19 Oct Life MicroFighter
Life MicroFighter Project: Innovative Zeo-Biopesticides, based on useful microorganisms, to eliminate the use of copper-based pesticides
Currently, the massive use of copper compounds in organic agriculture is no longer a sustainable practice, as copper tends to accumulate in the environment and soils. Even though the EU is restricting the use of copper-based pesticides these products are still widely used in many countries because there are no other alternatives with comparable efficacy.
It is in this context that the LIFE MICROFIGHTER project was born, aiming to demonstrate in field the effectiveness of a new natural and ecologically sustainable Zeo-Biopesticide product and put it into practice to reduce/replace the use of copper-based pesticides for defense against the relevant pathogens (downy mildew, speckling, bacterial spot, olive mange and peacock eye) in the organic cultivation of vines, tomatoes and olives in Italy, Spain and Croatia.
MAIN OBJECTIVES
- Demonstrate the effectiveness of a new natural and eco-sustainable Zeo-Biopesticide, composed of natural Italian K-chabasite zeolites and a specific mBCA (Pseudomonas sp. DLS65), as an alternative to copper-based products for the control of the most threatening grapevine diseases , tomato and olive tree (downy mildew, speckling, bacterial spot, olive mange and peacock eye) on organic farms in Italy, Croatia and Spain;
- Reducing the amount of copper in agricultural soils from an average of 4 kg/ha/year to an average of 2 kg/ha/year without affecting yields and food quality; the total replacement of copper with the new Zeo-Biopesticide will also be tested and evaluated, with a view to a ban on Cu-based crop protection products;
- Demonstrate that cultivation with the new Zeo-Biopesticide will reduce the amount of copper accumulated in the soil by at least 0.7 ppm per year of experimental cultivation and increase soil biodiversity;
- Promote, encourage and support the use of the innovative Zeo-Biopesticide and of the cultivation strategies tested in the project as alternatives to copper for the cultivation of grapes, tomatoes and olive trees, thanks to a capillary diffusion of the results to all the most relevant stakeholders, in especially farmers and policy makers. They will be informed about the environmental risks and problems related to copper pesticides, considering the new Zeo-Biopesticide as a feasible alternative leading to lower environmental impact and better efficiency in pest control;
- Carry out, thanks to field tests, monitoring campaigns and all the data collected during the years of demonstration cultivation, both the LCA of the innovative product and the related cultivation practices and an accurate business plan, in order to be able to produce and commercialize the new Zeo – Biopesticide within a maximum of 5 years from the end of the project;
SPECIFIC GOALS
- In all project areas (9 hectares for 9 farms in Italy, Croatia and Spain) the total copper input will be reduced from 4 kg/ha/year to 2.33 kg/ha/year. Instead of 72 kg, only 42 kg will be applied, thus saving about 30 kg of copper pesticides, which is about 41.7%.
- In all 9 project areas (Italy, Croatia and Spain) it will be demonstrated that the thesis without the addition of copper (Cu0 and ZBp100) will show a decrease in the accumulation of copper in the topsoil layer (first 30 cm), equal to at least 0 .7 ppm/year (total of 1.4 ppm during the 2 years of the project) compared to the thesis using 100% copper (Cu100).
- In all 9 project areas (Italy, Croatia and Spain) it will be demonstrated that the thesis with the addition of 50% copper (Cu50_ZBp50) will show a decrease in the accumulation of copper in the topsoil layer (first 30 cm), equal to at least at 0.35 ppm/year (total of 0.7 ppm during the 2 years of the project) compared to the thesis using 100% copper (Cu100).
- Diseases (downy mildew, speckling, bacterial spot, olive mange and peacock eye) will be controlled with the innovative and sustainable treatment based on 50% copper and 50% ZBp (Cu50_ZBp50) to demonstrate that it has at least the same efficacy which is obtained using the 100% copper-based treatment (Cu100). Efficacy will be evaluated using the following standard: grape downy mildew EPPO PP 1/21(3); tomato tapping EPPO PP 1/273 (1); olive scab EPPO PP1/318(1) and/or CEB Standard MÉTHODE N° 252.
- Soil microbial biodiversity will be restored by reducing the use of copper and applying Zeo-Biopesticide. The objective is to evaluate a significant increase in soil microbial biodiversity after 2 years of application of the LIFE MICROFIGHTER strategies in demonstration tests at least in all treatments without the addition of copper (ZBp100). A significant increase in soil microbial biodiversity is also expected for the low copper input treatment (50% reduction: Cu50_ZBp50).
- The marketability and taste characteristics of the food products (olive oil, table tomato, tomato sauce and wine) will be guaranteed by the application of the Zeo-Biopesticide strategy to replace copper: the goal is not to detect significant differences in these parameters between conventional copper-based practices (Cu100 treatment), the thesis without addition of copper (ZBp100) and the thesis with 50% copper reduction (Cu50_ZBp50).
EXPECTED RESULTS
- A report on the environmental characteristics and the pesticide treatments adopted on the experimental fields involved in the project.
- Reports on the effectiveness of the new Zeo-Biopesticide strategy in the prevention of relevant pathogens of grapevine, tomato and olive trees in Italy, Spain and Croatia.
- A Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) report on the environmental impact of the new Zeo-Biopesticide product. A report on the socio-economic impact of the project.
- A project report via the LIFE KPI webtool platform. 6 workshops in Italy, Spain and Croatia to demonstrate and disseminate the agricultural practices developed to policy makers and agricultural sector experts.
- 6 training courses in Italy, Spain and Croatia to train growers on how to apply the new LIFE MICROFIGHTER product.
- An “After-LIFE Plan” strategy to continue the project activities and enhance the results even after the funding period.
- A Business Plan on the commercialization of the new Zeo-Biopesticide product. Layman’s Report on the main results of the project.
- A video to present the project’s activities and results using simple and direct language.
- A wide dissemination of the results will be carried out during the whole project in order to widely disseminate and transfer the obtained results.
PROJECT N°101074218 — LIFE21-ENV-IT-LIFE MICROFIGHTER
DURATION: 42 months
COORDINATOR
Costantino Raspi europa@coeso.org
PARTNERS
CONSORZIO AGRARIO DI RAVENNA SOC.COOP. A R.L. (CAR)
FEDERACION DE COOPERATIVAS AGROALIMENTARES DE LA COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA (CACV)
CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE (CNR)
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI FERRARA (Unife)
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MODENA E REGGIO EMILIA (UNIMORE)
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union or the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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