Proceedings 2026
The Proceedings include three kinds of contributions:
Reviewed Papers
This part contains papers of scientific quality which were subject of a full anonymous peer review process. Each contribution was sent to at least two reviewers with expertise in the relevant field of study. The editorial decision of acceptance of a paper in the Conference and in the part “reviewed papers” of the Proceedings was done by the Conference Organisers based on the referees’ reports.
Short Contributions
This part of the Proceedings is reserved for smaller contributions. They were subject to an abbreviated reviewing process (only one reviewer, conclusions must not be based on trials over more years or locations).
Short Communications
Authors have the possibility to present a short communication (just a short summary of two pages, not reviewed) in the proceedings and to refer to an existing or ongoing publication elsewhere. If acceptance of this publication was not yet clear or the contribution was not yet submitted to a journal, the authors have the possibility to inform us about the citation after publication. In this case, the citation will be found on Ecofruit website as soon as available.
For a clear arrangement of the contributions they are listed following the order of the topics. The information about the kind of contribution can be found in the topline of the pages.
Topics
Cultivars (Pome fruit)
Innovative Cropping Systems
Crop Regulation
Sustainability and Biodiversity
Disease Control in Pome fruit
Soil management
Pest Control in Pome fruit
Small fruit and wild fruit
Stone fruit
Content
Needs and knowledge gaps in organic fruit breeding and variety testing across Europe: A survey study
C. Boutry, M. Friedli, D. Christen, M. Lateur and J.-M. Audergon – Reviewed Paper
The European Organic Fruit Breeding Network Initiative: A collaborative framework for developing more robust and resilient cultivars better adapted to organic farming
B. Dumont, T.B. Toldam-Andersen, M. Ristel, N. Oeser, M. Korsgaard, Y. Isler, N. Bolliger, I. Sattler, J-M. Audergon and M. Lateur – Reviewed Paper
Combating late frost injuries in apple by variety breeding
F. Ruess, B. Scherrer and M. Meyer – Reviewed Paper
Fire blight shoot testing of Swiss ear Core Collection (SPCC) varieties
B. Scherrer, B. Hänni, J. Schierscher and A. Dalbosco – Short Contribution
Swiss apple genetic resources under disease pressure: Results from a multi-year field trial
B. Hänni and J. Schierscher – Short Contribution
23 new Danish apple cultivars from “The Apple Oasis”
M. Korsgaard, T.B. Toldam-Andersen, C. Pedersen and L. Lose – Short Contribution
Phytopathogens and stress tolerance in Greek apple and pear selected cultivars under the frame of InnOBreed Project
K. Koutis, S. Liouza, D. Magopoulou, Ε. Koutis and M. Nathanailidou – Short Contribution
Activities on breeding and use of varieties and genetic resources for organic fruit production in Austria
A. Spornberger, D. Noll, L. Mantl and J. Locher – Short Communication
Presentation of the FRUITDIV project: exploiting the untapped potential of fruit tree wild diversity for sustainable agriculture
C.-E. Parveaud, M. Lateur, A. Roman, P. Aravanopoulos, F. Van Roozendael and V. Decroocq – Short Contribution
The introduction of pathogen-resistant varieties in organic viticulture: frontiers and challenges
T. Frioni, P.G. Bonicelli and H. Tiwari – Short Communication
The relevance of grapevine varietal diversity for the adaptation of organic viticulture to climate change
T. Frioni, P.G. Bonicelli and H. Tiwari – Short Communication
Yield and fruit quality of the apple cultivars ‘Freya®’, ‘Topaz’, ‘Natyra®’, and ‘Delcored®’ after two years of agrivoltaics
A. Bohr, S. Buchleither and Dr. U. Mayr – Reviewed Paper
Effects of agrivoltaic systems on flowering, yield and fruit quality in apple, pear and plum cultivation
G.V. Ott and N. Haag – Short Communication
Inter-cropping practices to improve biodiversity can affect yield and quality of organic strawberries
G. Podedworny, M. Tartanus and E. Malusá – Short Contribution
Use of service plants with fruit trees: Impacts on tree development and soil functioning
S. Le Guennic, M. Chomel and M. Trouillard – Short Communication
Mixed cultivar planting and biodiversity integration in an organic apple orchard: Early results from a Geneva rootstock field trial
C. Koenig and S. Feile-Benscheid – Short Communication
Mixing apple cultivars as part of a systems approach to manage apple scab (Venturia inaequalis)
P. J. Jansonius, H. Helsen, S. Kemp, G. Brouwer, N. Feder and M. Wenneker – Short Contribution
Blossom thinning and pre-harvest defoliation with air in SQ 159 – Natyra® apples
A. Gomand, J. Vercammen, R. Petré and D. Bylemans – Short Contribution
Sustainability and Biodiversity
Influence of seminatural habitats and management practice on arthropod biodiversity and pest control in Danish apple orchards
S.K. Jacobsen, D.G. Ried, T.V. Bang, H. Mathiasen and L. Sigsgaard – Short Communication
Semi-natural habitat contribution to Carabid beetle diversity and biocontrol potential in apple production
M. Bjelland, R. Gidske and L. Sigsgaard – Short Communication
Effects of agricultural landscape heterogeneity on arthropod biodiversity
M. Bascietto, E. Malusà, A. Lamontanara, E.M. Furmanczyk, M. Tartanus, G. Podedworny and L. Orrù – Short Communication
A new approach to estimate arthropods biodiversity in orchards
M. Tartanus, G. Podedworny, A. El Meziane and E. Malusà – Short Communication
Flower reservoirs in organic stone fruit orchards to promote functional biodiversity: Monitoring plant establishment and flower availability
R. Muller, L. Reinbacher, M. Friedli, F. Baumgartner, L. Pfiffner and D. Lucas-Barbosa – Short Contribution
Assessment of contact exposure to biopesticide tank mixtures in different bee species under controlled laboratory conditions
M.C. Seidel, A. Wernecke, J.H. Eckert, S. Erler, J. Pistorius and A.T. Alkassab – Short Communication
Biodiversity beyond the visible – molecular actors in apple cultivation
M.H. Hagemann – Reviewed Paper
How can local under-utilised varieties of perennial crops be attractive and profitable for farmers? Report on activities of the EU Cap Focus Group
F. Warlop, V. Gkisakis, F. Aravanopoulos, R. Caetano Ferreira, I. Chatzieffraimidis, V. Decroocq, A.-R. Denes, G. Đurić, L. Fernández Pérez, T. Frioni, M. Keskitalo, G. Lācis, L. León, Z. Mézes, C. Muñoz-Diez, A. Ribas Álvarez, J. Šare, P. Scotti Campos, G. Stavrianakis, A. Todt and I. Tsvetkov – Short Contribution
Agroecology Living Lab for apple orchards, South Tyrol (Italy)
J. Leithmayer and A. Rottensteiner – Project presentation
Rapid mixing of Venturia inaequalis populations between IPM and organic apple orchards in the Lower Elbe region
R.W.S. Weber – Reviewed Paper
Necessary plant protection input in several scab resistant varieties
S. Buchleither, M. Schluchter and L. Schlittenhardt – Short Contribution
Susceptibility of scab-resistant apple cultivars to various fungal diseases
S. Buchleither, A. Bohr, S. Späth and P. Haug – Short Contribution
First results of reducing sooty blotch on apples using specialized brushing technique after harvest
S. Späth, L. Schlittenhardt and S. Buchleither – Short Contribution
Unmasking the black spot mystery in organic apple cultivars and the path to effective control strategies
Y. De Ruyter, M. Holtappels, W. Van Hemelrijck, R. Petré and D. Bylemans – Short Contribution
Epidemiology of Elsinoë piri, the causal agent of Lenticel Spot in organic apple production
A. van Loosbroek, K. Pham, E. Kerkhof and M. Wenneker – Short Contribution
First strategies for controlling Glomerella leaf spot and apple bitter rot in organic apple orchards in South Tyrol
O. Rossi and L. Vonmetz – Short Contribution
Soil fertility in relation to management strategies in German organic apple orchards
B. Lepp, J. Hartung and S. Zikeli – Short Contribution
New bio-based super-absorbent hydrogels, a game-changing tool for organic vineyards water management and adaptation to drought
T. Frioni and H. Tiwari – Short Communication
Case study on biological and chemical soil properties during the transition from intensive agriculture to an organic food forest
H. Ketterl and T. Heinrich – Short Contribution
Undersowing a biofumigation seed mixture as an agroecological solution to soil fatigue in organic apple production
E. Lardschneider, A. Topp, M. Kelderer and L. Vonmetz – Short Contribution
Microbial Inoculant Success in Soil: Native Superiority and the Importance of Tracking Inoculative Species
A. Manfredini, E. Malusà and L. Canfora – Short Communication
The Breath of Soil – Visualizing Soil Fertility and Linking Art and Science
C.S. Weiler, S. Zikeli, J. Hoffmann-Dietrich and E. Malusà – Short Communication
Vineyard physiological and productive performances after four consecutive years of cover crops inter-row and intra-row dry organic mulching
T. Frioni, M. Palombelli, P.G. Bonicelli and H. Tiwari – Short Communication
A proline-rich biostimulant enhances grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) water tolerance to reduced irrigation volumes
H. Tiwari, P.G. Bonicelli and T. Frioni – Short Communication
Interactions between the vine water status and differential effects of organic and inorganic nitrogen application on grapevine physiology
H. Tiwari, G. Canavera and T. Frioni – Short Communication
The use of the genetic diversity of Cydia pomonella granulovirus (CpGV) to overcome CpGV resistance
J.A. Jehle, J. Fan, S. Biganski and J.T. Wennmann – Reviewed Paper
Development and validation of a new climate-driven phenological prediction model for codling moth, Cydia pomonella
T. Belien, G. Peusens, E. Bangels, A. Alhmedi and D. Bylemans – Short Communication
Monitoring of the success of extensive strategies and the use of sexual disorientation in small organic orchards of the Bologna Apennines
C. Buscaroli, E. Dallavalle and D. Dradi – Short Contribution
The use of artificial shelters to control the apple blossom weevil Anthonomus pomorum
H. Helsen, P.J. Jansonius, B. van der Sluis and G. Brouwer – Short Communication
Control of Anthonomus pomorum (L.) with pyrethrins: Non-target effects of two application rates on arthropod abundance
H. Maisel, M. Schluchter, J. Kienzle, M. Fuchs and G. Esenova – Short Communication
Apple and pear weevils: biological findings and insights for their control
C.-E. Parveaud, M. Courtin, K. Florentin, M. Rambaud, M. Libourel, P. Chabaud, C. Campus and M. Jacquot – Short Contribution
Decision support model for the control of Anthonomus weevils (Curculionidae) in pome fruit
E. Bangels, T. Belien and D. Bylemans – Short Contribution
Efficacy and bycatches of white sticky roller tapes for masstrapping of apple sawfly Hoplocampa testudinea
D. Betz and N. Haag – Short Contribution
Trapping apple sawfly Hoplocampa testidunea on white sticky tapes in 2025 in three regions in Germany using different application methods
G. Esenova, H. Maisel, H. Al karrat, J. Zimmer and B. Benduhn – Short Contribution
Trissolcus cultratus as a biological control agent for Pentatoma rufipes L. in organic pome fruit orchards
H. Al karrat, J. Kienzle, B. Walliser, J. Rademacher and C.P.W. Zebitz – Short Communication
Optimized control of pear Psylla (Cacopsylla pyri) in function of their dynamics predicted by climate-driven phenological modelling
T. Belien, E. Bangels and D. Bylemans – Short Contribution
Mass trapping of Rhagoletis batava in organic sea-buckthorn plantations
M. Tartanus, W. Danelski, E.M. Furmańczyk, A. El Meziane and E. Malusà – Short Communication
The Mulberry – Initial experiences with a fruit variety with potential for organic cultivation
A. Spornberger, D. Noll, E. Gaydarova, M. Kain, M. Kremlicka and L. Mantl – Short Communication
Monitoring of gooseberry sawfly (Nematis ribesii) in organic soft fruit: Intensive monitoring with yellow sticky tapes and pheromone traps
R. Petré, T. Beliën, E. Bangels, G. Brouwer and D. R. Hall – Short Contribution
Evaluation of pyroligneous acid products as a potential repellent of Drosophila suzukii in Swiss organic cherry and raspberry production
A. Siffert, B. Egger, C. Boutry, F. Baumgartner, D. Lucas-Barbosa and T. Suard – Short Contribution
Evaluation of the efficacy of magnesium sulphate against aphids in organic raspberry production
L. Caminada, B. Walch, C. Boutry and T. Suard – Short Contribution
Comparison of organic apricot cultivation under different cultivation systems
C. Boutry, F. Baumgartner, A. Häseli, J.-C. Mouchet and M. Friedli – Reviewed Paper
Organic plum production under weather protection
A. Häseli, T. Schwizer and M. Friedli – Reviewed Paper
Single-row netting of plums: A method to control plum moth, plum sawfly and leaf-curling plum aphid
D. Betz and N. Haag – Short Contribution
Effect of Weigi rootstocks on tree growth and fruit quality of sweet cherries
R. Vávra and L. Plecitá – Reviewed Paper
First experiences with almond cultivars in the Neckar valley under organic cultivation
C. Koenig – Short Communication
Genotype selection for organic hedgerow olive growing
L. León and R. de la Rosa – Short Contribution