Proposed Activities

Work Packages

The project consists of three WPs. The first WP will be aimed to the reduction of the agricultural input in the greenhouses, with the optimization of the use of water and fertilizers in soilless and soil cultivation. For soilless cultivation, open and closed-cycles with recirculation of nutrients will be studied, whereas the use of advanced sensors will allow the reduction of resources, even in open-cycle systems, allowing to control the impact on the environment and the society. WP2 will be dedicated to the quality assessment, and the implementation of new tools to provide information on produce quality and history, with particular focus on discriminating produce obtained with LIP on the basis of spectral information. Non-destructive methods, including NIR, Hyperspectral imaging and digital imaging have been used in some cases for food authentication, showing an interesting potential of application. Conventional attributes assessing maturity index, sensorial and nutritional quality will be also evaluated with the aim of characterizing the quality of the obtained products and to build prediction models based on ND methods to predict internal quality also trough the packaging. For this last activity, in order to extend the consistency of the results, a commercially important fresh-cut fruit (i.e. apple) will be also studied. Finally, the WP3 will test the hypothesis of the influence of quality certification of LIP practices resulting from ND methods on consumer choices and their willingness to pay, in order to produce adequate and realistic marketing strategies. Results produced from all WPs will feed Tasks in WP4 ensuring dissemination in different formats and to various targets. Finally, coordination activities, described in WP5, will concern all phases of the project from its very beginning, ensuring optimal execution, exchange of information and products, and managing contingencies.

Partial and general objectives will be reached through research activities organized in work packages (WP), as following detailed:

WP1. Inputs management optimization (WP leader: Dr. Francesco F. Montesano)

Different growing systems and different levels of inputs use (water and fertilizers) will be compared, with a focus on the effects of the different growing conditions on the resources use efficiency and on the product quality. The cultivation under greenhouse will be used as a case study.

WP2: Non-destructive quality evaluation (WP Leader: Prof. Maria Luisa Amodio)

Quality of products from WP1 will be evaluated with conventional and non-destructive techniques, with the particular aim of characterizing the fingerprint of low-input produced crop and to evaluate produces quality also through the packaging.

WP3: Marketing tool (WP Leader: Dr. Antonio Stasi)

A survey is going to be conducted through questionnaires delivered online. The product concept that optimizes the choice and the related consumer segments, based on consumer characteristics, and their willingness to pay is going to be identified and reported. Such a bundle of results will compose the marketing strategy to maximize sales.

WP4: Dissemination of results

The target of this WP is to disseminate results of the project to the scientific community and to potential users.

WP5: Project coordination

The target of this WP is related to the optimal execution of the Project both from the scientific and financial point of view.

Desinged by Hassan Fazayeli