PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The production of wine, a major European export, depends heavily on synthetic pesticides to ensure yields and stay competitive. The 3.3 million hectares of vineyards in the EU require more treatments than some other crops, such as the application of fungicides, which account for 80% of all treatments. These are used to prevent cryptogamic diseases (such as downy and powdery mildew) which can cause yield losses of up to 60%. Over 13 000 tonnes of fungicides are used every year to protect vineyards in France, which together with Spain and Italy produces 83% of Europe’s wine.
Furthermore, fungicides have been detected far from their application site, transported by air and water streams. They also impact soils, reducing biodiversity and leading to loss of resilience and fertility. EU policy has focused on the sustainable use of pesticides, while consumers are increasingly opting for organic products. Alternative ways of protecting vines are emerging but they are still marginal.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFEisLIGHT project aims to demonstrate the environmental, economic and social performance of an innovative technology for protecting plants against fungi based on UV-C flashes in France, Italy and Spain over 42 months.
The project will demonstrate the efficiency of the UV-C technology to protect vines against powdery and downy mildews, two major fungi threatening European vines. The use of UV-C flashes will focus the impact of the technology on the crops only. The project will test innovative low energy consumption solutions and adapt the most promising ones to the technology. By deepening the understanding of UV-induced plant resistance to fungi, the targeted efficiency will be reached within an acceptable number of treatments. The optimised and industrialised prototypes will then be further demonstrated in 15 commercial farms (five in France, five in Spain and five in Italy) increasing the knowhow of winegrowers. Measurements of environmental benefits are foreseen during the project implementation to validate and quantify the reductions in pesticide residues and biodiversity losses.
The project will contribute to achieving the objectives of the European Framework Directive on the sustainable use of pesticides. It is also in line with national pesticide plans such as France’s Ecophyto II+ plan, which aims to reduce pesticides use by 50% by 2025, and the Spanish and Italian national action plans for sustainable use of plant protection products. The project will also contribute to the European Green Deal.
RESULTS
Expected results:
- 50% reduction in pesticides by combining physical UV-C treatment with synthetic pesticides, or even biocontrol agents and other agroecological practices;
- Saving of 501 kg of pesticides by the end of the project for the total project area of 39 ha (15 ha in France, 15 ha in Italy and 9 ha in Spain);
- At least 30 winegrowers directly engaged and trained in reduced pesticide use;
- Lower energy consumption, especially through the selection of an efficient lamp combined with the optimisation of the treatment process; and
- Identification of new crops that could benefit from the technology.
