Two European projects meet to explore synergies between AI-driven pest monitoring and disease-resistant grapevine breeding
On 15 June 2026, the AI-GRAPE and GrapeBreed4IPM project teams held an online knowledge-exchange meeting to explore synergies, share results, and identify opportunities for future collaboration in the field of sustainable viticulture.
The meeting marks a significant step in the capitalization of European research efforts. While the two projects operate under different EU funding Programmes and at different scales, they share a common ambition: reducing the dependency of the wine sector on chemical pesticides and building a more resilient, future-proof viticulture across Europe.
AI-GRAPE (Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia, ITA-SI0600276) is developing an AI-powered Decision Support System (DSS) for grape growers in the Italy-Slovenia cross-border area, integrating data from weather stations, drones, satellites, and insect traps to predict and manage harmful pest outbreaks. The project brings together 6 partners — research centers, technology providers, wine growing companies, and business organisations — from both sides of the Adriatic-Ionian border.
GrapeBreed4IPM (grant no. 101.132.223 funded by the European Union and with funding received from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI)) takes a complementary approach, leveraging cutting-edge grapevine breeding to develop disease-resistant varieties (PIWIs) tailored to local pedoclimatic conditions, and providing farmers and advisers with integrated pest management (IPM) guidelines. The project unites 19 partners and 2 associated partners from 7 different countries across Europe, including leading research institutes, industry players such as Moët Hennessy, and grapevine nurseries active in Italy, France and Germany.
Together, the two projects cover the full spectrum of sustainable vineyard protection: from genetic resilience at the plant level to AI-powered, real-time decision support at the field level.
The meeting rises from the shared position that an exchange of experiences and know-how is exactly the kind of cross-programme capitalization that European-funded projects call for.
The integration of AI-GRAPE’s digital and AI-based decision-support solutions with GrapeBreed4IPM’s innovative breeding strategies and integrated pest management approaches could generate significant added value, fostering more sustainable, resilient, and resource-efficient viticulture across Europe.
ABOUT AI-GRAPE
AI-GRAPE develops an AI-based Decision Support System for sustainable viticulture in the Italy-Slovenia cross-border area. Funded by Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia (€1,113,425 | ERDF 80%). Lead partner: Area Science Park, Trieste (Italy). AI-GRAPE | Italy-Slovenia
ABOUT GRAPEBREED4IPM
GrapeBreed4IPM “Development of sustainable solutions for viticulture through multi-actor innovation oriented to genetic improvement for integrated pest management” started in April 2024 and will last 4 years, ending in March 2028.
The National Institute for Agronomic, Food and Environmental Research (INRAE) is leading the project in collaboration with 19 international partners and 2 associated partners: Julius Kühn-Institut – German Federal Research Center for Cultivated Plants; Istituto di Genomica Applicata; Edmund Mach Foundation; French Institute of Vine and Wine; Fribourg State Institute of Viticulture; INRAE Transfert; Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society; Rauscedo Cooperative Nurseries; Horta; Ministry of Economy, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture; Wine Technology Platform; National Interprofessional Committee for Wines with Designation of Origin and Geographical Indication; NEIKER; Mercier, pépiniériste viticole; Association of German Grapevine Plant Producers e. V.; Working Group for the promotion of fungus-resistant grape varieties; Moët Hennessy; Institute of Primeneutics of Polopriverdi; the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture and Foncalieu Vineyards.
For its implementation, GrapeBreed4IPM has a budget of €5.000.000, received from the European Union under the Horizon Europe funding program (grant number 101132223), plus €600,000 from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). grapebreed4IPM
