The Department of Agriculture of the Hellenic Mediterranean University organized the 5th Panhellenic Online Training Seminar for Dakoktonia, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The seminar was held with the support of the Ministry of Agricultural Development & Food (YPAAT) and in collaboration with the Region of Crete , the Geotechnical Chamber of Greece / Crete Branch (GEOTEE PK), the Institute of Agri-Food and Life Sciences PEK HMU (INAZO), the Hellenic Agricultural Organization-Dimitra (ELGO-Dimitra), the Institute of Technology and Research (ITE), the Agricultural University of Athens , the University of Thessaly, the University of the Aegean, the Ionian University and the Benakeo Phytopathological Institute.
The seminar is part of the wider framework of cooperation and support of the Primary Sector and in particular aims to support olive cultivation and the olive producer. The 1st webinar on dako was held in 2020 and every year since then it has been a great success nationwide. This year the participants were about 200 people. The program is addressed exclusively to the Heads of Pesticides in the regions of the country and is structured so that the participants acquire basic and specialized knowledge about the pest, the main enemy of the olive, while emphasis is placed on applied new approaches and new technologies under development. The aim of the Program is for the trainees to be comprehensively informed about olive plant protection issues and to raise awareness of critical parameters related to the Dakocide Program.
The olive borer Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae) is the most important enemy of olive cultivation. Its treatment is mainly based on preventive baiting sprays aimed at the adult insect, a practice that is implemented nationwide in the context of the National Program of Dakocide. Fighting the weevil faces many difficulties, one of which is the reduced effectiveness of the insecticides used as there are reports of widespread development of resistance to the insecticides used.
The opening of the seminar was announced by the representatives of the Ministry of Agricultural Development & Food (YPAAT), Annoula Mavridou, Head of the Plant Production Protection Division and Emmanuela Capoia, Head of the Dacocide Program in the Plant Protection Department, while the Region of Crete was represented by the Deputy Regional Governor for Agricultural Economy, Stavros Tzedakis .
Scientifically responsible for the organization of the seminar was the President of the Department of Agriculture of HMU, Associate Professor of Agricultural Entomology and Pharmacology, Emmanuel Roditakis.
