Fertismart – Implementation of an intelligent fertigation tool using new technologies based on the synergy of digital twins, remote sensing and sensors, to improve the water and economic productivity of young almond and pistachio trees.

Europistachios 2070 SL with Unió Fruits SCCL, and with the participation of the University of Lleida (Research Group in AgróTICa and Precision Agriculture (GRAP)) and the Institute of Agro-Food Research and Technology (IRTA), are working on the FERTISMART Operational Group project.

The proper use of irrigational water is essential in the context of climate change. At the same time, the efficient application of fertilizers through fertigation is vital to minimizing the potential negative impacts on the environment. However, in practice, managing irrigation and fertigation of commercial plots poses a major challenge, partly due to the different needs that may exist between areas, due to soil variability. It has been detected that there is currently a significant barrier in the implementation of new technologies in the agricultural sector, for example, to efficiently manage fertigation, as is the case presented in this operational group. To break this barrier and, as much as possible, enable all farmers (small, medium, and large companies) to adopt technology, someone must take the leadership and demonstrate its technical and economic viability. The actors involved in this operational group, leaders and references in the almond and pistachio cultivation sector, aim to play this role, with the goal that, in the coming years, neighboring farms, collaborating companies, and the agricultural sector in general will begin to digitalize in such an important area as water and fertilizers.

The main goal of the project is to demonstrate how to effectively and practically solve the problem of managing fertigation in large commercial pistachio and almond farms with high spatial variability, to achieve maximum efficiency and water and nutritional productivity, as well as a rapid entry into production, especially considering potential future droughts, where new irrigation restrictions could be imposed.

Action of the PAC Strategic Plan 2023-2027 co-financed by: