MARE researcher wins award for study with marine algae that protects fruit.

MARE-Polytechnic of Leiria researcher Carina Félix won the Alfredo da Silva Research and Entrepreneurship Award with the project "Ocenafire."

The project aims to eradicate the disease caused by the bacteria Erwinia amylovora, which causes significant losses in the production of crops such as Rocha pear, Alcobaça apple, and quince - known as fire blight. It uses a marine algae for this purpose.

"The imminent risk of fire blight is a threat that could consume the precious orchards of the West, causing destruction where there was once an oasis of fruits and life, endangering one of the region's gems, the Rocha pear," warns Délio Raimundo, from Campotec, the company that supported the project.

The team also includes Marco Lemos, Rafael Félix, and Eloísa Toledo, Bernardo Duarte from MARE, and Patrícia Valentão from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Porto.

It is worth noting that the Alfredo da Silva Research and Entrepreneurship Award consists of a grant of 25,000 euros, awarded by the Amélia de Mello Foundation and BCSD Portugal, in partnership with COTEC Portugal and the Universidade Nova de Lisboa.

News from Jornal de Leiria and Alvorada.