Participation in Science Festival 2022

On May 5, 2022, the 2022 Science Festival entitled “Life of the Mediterranean: Move, Grow, Bloom” was held at the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation in Split. Project associates Ana Bego and Filipa Burul (CSF-DOK-2021-02-1355) held as part of the program popular scientific lecture entitled “Mediterranean flower species: a paradise for insects.” During the lecture they also presented to the students and professors the project “New methods in olive pests controlling using plant volatiles” (KK.01.1.1.04.0002).

More details about Science Festival (in Croatian)

Workshop in Bol on the island of Brač

As part of the project “New methods in olive pests controlling using plant volatiles” (KK.01.1.1.04.0002) workshop for olive growers and olive oil producers was held in the Cultural Center of Bol in Bol on the island of Brač, on May 3, 2022 . Project associates Ana Bego, mag. ing. agr, MSc Jakša Rošin, PhD Maja Jukić Špika and PhD Mirella Žanetić presented to the interested olive growers the goals of the project, all implemented project activities and the results obtained.

Open call for expressions of interest for employment of post-doctoral student

This is an OPEN CALL for expressions of interest for the employment of postdoctoral student to work on the project “New methods in olive pests controlling using plant volatiles” (KK.01.1.1.04.0002) for a period until December 20, 2022.


In addition to the general conditions prescribed by the Labour Act, candidates must fulfill the requirements prescribed by the Scientific Activity and Higher Education Act.


Prerequisites for applying for the postdoctoral program are: (I) doctorate in natural or biotechnical sciences and (II) active knowledge of English.


The expression of interest, for the specified position, should include a CV and a motivation letter, which should be sent as a PDF document to the e-mail address of the project manager Dr. sc. Elda Vitanović: Elda.Vitanovic@krs.hr.

A detailed description of the project and research can be found on the project website https://lovefly.krs.hr/.

Scientific paper published in the journal Agronomy

Scientific paper Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) Response to Different Blends of Olive Fruit Fly-Associated Yeast Volatile Compounds as Attractants”, group of authors Ana Bego, Filipa Burul (CSF-DOK-2021-02-1355), Marijana Popović, Maja Jukić Špika, Maja Veršić Bratinčević, Filip Pošćić and Elda Vitanović, was accepted and published in the journal Agronomy 2022; 12(1):72.

More details on paper

Field testing of volatile substances in olive groves

In three experimental olive groves, one in the inland, on the coast and on the island of Brač, selected volatile substances are tested in such a way that one selected volatile substance is placed in each delta trap in 4 repetitions, as stipulated in the project contract. In each olive grove, control delta traps with hexane were set up, as well as delta traps with pheromone for the olive moth in order to monitor the flight of the pest throughout the flight season of the same. These traps are changed every 7 days, rotated in each olive grove, and the results of the olive moth catch are read (Figure 1 – 7). In the other three selected olive groves, in which the attraction of the olive fly will be tested, yellow sticked traps with an olive fly pheromone were placed (Figures 8 and 9). Once a week, the flight is monitored and the results of the population are read, in order to set up an experiment with combined traps and selected volatile substances for the specified pest.

Figure 1
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Figure 5
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Figure 8
Figure 9

Participation in a scientific symposium

“56. Croatian and 16th International Symposium of Agronomists” was held in Vodice from 5 to 10 September 2021. On Wednesday, October 8, as part of the section “Agroecology, ecological agriculture and environmental protection”, the the poster work “Olive volatiles – possible attractants of olive pests” by the group of authors Ana Matešković, Marijana Popović, Tonka Ninčević, Maja Jukić Špika, Maja Veršić Bratinčević, Marija Mandušić, Jakša Rošin and Elda Vitanović was presented. In this work the preliminary results of the project “New methods in olive pests controlling using plant volatiles” (KK.01.1.1.04.0002) were disseminated to audience.

Field testing of selected volatiles to attract the olive moth

An experiment with RAG (delta) traps was set up to test the attraction of selected volatiles to the olive moth (Prays oleae Bern.). Experiment is placed in one olive grove at each of the three research areas (inland, coast, island). Three selected volatiles are tested in such a way that one selected volatile is placed in each delta trap in 4 repetitions, as stipulated in the project Agreement. In each olive grove, control delta traps with hexane were also set up, as well as delta traps with pheromone for the olive moth in order to monitor the flight of that pest throughout the flight season of the same. These traps will be changed every 7 days, rotated in each olive grove and the results of the olive moth catch will be read weekly.

Setting of RAG (delta) traps for olive moth
Setting of RAG (delta) traps for olive moth
Setting of RAG (delta) traps for olive moth
Reading of olive moth catch results on RAG (delta) trap
Filling of selected volatiles into dispensers for RAG (delta) traps
Filling of selected volatiles into dispensers for RAG (delta) traps

Scientific paper published in the journal Molecules

Scientific paper “Essential oil volatile fingerprint differentiates Croatian cv. Oblica from other Olea europaea L. cultivars”, by the group of authors Marijana Popović, Maja Jukić Špika, Maja Veršić Bratinčević, Tonka Ninčević, Ana Matešković, Marija Mandušić, Jakša Rošin, Marija Nazlić, Valerija Dunkić and Elda Vitanović was accepted and published in the journal Molecules 2021, 26 (2), 3533. The paper is visible on the WoS platform. The mentioned scientific paper is the second scientific paper published within the LoVeFly project so far.

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Selection of olive groves for field research

Posted on 3. srpnja 2021. by Jaksa Rosin

Prema planiranim projektnim aktivnostima obavljen je odabir maslinika u kojima će se provoditi daljnja testiranja odabranih hlapivih tvari na privlačenje maslininog moljca maslinin moljac (Prays oleae Bern.) i maslinine muhe (Bactrocera oleae Rossi) . Odabir maslinika je obavljen na način da su prvo izdvojeni maslinici koji svojom veličinom odgovaraju traženim uvjetima. Detaljnijim proučavanjem zemljopisnih položaja maslinika i njihovih karakteristika napravljen je uži odabir. Nakon razgovora s vlasnicima maslinika te spoznajom o načinu korištenja njihovih maslinika odabrana su po dva maslinika za svako uzgojno podpodručje masline u Republici Hrvatskoj (zaobalje, priobalje, otoci); od kojih će se u jednom provoditi testiranje hlapivih tvari na privlačenje maslinog moljca, a u drugom na privlačenje maslinine muhe

According to the planned project activities, the selection of olive groves in which further tests of selected volatile substances to attract the olive moth Olive moth (Prays oleae Bern.) and olive fly (Bactrocera oleae Rossi) will be carried out was made. The selection of olive groves was done in such a way that the olive groves were first selected by its size that corresponded to the required conditions. A more detailed study of the geographical locations of olive groves and their characteristics made a shortlist. After talking with the owners of the olive groves and learning about the way of use of their olive groves, two olive groves were selected for each olive growing area in the Republic of Croatia (inland, coast, islands); of which in one case volatile substances will be tested to attract the olive moth and in the other to attract the olive fly.

Olive grove in Blizna Donja – inland area – olive moth
Olive grove in Blizna Gornja – inland area – olive fly
Olive grove in Kaštel Stari – coastal area – olive moth
Olive grove in Trogir – coastal area – olive fly
Olive grove in Supetar – island area – olive moth
Olive grove in Bol – island area – olive fly