We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Maria João Camacho, who has been part of the Nematology Laboratory for more than ten years and a valued contributor to the PurPest project. Her dedication, professionalism, and generous spirit have truly made a difference. She brought not only expertise, but also a bit of Nematology’s heart to our team. It has been a privilege to work with her, and...

A new podcast episode dedicated to PurPest has been released by our partners at NIBIO.

In this episode of Bærekraft på øret, Andrea Ficke discusses the PurPest project and its innovative approach to early pest detection.

The conversation explores:

• Why early detection of plant pests is crucial
• How PurPest contributes to improved preparedness across Europe
• The role of research...

We are pleased to share new educational material developed by Stelios Kartakis (WUR) for the course Life Science Economics and Policies.

The lecture explores invasive alien species (IAS), the EU regulatory framework, and the PurPest project, with a focus on a case study on the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and its potential economic impact on European grain maize...

The PurPest consortium held a two-day online project meeting on February 5th and 6th, 2026, bringing together all partners to review project progress and coordinate next steps.

The meeting covered key scientific and technical advances in VOC collection and analysis, sensor development and integration, as well as updates on impact and cost analysis, communication and dissemination, and...

From January 27-30, 2026, PurPest was proudly presented at IPM Essen, the worl's leading trade fair for plants. Representing the project were Andra Ficke and Birgitte Henriksen from NIBIO, Daniel Writght from Sintef, Ali Ghaddar from Chramatotec, and Martin Uthus from PPlante- og importkontroll AS.

Throughout the entire exhibition, the project had its own...

New video showcases innovative pest detection approach

We are pleased to share our new video, “PurPest – VOC Detection Technology”, which presents an innovative approach to early pest detection with the potential to significantly improve plant health monitoring across agriculture and forestry.

At the core of this technology is the detection of volatile organic compounds...

PurPest 2026: Early Pest Detection in Action

PurPest kicks off 2026 by bringing early pest detection from the lab to the field across Europe. Highlights from the latest newsletter include:

• Field and lab campaigns measuring pest-specific VOCs.

• Testing SSP sensors in maize and fruit crops.

• AI-supported VOC fingerprinting for more accurate detection.

• New patent (SK...

Here is our latest video, showcasing one of the key pests investigated in the PurPest project: the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera).

📽️ Watch here: https://youtu.be/qb44FOW18yA

In this video, we introduce the biology and significance of the cotton bollworm — a major agricultural pest that attacks a wide range of crops worldwide. The footage highlights why rapid, reliable pest...

A new article relevant to PURPEST’s research scope has just been published:

Horrocks KJ, Romeis J, Collatz J (2025) Environmental impacts of agricultural pest insects: five case studies reveal overlooked impact mechanisms and specify knowledge gaps. NeoBiota 104: 251–279. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.104.158217

This study provides important insights into the environmental...