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AZMUD will be focused on reducing the cost and efficiency of heating systems by a local joule heating of plant roots based on electrically conductive plastics integrated in standard soilless systems, at the same time it will be adapted and optimized the ultra-low energy drip irrigation to the soilless greenhouse’s conditions to increase the use of wastewater, reduce the water and energy needs. In relation to the irrigation system, it will be identified the potential of magnetically treated water for increasing the efficiency of it, which leads to a better quality and quantity yield of greenhouse crops. Moreover, this last advance will enable to control the number of pathogens/plant parasites by combining magnetic fields, control release pesticides and optimized agronomic parameters. Other solutions settled within AZMUD scope will be developing a new control release system based on tailor-made biodegradable polymers, that in melt state can be used to coat and encapsulate natural pesticides from botanical innovative formulations suitable for several crops.

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Period of Implementation
Apr 1, 2020 - Sep 30, 2023
Total Budget
EUR 1,593,025.00

Project team

Partners

Donors

OUR IMPACT

Goals

1. Plant heating on soilless systems based on the Joule effect. 2. Semi-transparent Photovoltaic (PV) modules. 3. Biodegradable agricultural film which lifespan > 3 months. 4. Natural pesticides based on botanical extracts. 5. Encapsulated biopesticides with biopolymers. 6. Optimization of the crop productivity by using a magnetic technology. 7. Low Energy Drip Irrigation (LEDI) system. 8. Smart decision support system tool. 9. Establishing up to 4 training centres. 10. To reduce up to 15% of crop production cost.

Objectives

AZMUD will be focused on reducing the cost and efficiency of heating systems by a local joule heating of plant roots based on electrically conductive plastics integrated in standard soilless systems, at the same time it will be adapted and optimized the ultra-low energy drip irrigation to the soilless greenhouse’s conditions to increase the use of wastewater, reduce the water and energy needs. In relation to the irrigation system, it will be identified the potential of magnetically treated water for increasing the efficiency of it, which leads to a better quality and quantity yield of greenhouse crops. Moreover, this last advance will enable to control the number of pathogens/plant parasites by combining magnetic fields, control release pesticides and optimized agronomic parameters. Other solutions settled within AZMUD scope will be developing a new control release system based on tailor-made biodegradable polymers, that in melt state can be used to coat and encapsulate natural pesticides from botanical innovative formulations suitable for several crops.

Problems and Needs Analysis

Nowadays, greenhouse crop production is growing intensively, providing food safety, protection against pests and diseases for high-value crops… and, in addition, offsetting climate condition, due to the fact this method can monitor the temperature, humidity, light, and other parameters. However, this kind of process requires a great amount of energy, which is directly related to the water consumption of the greenhouse. The use of drip irrigation water systems could be a nice solution, although it implies most of the times problems regarding the degradation of it. On the other hand, the amount of pesticides that are used in greenhouses crops has to be monitored and under controlled, in order to comply with the law, this way control release (CR) systems, and specifically coating the pesticides are starting to be used, but their implantation in CR is still a problem. AZMUD project has born to give a solution to all these aspects.

Impact Pathway

The project is expected to result in a smart new way to control and reduced the amount of energy needed to manage the activity of greenhouses, as well as in an improvement on plant health; reduction of current environmental problems, reduction of the number of treatments in crops due to prolonged efficiency and prevention of natural pesticides degradation, thanks to the use of encapsulated pesticides in control release systems. Using biodegradable films will reduce the use of pesticides and contribute to organic crops, whereas the reduction of the soilless operation costs will enable an increment of the production. Moreover, AZMUD transparent agriculture films are 3 times more resistant than current ones, compostable mixed with waste plants. If small pieces remain in the soil this will be degraded in a short time (soil biodegradation). In addition, Smart Farming system based on Vodafone Smart Village tech will be adapted to the conditions and singularities of low-tech Mediterranean greenhouses.

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