounds in Food and Medicinal Plants – Antimicrobial Activities and Health Benefits	11:10–11:30 a.m.	6:10–6:30 p.m.
Q&A Session	11:30–11:45 a.m.	6:30–6:45 p.m.
Dr. Jesús García Zorrilla (Chair) Closing of Webinar	11:45 a.m.–12:00 p.m.	6:45–7:00 p.m.

Webinar Chair and Speakers:

Dr. Jesús García Zorrilla (Chair), University of Cádiz, Spain;
Dr. Francisco Javier Rodríguez Mejías, University of Cádiz, Spain;
Prof. Rachele Isticato, University of Naples Federico II, Italy;
Prof. Franz Bucar, University of Graz, Austria.