Effective pest and disease monitoring in agriculture depends on one key factor: data quality. Every decision—whether to intervene, where to act or how much to apply—relies on the accuracy of the information collected in the field and processed in the laboratory.
Within Project CERBERUS, this process is not left to chance. From citrus pest counting in the lab to olive field sampling and vector capture, the project is establishing standardised methodologies that ensure reliable, traceable and actionable data across Mediterranean crops.
These procedures are now being translated into practical video tutorials, designed to support technicians and farmers in applying consistent monitoring protocols in real conditions.
Citrus: counting Ceratitis capitata in the laboratory
In citrus crops, one of the key monitored pests is Ceratitis capitata, the Mediterranean fruit fly. While traps in the field capture the insects, the laboratory is where those captures are transformed into usable data.
Each sample arrives in a labelled container linked to a specific trap. The process begins by verifying this identification to ensure traceability. The sample is then carefully emptied onto a working surface, making sure no insects remain inside the container.
If the sample contains impurities, only Ceratitis capitata individuals are selected. The counting is performed manually using simple tools such as trays, counters and fine brushes, ensuring precision at every step.
In areas where the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is applied, the process incorporates an additional layer of analysis. Using UV-A light, technicians can distinguish sterile individuals from wild ones based on fluorescence. Only wild males are recorded, as they are responsible for reproduction and therefore for pest pressure.
Once counted, the data are uploaded into the CERBERUS platform, linking laboratory observations with field monitoring and enabling continuous tracking of pest populations.
Olive: detecting Xylella fastidiosa in the field
While insect pests can be counted, plant diseases such as Xylella fastidiosa require a different approach based on visual inspection and sampling.
Field technicians walk through olive plots, carefully observing trees for symptoms. Sampling focuses on plant material that clearly shows signs of the disease, such as branches or shoots with mature leaves. Young shoots are avoided, as they may not provide reliable diagnostic material.
Each sample must belong to a single plant to ensure accuracy. Before placing the material in a bag, leaves and branches are shaken to prevent transporting potential insect vectors along with the sample.
Samples are stored in sealed, transparent bags, labelled with a unique code and kept at controlled temperatures (between 4°C and 8°C). Maintaining freshness is essential, particularly during warmer months, which is why transport is carried out in insulated containers.
This careful handling ensures that samples arrive at the laboratory in optimal condition for analysis and that results can be traced back to their exact origin.
Capturing vectors: understanding how diseases spread
Monitoring Xylella fastidiosa also requires understanding how the disease spreads. This is achieved by capturing potential insect vectors using sweep-netting techniques.
Technicians move through the plot performing systematic sweeps over vegetation and tree canopies. Captured insects are temporarily stored in identification bags until potential vectors are detected.
Once identified, insects are transferred to containers and preserved in ethanol to maintain their condition for further analysis. Each sample is labelled with a unique code, ensuring full traceability throughout the process.
This method provides essential information about vector presence and distribution, helping researchers assess the risk of disease spread within and between plots.
Connecting fieldwork, laboratory analysis and digital tools
What makes CERBERUS different is not just the use of advanced technologies, but the way it connects every step of the monitoring process.
From field sampling and insect capture to laboratory analysis and data registration, all information is integrated into a single digital workflow described in the CERBERUS concept.
The inclusion of platform-based data entry—such as registering trap counts directly in the system—ensures that information flows seamlessly from technicians to decision-support tools.
These methodologies are currently being validated in real conditions across the network of CERBERUS pilot sites, where the project evaluates how standardised protocols and digital tools can improve pest and disease monitoring.
Building reliable data for smarter agriculture
By standardising how data are collected, handled and recorded, CERBERUS strengthens one of the most critical aspects of digital agriculture: trustworthy information.
Each counted insect, each sampled leaf and each captured vector contributes to a larger system designed to support:
- early pest and disease detection
- more precise interventions
- reduced pesticide use
- improved crop protection strategies
As these methodologies are refined and adopted, CERBERUS is helping transform monitoring from a fragmented process into a structured, data-driven system.
Because in modern agriculture, better decisions don’t start with more data—they start with better data.
