PrecisAPP
Monitorização da seiva com ferramentas de precisão e Inteligência Artificial
Challenge
The food industry faces challenges such as increasing global demand, climate change, food security, and environmental sustainability. Industry 4.0 is driving a transformation based on innovative technologies, automation, and smart monitoring, promoting greater efficiency, transparency, and customization in food production. Precision agriculture reduces the use of pesticides and nutrients, decreasing pollution and biodiversity loss, and making the sector more sustainable and socially responsible.
Solution
The main objective of the PrecisAPP project is to create biosensors with predictive AI systems to support agriculture, with the ability to measure the ionic concentration of sap in apple trees in real time, allowing for monitoring, predicting interventions, adapting fertilization, reducing costs, and increasing the nutritional density and quality of the final fruit during harvests.
Objectives, Activities and Results expected / achieved
- Create and validate smart biosensors capable of measuring the ionic composition of sap in real time, allowing nutritional needs to be predicted and agricultural interventions (fertilization, manure application, and irrigation) to be optimized;
- Develop AI-based predictive models that help farmers make accurate decisions, reducing the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and water, and minimizing environmental impacts;
-Demonstrate the technology in orchards of Royal Gala apple trees (IGP Alcobaça), proving a 15% increase in calcium content in the fruit and the consequent increase in crispness, shelf life, and nutritional value;
-Promote the sustainability and competitiveness of the agricultural sector, reinforcing the value of endogenous resources and local agriculture, while reducing food waste;
-Ensure the scalability and adaptability of the solution, allowing its application to other apple varieties and other species of fruit trees, with global export potential;
-Contribute to the digital and ecological transition of agriculture by disseminating digital tools and precision farming practices that increase production efficiency, food safety, and traceability.
Project Reference
CENTRO2030-FEDER-02230200Funding
Intervention Region
Center of PortugalTotal Investment
1.144.165,12IPN Investment
238.485,92Total Eligible
1.144.165,12IPN Eligible
238.485,92EC Funding – Total
840.149,99EC Funding – IPN
202.713,03Duration
36 MonthsStart Date
2025-09-01End Date
2028-08-31Approval Date
2025-05-05Consortium
Centre for Food Education and Research, Lda;Universidade de Coimbra;
Search Together Serviços de Apoio Técnico À Agricultura, Lda;
Instituto Pedro Nunes.
Keywords
Agriculture;Artificial Intelligence;
Biosensors.
