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Self-DRiving hydrOPonic System - Develop automated hydroponic systems that use high frequency pulsing-light and intermittent/alternate nutrient supply to optimize resources and plant adaptation.

Objective

Today, reducing energy consumption and utilization of natural resources whilst maintaining high productivity is a necessary step to accomplish both sustainable agricultural and the supply of an increasingly worldwide food demand. For these reasons, improving precision and automation in horticulture farming are the main future challenges. In this context, the project focuses on the development of an automated hydroponic cultivation system driven by the plant “itself” able to optimize the request of light, water and nutrients. The aim is to develop an automated system able to detect the needs of the plants by the interpretation of the electrical signals generated by the plants under specific stresses. For these purpose the project main objectives are to:
• Develop a self-driven dynamic and manageable hydroponic system able to modify the flow and the nutrients compositions supply by monitoring the plant status.
• Study and optimise light quality and quantity demand by using pulse width modulated-high brightness-light emitting diodes lights (PWM-HB-LEDs) capable of pulsing at high frequency, to investigate the different light spectra required and the optimum values of frequency/duty in the cycle of the flashes.
By performing these tasks the project is expected to: i) develop an auto-piloted hydroponic set-up able to interpret and process the plant electrical signals for a crop growing system based on plant’s need, thus able to avoid water and nutrients waste; ii) give new insights on mechanisms influenced by intermittent/alternate nutrient supply using a Flood-Drain-Flow (FDF) hydroponic system to improve adaptation, increase salt stress resistance or modulate plant features; iii) determine the optimal pulsing RGB-light regime supply (in terms of frequency and duty) to reduce energy consumption whilst optimizing plant growth and modulating specific plant traits; iv) build a flexible and modular hydroponic set-up to be scaled-up for automated plant factories.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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.

MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2016

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI FIRENZE
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 168 277,20
Address
Piazza San Marco 4
50121 Florence
Italy

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Region
Centro (IT) Toscana Firenze
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 168 277,20
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