Pio Federico Roversi

piofederico.roversi@crea.gov.it

BIOGRAPHY

Director since 2017 of the CREA Plant protection  and Certification Research Centre with 10 units  in Italy. and, since 2021, of the National Reference Institute for Plant Protection, which includes the National Laboratories of Entomology, Acarology, Nematology, Virology, Bacteriology, Mycology, and the European Laboratories Eurl-VIR and Eurl-Bac for the control of plant diseases caused by viruses and bacteria.

With a degree in Forestry Sciences and a Master (MSc)  in Wildlife Conservation and Management, he is a member of the Accademia dei Georgofili, the Italian National Academy of Entomology and the Italian Academy of Forestry Sciences. He has dedicated his career primarily to the plant protection from biological invasions caused by harmful organisms in   agriculture, forest and urban green ecosystems

His research has focused mainly on: i) Biological Control of alien insects harmful to agro-forestry systems through the use of natural antagonists ii)cryopreservation through vitrification at ultra-low temperatures for the creation of  gene banks iii)electron microscopy applied to the study of arthropod reproductive systems iv)animal communication/interactions for the development of low environmental impact control strategies v)protection of arthropod biodiversity in forest ecosystems.

From 2003 to 2007, he directed the eminent  Experimental Institute for Agricultural Zoology in Florence, founded in 1875, and was president of the Italian Society of Nematology for nine years.

Author of 570 scientific papers as well as  31 monographs and books, he has coordinated 55 research projects.

Permanent member of the National Phytosanitary Committee, he has represented Italy at FAO, EPPO, committees and  round tables of international and national institutions dealing with plant protection, and has carried out international missions on behalf of ministerial bodies.

He is Editor-in-Chief of the ISI journal “REDIA – Journal of Zoology”, founded in 1903, Subject Editor of the journal “Nature Conservation”, Special Issue Editor of the journal “Forests”, and a member of the Editorial Board of the journal “Fragmenta Entomologica”.

Currently a member of the Faculty of the Doctorate in Life Sciences at the University of Siena, he has been a tutor for the International Doctorate in Insect Science and Biotechnology, the National Doctorate in Plant Production and Environment, and a lecturer at the Marcello La Greca Postgraduate School.He is Editor-in-Chief of the ISI journal “REDIA – Journal of Zoology”, founded in 1903, Subject Editor of the journal “Nature Conservation”, Special Issue Editor of the journal “Forests”, and a member of the Editorial Board of the journal “Fragmenta Entomologica”.

Currently a member of the Faculty of the Doctorate in Life Sciences at the University of Siena, he has been a tutor for the International Doctorate in Insect Science and Biotechnology, the National Doctorate in Plant Production and Environment, and a lecturer at the Marcello La Greca Postgraduate School.