Environmental Sustainability, Process and Product Innovations for Competitiveness of Soilless Farming in the Apulia Region - Operational Group
Soilless cultivation is recognized as a viable approach to improve the sustainability and competitiveness of greenhouse intensive cropping systems. Soilless cultivation is arising increasing interest in greenhouse industry around Europe. The project aims to transfer advanced technologies, knowledge and innovative products (e.g. “microgreens”, edible flowers, “local” varieties, “bio-fortified” vegetables), to support the position of soilless companies on market and the growth of innovative start-ups. The project includes a wide dissemination activity, to share project results with all stakeholders at the regional level.
The main project activities are focused on:
- technical dissemination at regional level;
- technologies for 'precision' fertigation management in soilless systems;
- application of supplementary LED lighting;
- soilless techniques for extra-seasonal production of table grapes;
- introduction of innovative high-value soilless products;
- identification of cultivars suitable for soilless production in Mediterranean conditions;
- cost-benefit analysis for the adoption of proposed innovations in different types of companies, and definition of possible strategies for commercial enhancement.
Greenhouse vegetable prpduction, is a high- economic value and very dynamic sector in terms of innovations adoption in the production process, including soilless or hydroponic cultivation systems (SCS). The SCS allow the optimization of the physicochemical conditions in the root environment and a more efficient control of pathogens, with higher product quality standards and with a minimum use of pesticides. The SCS therefore represent an important tool for optimizing the use of resources and improving the sustainability and competitiveness of greenhouse crops.
However, their diffusion is still limited in Puglia region (Italy). The adoption of SCS , in fact, requires continuous technical and technological updating, and it is therefore important to strengthen the link between research and companies in order to encourage the continuous transfer of knowledge and innovations. In the 90s, the dense network of relationships established between the various actors of the SCS panorama in Puglia allowed the consolidation of subjects related to SCS, such as the Experimental Farm 'La Noria' of the CNR-ISPA, focused on research activity on SCS, and the Company “F.lli Lapietra” focused on vegetable soilless production, and recently there has been a renewed and growing interest from many horticulturists, especially younger ones.
The project promotes a network of representative subjects of the regional SCS sector (companies with different technological levels and commercial characteristics, research and academic insitutes, suppliers of technical consultancy services), constituting the Operative Group (GO) on soilless cultivation in Puglia. Through in-depth meetings between the partners of the GO, specific needs were therefore identified connected with the need to introduce technologies for efficient and sustainable use or resources, to innovate processes and products, to evaluate the economic benefits deriving from the adoption of innovations and consolidate the position of companies on the market.
1) 'Precision agriculture' technologies (smart and low cost) for the management of irrigation and fertilization in the SCS, in order to increase the water and fertilizers use efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of production process;
2) Crop performance amelioration in out-of-season Mediterranean conditions through supplemental lighting (LED) for winter production of summer vegetables (e.g. . tomato and cucurbits), and through the adaptation of SCS for the table grape cultivation;
3) Introduction of innovative high-added-value products, to differentiate the company offer and/or seize specific market opportunities (e.g. microgreens and edible flowers, 'local' vegetable varieties, biofortified vegetables for targeted nutritional value);
4) assessment of the impact of innovations adoption in SCS through specific cost-benefit analysis in different types of companies, and definition of innovative strategies for commercial enhancement.
The main expected results are:
1) at the crop-performance level: i) improving the management of greenhouse horticultural crops through the adoption of 'precision' technologies; ii) improvement of production in the autumn-winter period through the use of supplemental lighting; iii) introduction and / or development of innovative products / processes (soilless table-grape, micro-greens, edible flowers, vegetables with 'personalized' nutritional value); iv) optimization of varietal choices on the basis of screening carried out in the project in company contexts;
2) at an economic level: i) increase in company profitability resulting from the higher resources use efficiency and the improvement of crop performance (in both qualitative and quantitative terms); ii) introduction of product innovations and differentiation of the company offer; iii) better positioning on the market following the adoption of marketing strategies based on improved quality and sustainability of SCS productions; iv) increase in company competitiveness thanks to the strengthening of technical and entrepreneurial skills;
3) at the environmental level: i) reduction of water and fertilizer consumption consequent to the rational management of fertigation with tools that can also be adopted by low-tech small companies; ii) reduction of harmful substances (exhausted nutrient solutions) release in groundwater bodies, following the improved run-off control made possible by the use of sensors; iii) scientifically based definition of the environmental impacts of the SCS; iv) enhancement of regional agro-biodiversity following the recovery and exploitation of local varieties on a commercial scale;
4) at the social level: i) strengthening the synergy between the greenhouse horticultural production industry and the research sector; ii) expansion of the training offer for the benefit of the regional horticultural sector; iii) technical-scientific support for young entrepreneurial initiatives.
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SOILLESS-GO YouTube Channel
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La Noria YouTube Channel
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Sito web del progetto
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Pagina Facebook
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