Project: REmote Sensing and field ObservatioNs intEgrated pest control Decision support system _x000D_
This project focuses on the reduction of economic burden and optimization of plant protection through a new technology product based on intelligent processing to optimize pest control. Spraying decision in plant protection is a key issue concerning agrochemical use and crop expenses. Technological updating and the development of environmental-friendly technologies safe for consumers are indeed required to ensure agriculture competitiveness in Europe, according to the Report on the Competitiveness of the European Agro-Food Industry (HLG007/2009). Sustainability of the agro-food sector depends on the reduction of its weaknesses through fostering new technologies._x000D_For years crop protection agents were applied homogeneously over the field and quite often to maximum allowed doses. Now farmers are faced with high and rising prices of agrochemicals and at the same time a growing demand from authorities to reduce or abandon many chemicals. Further implementation of EU’s Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC), will shortly force farmers to reduce pesticides & herbicides use in crop protection. Non-compliance to the GAEC standards will lead to a financial discount on EU's subsidy/income support._x000D_Currently, pest management decisions are based on the consideration of relevant data sources, combined with farmer’s experience and intuition. Relevant data include infestation observations and trap counts in the field, meteorological data, and crop status updates. Remote sensing of different parameters at plant level (e.g. humidity, soil temperature, and mapping) completes the presentation of infestation and crop parameters in the field and their variability. This large amount of data is currently collected from each source separately, using several methods such as paper forms, computer files, aerial photographs etc., resulting with complex and long analysis lacking the effectiveness of immediate response, and largely not practical for growers. The goal of the project is to develop a service that will allow substantial reducing of crop protection agents and other agrochemicals use, hence to increase the positive impact on the environmental pressure of agricultural practices throughout Europe. Furthermore, optimized use of agrochemicals and water through the service will lead to an increased agricultural yield._x000D_Technically, the project aims at developing an integrated, immediate and user friendly data analysis and visualization system for plant protection decision support, fitted to users' requirements, constrains and affordability. A Web based user friendly multilingual Software as a Service (SaaS) product is aimed, which will combine, analyze and display multispectral data from airborne and satellite sensors, field infestation data collected by pest scouts, and meteorological data, in an intelligent, flexible and immediate decision support system. Algorithms for data analysis will be developed for enabling the system to automatically adjust prediction models to specific conditions of users, e.g. local topography, regional micro-climate, effect of treatments etc., giving a "one stop" and simplified picture of all the info required for decision making. Generic system is aimed, instantly customizable for various pests and crops thus suitable for various users in the agricultural sector – growers of all size incl. small farmers, , cooperatives exporters, extension services, researchers and public agricultural organizations, thereby providing an affordable choice for spraying decision support in the vast agricultural market._x000D_The project consortium will be based on technological and scientific/agronomic Ps: 1. Ceteck (Spain) Specialized in data management with real time intelligent systems, and with wide experience in the development of plant-level sensor and meteorological data networks. Also specialized in development of mash-up systems for various data sources. 2. ScanTask (Israel) Specialized in development of software & hardware systems for data management of mobile workers. Its PestScout system is already used for gathering, analysis and presentating pest scouts' field observations. 3. Galileo geosystems (Spain) Specializied in data management of remote sensing and GIS systems. The company gained a lot of experience in remote sensing with UAV. 4. Anecoop (Spain) - Specialized in crop production (citrus and other fruits & vegetables), quality management, research and development of new varieties and pest management._x000D_Sub-contractors (for defining market requirements and for field experiments ): 1. Migal (Israel) Agricultural R&D center, managing the agricultural research in the Israeli Galilee region. 2. Biofly (Israel) A leading medfly SIT (sterile insect treatments) manufacturing and R&D company, part of Bio-bee, a leading bio control company. 3. UPV (Spain) Polythecnic University of Valencia. With research groups and technology institutes in agronomics, GIS, optics and aeronautics engineering._x000D_
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Acronym
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REASONED
(Reference Number: 6422)
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Duration
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01/09/2011 - 31/08/2014
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Project Topic
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An innovative plant protection decision support system, based on generic capacity of analysis and integrated presentation of remotely sensed, meteorological and field observations data in a quasi-real time intelligent, flexible, and multilingual SaaS interface, usable on all farm operation scales.
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Network
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Eurostars
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Call
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Eurostars Cut-Off 6
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Project partner
