The increasing complexity and strictness of the European regulatory framework, in terms of environmental and human safety, led agrochemical and agribusiness corporates to rely more and more on specific contract research organizations like SAGEA.
Our headquarter, located in Castagnito, is about to be expanded with a new building, where new laboratories dedicated to ecotoxicological and processing studies are being set up.
Since its foundation, the first activities performed by SAGEA were concerning efficacy trials of plant protection products against the most important crop pathogens, conducted following specific guidelines (Good Experimental Practice, GEP). In a short amount of time, SAGEA also began to perform field and laboratory studies to determine plant protection products residues, conducted according to Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and selectivity trials focused on non-target organisms (e.g. bees and phytoseiids). Trials concerning other products used in agriculture, such as fertilizers, biostimulants and biocides are being conducted as well.
The European regulations aimed to reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture, consequently led to an increase of research in plant genetics to select new varieties with positive traits interesting cultivation features (e.g. resistance to biotic and abiotic factors, organoleptic and nutraceutical qualities). Disposing of its own agricultural machinery (e.g. combine harvesters, precision seeders), SAGEA is able to carry out, independently, trials on seeds, both on small and large scale.
Our professional staff are members of several scientific associations such as AIPP (Italian Association for Plant Protection), SIN (Italian Society for Nematology), GRIFA (Italian Research Group in Plant Protection Products and Environment), SIRFI (Italian Society for Weeds Research).
SAGEA recently became member of IBMA Global (International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association) and IBMA Italia. This membership represents a big step forward, remarking the great experience reached by SAGEA in biocontrol products sector for the management of plant pests and diseases in both conventional and organic farming.
