Hydrodistillation of dried flowers of selected olive varieties was performed in a Clevenger apparatus (for two hours and 30 minutes) in the laboratory of the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation, The essential oils obtained by the hydrodistillation process were dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate. Samples of essential oils prepared in this way are stored in glass bottles at a temperature of 4°C. These essential oils will determine the profile of volatile substances, which could be responsible for attracting the olive moth (Prays oleae Bern.).
Flower samples of selected olive varieties were taken in the experimental olive orchard of the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation for the purpose of further laboratory analyzes. Part of the flower samples was left to dry in order to carry out the extraction of essential oils from which volatile substances will be be isolated. The second part of the samples, as fresh material, was delivered to the laboratory for analysis of volatile substances from fresh flowers. The intensity of the attack of the antophagous generation of the olive moth (Prays oleae Bern.) was determined on the same olive varieties. The olive moth, along with the olive fly (Bactrocera oleae Rossi) is the most economically significant olive pest and causes damage almost every year. This pest has three generations per year, each of which takes place on different plant organs. The first generation is called antophagous or the generation of the olive flower and feeds on its inflorescences. Butterflies flies at the time of flower fringe, and are active at dusk and dawn. Females lay eggs on calyx of closed flowers. After 10 to 12 days, the caterpillars emerge from the eggs and burrow into the still unopened flowers and feed on its contents. When they finish eating the contents of the first flower, they burrow into the second flower. They repeat this action until they reach a size that makes it impossible for them to settle in the flower and therefore continue to eat the flowers from outside. Thus, the development of caterpillars of the first moth generation takes place on flower buds and olive blossoms and lasts 30 to 35 days. During this period, one caterpillar of an olive moth can eat up to 20 flowers.
The aim of these research activities and laboratory analyzes is to find volatile substances that could be responsible for attracting the olive moth.
PhD Marijana Popović is employed as postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Applied Sciences of the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation within the project “New methods in olive pests controlling using plant volatiles” LoVeFly KK.01.1.1.04.0002 co-financed by the EU Regional Development Fund “Together with EU Funds” under the “Operational Program Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020″. She graduated in 2008 from the Faculty of Chemistry and Technology, University of Split, majoring in Chemistry and Technology of Mediterranean Crops, and earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical technology, defending her thesis ” Glucosinolate Degradation Products of Hedge Mustard (Sisymbrium officinale (L.) Scop.)”. She received her PhD in 2016 from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, defending her PhD thesis “Identification of Carbonylated Proteins at Different Stages of Colorectal Cancer” and earned her PhD in natural sciences. She started her professional experience as a research assistant at the Split Clinical Hospital at the Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine and after that for last five years she was member of scientific teams of Faculty of Medicine, Croatian Veterinary Institute and Faculty of Chemistry and Technology in Split as postdoctoral researcher. Marijana’s scientific interest includes research of the biological effects of plant volatile compounds, chromatographic analysis, genetics, genomics and proteomics. As an author or co-author, she has published thirteen excellent scientific papers in the most prestigious journals and has participated in a large number of national and international scientific conferences, seminars and workshops. Her field of research will be to investigate the effects of plant volatile compounds on attracting the most significant pests of olive trees.
Ana Matešković, mag.ing.agr. was employed as an assistant at the Department for Applied Sciences of the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation, within the project “New methods in olive pests controlling using plant volatiles” LoVeFly KK.01.1.1.04.0002. Project is co-financed by EU funds from the Regional Development Fund “Together to EU funds, as part of the Operational Program Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020. She graduated in 2014 at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Zagreb, with a degree in Phytomedicine. After graduation, Ana was actively working in the field of plant protection, professionally training for one year in the public company “Parks and Horticulture” Ltd. and volunteering for three months at the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation working as an expert associate in the field of plant protection. Her field of research will be to investigate the effects of plant volatile compounds on attracting the most significant olive pests.
On Friday, March 6, 2020, a meeting of the PE Laboratory Analysis Working Group was held at the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation in Split. The meeting was attended by: Prof Valerija Dunkić, PhD from the Faculty of Science, University of Split, Tonka Ninčević, mag.ing. and project manager PhD Elda Vitanović from the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation. The meeting discussed the procurement of chemicals and supplies foreseen for PE Laboratory Analyzes and the start of conducting analyzes according to the planned timeframe.
Project Manager PhD Elda Vitanovic made a guest appearance on Croatian radio and television’s Radio Split show “In the Middle of the Day” on Monday, March 2nd. During the long interview, one of the main topics was the presentation of the project “New methods in olive pests controlling using plant volatiles” which is co-financed by EU funds from the Regional Development Fund “Together with EU Funds” under the Operational Program “Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014 -2020” and call “Investing in Science and Innovation – The First Call” which was clearly pointed out during the interview.
Project Manager PhD Elda Vitanović attended a training for beneficiaries of grants from the European Regional Development Fund, under the Call for Investing in Science and Innovation – First Call; Competitiveness and Cohesion Operational Program 2014-2020. The education was held on February 11 and 12, 2020 in the large hall of the Almeria Center at 284 Vukovar Street in Zagreb.
The lecturers on training were:
Ilija Marunica from the Project Implementation Control Office III,
Mirna Beljan from the Office for Information, International and Horizontal Affairs,
Vedrana Vrabelj from the Procurement Review Office,
Ivana Ferk from the Contracting Office and
Nataša Milutin Naglić from the Office for the Implementation of Infrastructure Projects.
The Grand Hotel “4 opatijska cvijeta” in Opatija hosted from February 4 to 7, 2020 “64th Conference on Plant Protection “. The Conference was held in the framework of the Croatian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and organized by the Croatian Plant Protection Society. During the Seminar, 49 oral presentations were held and 31 poster were presented in the poster section. There were also 2 round tables and 2 panel discussions. Within the poster section, under the group “New projects”, the project “New methods in olive pests controlling using plant volatiles” was presented.
On December 20, 2019, at the Ministry of Science and Education of Republic of Croatia, the signing ceremony of 24 contracts from the call “Investing in Reserach and Innovation – First Call” was held. Among the signed contracts was the contract of the project “New Methods in the Control of Olive Pests Using Plant Volatiles” (LoVeFly) of reference number KK.01.1.1.04 of the priject leader PhD Elda Vitanović. This project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, under the “Operational Program Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020”, Priority Axis 1. Strengthening the economy through R&D and Specific Objective 1a1 Increased R&D capacities of R&D sector to perform excellent research and to serve the needs of economy.
Among the guests at the signing ceremony were the director of the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation, PhD Katja Žanić and project leader PhD Elda Vitanović.
