Project description
Sustainable bioinspired fungicide aimed at reducing copper concentration
Modern agriculture faces the dual challenge of meeting increasing food demand while ensuring sustainability. Pesticide use is a major issue, driven by health and environmental concerns. Copper fungicides, widely used across various crops and target pests, face tighter EU regulations, leaving farmers lacking efficient, sustainable alternatives. The MSCA-funded ECOFUN project aims to develop a sustainable fungicide using biocompatible nanoparticles for copper delivery, aiming to a 50 % reduction of copper dosage compared to commercial fungicides while maintaining protection against pathogens. Synthesis at the small and large scale will follow green chemistry principles. Its characterisation, fungicidal effectiveness, efficiency and toxicity will be assessed through in vitro and in vivo experiments, including field tests, targeting three fungi commonly treated with copper-based fungicides.
Objective
In modern agriculture, the extensive use of traditional pesticides requires a reevaluation to address the dual challenge of increasing food demand and sustainability. Historically, copper-based fungicides have been crucial in pest management, aiding farmers in the control of fungal or bacterial diseases across a wide range of crops. Additionally, evolving EU regulations are imposing stricter limits on copper-based pesticides use, driven by health and environmental concerns linked to Cu accumulation and in line with the European Green Deal aim of reducing pesticide usage by 50% by 2030. This presents a significant challenge to farmers who must simultaneously manage pests and respect restrictions, especially in vulnerable regions and crops. Currently, few viable alternatives for reformulating Cu-based pesticides are available.
ECOFUN proposes a new material based on bioinspired and biocompatible nanoparticles engineered to incorporate copper, with the aim to deliver a more efficient and sustainable fungicide. Moreover, ECOFUN will comprehensively address the efficacy, efficiency, and toxicity of the material through in vitro and in vivo experiments, including field tests. The overarching goal is to reduce copper concentration by a minimum of 50% compared to commercial counterparts. The objectives include the synthesis of the new material and its comprehensive characterization, encompassing the study of Cu release in water, soil, and foliar adherence. Fungicidal activity will be assessed in vitro against three different fungi commonly treated with copper-based fungicides, alongside with cytotoxicity evaluations on target cells. Subsequently, in vivo experiments in field and under controlled conditions, will be performed to validate product efficiency and will involve measuring residue levels in fruits and soil and impacts on harvest. This proposal enables the development of a novel pesticide class using the same technology, owing to the broad-spectrum action of copper.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture horticulture fruit growing
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
18071 GRANADA
Spain
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