Summary and Objectives
UV-Robot is an innovative UV-robotics prject designed to enhance existing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies, benefiting farmers, consumers, and the environment. The INTERREG North West Program is funding the project led by the Belgian station of Hoogstraten, with seven partners comprising start-up companies and research/experimental stations.
Numerous crops are susceptible to downy mildew infections, often necessitating the use of phytosanitary products for control. However, these products can leave residues on harvested crops and do not always ensure complete efficiency in preventing pathogen propagation. UV-C light presents a promising alternative method to combat infections, such as downy mildew. For its successful introduction and market uptake, optimizing the technology and automation are essential.
The project’s key focuses include:
- Autonomous mildew control,
- UVc integrated with IPM strategy,
- Implementation by growers.
Throughout the project, robots will be developed and tested on three types of crops highly affected by downy mildew:
- Strawberry (spherical culture),
- Tomato and cucumber (vertical culture),
- Lettuce and basil (horizontal culture).
Caté is responsible for validating the efficacy of the UV-C-based strategy and organizing showcases to ensure adoption by growers. The project’s ultimate goal is to reduce growers’ dependence on chemical agents and decrease their usage, resulting in crops with fewer residues in Northwest Europe.
