On the occasion of the 117th edition of Fieragricola Verona, CREA takes part in one of the most important national agricultural trade fairs. With its long-standing history and biennial schedule, Fieragricola has been a key reference point for the Italian agricultural sector for over a century, fostering innovation, knowledge exchange and dialogue at national and international level.
As part of the fair, on Saturday 6 February 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the Sala Salieri of the Veronafiere Congress Centre , CREA will organise a conference dedicated to sericulture, with a specific focus on regional initiatives for innovation and on the valorisation of the mulberry tree heritage.
During the conference, several projects will be presented that represent direct outcomes of the activities developed within the European Aracne project, particularly with regard to the transfer of research results to the Italian territory and, more specifically, to the Veneto Region. In this context, CREA will present the results of the genotyping of the mulberry genetic heritage, highlighting the role of scientific research in supporting public policies and emerging value chains.
The conference will include the presentation of the following projects:
- MORUS UP, a PEI AGRI Operational Group focused on digital traceability of mulberry trees;
- PIANTE, a project aimed at the development of sustainable dye plant value chains.
Further contributions will address the experience gained by students from agricultural technical institutes involved in the mapping of mulberry trees, carried out within the “Agricultural Landscape” educational pathway of the Aracne project. This activity successfully combined education, rural landscape knowledge and the collection of data useful for territorial planning.
The conference will also host the presentation of the Regional Register of Mulberry Trees, established under regional legislation and based on the database model developed by the University of Maribor, already tested and validated within the framework of the Aracne project.
CREA’s participation in Fieragricola Verona thus fits into a broader continuum linking research, education and practical application at territorial level, enhancing the operational impacts of European projects and their contribution to regional policies and agricultural value chains.