A Decision Support System to improve irrigation and quality

In 2020, the international research project iGUESS-MED, funded by the European Union, was launched to transform greenhouse tomato production using brackish water. The main objective of the project was to develop advanced predictive models to help growers optimize irrigation and fertilizer management in protected tomato crops and to provide effective solutions for pest and disease control.

This innovative approach is expected to significantly improve the efficiency and sustainability of greenhouse tomato production while addressing the challenges of water scarcity and the use of alternative water resources.

Predictive models for fertigation and crop defense
The use of brackish water for irrigation is an issue of growing importance, not only in the coastal areas of the Mediterranean but also in other areas increasingly affected by droughts. These climatic conditions tend to increase the salinity of the water resources available for irrigation, making it a priority to use innovative agricultural techniques to address this challenging issue.

Based on this principle, iGUESS-MED has developed simulators and predictive models that are combined in a single decision support system produced by Evja. Among the models developed are those for greenhouse climate improvement and precision fertilization and irrigation with estimated water consumption. In addition, a simulator has been developed to simulate the ion concentration in the recirculating nutrient solution and drainage for growing soilless tomatoes.

Phytosanitary predictive models have been developed and validated to control Alternaria and Botrytis, and guidelines for biological control of the main tomato pests are available. The aim is to make greenhouse production more sustainable and productive and to improve working conditions. The project will be completed in autumn 2024 and will soon be available to all growers.

Technical and scientific partners
This project has been carried out thanks to partners representing technical and scientific centers of excellence in the field of protected crops and precision agriculture from Mediterranean countries.

Coordinated by CREA with Dr Alejandra Navarro Garcia, the project involves the University of Pisa with the team of Professors Luca Incrocci and Alberto Pardossi, the company Bioplanet in the field of biocontrol and the company Evja, manufacturer of the Decision Support System used in the project. The team from Spain sees the collaboration of Professors Marisa Gallardo and Rodney Thompson from the University of Almeria, the Cajamar Group, and the La Caña Group. The team from Akdeniz University in Antalya, Turkey, includes Professor Dursun Buyuktas and the CRRHAB Research Center in Tunis with Dr. Asma Laarif.

iGUESS-MED is a PRIMA EU program for Research and Innovation solutions in the Mediterranean region, supported by the EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020.