OPTIMA
H2020 (SFS-17-2017)
Grant agreement no. 773718
Optimised Pest Integrated Management to precisely detect and control plant diseases in perennial crops and open-field vegetables

In General
OPTIMA will develop an environmentally friendly IPM framework for vineyards, apple orchards and carrots by providing a holistic integrated approach which includes all critical aspects related to integrated disease management, such as i) novel bio-PPPs use, ii) disease prediction models, iii) spectral early disease detection systems and iv) precision spraying techniques. It will contribute significantly to the reduction of the European agriculture reliance on chemical PPPs resulting in reduced use of agrochemicals, lower residues and reduced impacts on human health. OPTIMA will optimize disease prediction models for downy mildew in vineyards, apple scab in apple orchards and alternaria leaf blight in carrots to envisage faster the possibility of disease outspread and developing advanced early detection methods based on spectral imaging and deep learning techniques to precisely localise and quantify the infection.
More Information
It will evaluate and screen biological and synthetic PPPs for their combined ability to control the selected diseases and weigh the optimum dosage and application timing and identifying and characterize induced host resistance mechanisms to achieve higher and durable resistance. It will enhance and develop three innovative prototype sprayers (for carrots, apple orchards and vineyards) actuating different nozzle types and adopting variable rate control based on canopy characteristics, the pathogen dispersal and disease development. The holistic developed IPM system will be tested and assessed in field conditions with the three selected crops. The advanced sprayer prototypes and the monitoring system will be tested in real-time to record field efficacy and potential discrepancies from the expected effectiveness. OPTIMA will finally, assess health, environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the proposed IPM system in comparison to conventional systems using an extended Life-Cycle approach integrated with Human and Environmental Risk Assessment.
AGENSO Contribution
AGENSO is responsible for the design, development and integration of OPTIMA DSS. The DSS will be able to predict and detect various types of diseases fusing different sources of data. In addition, it will be capable of exporting prescription maps for Variable Rate (VR) spraying.
Optima Basics
IPM
Development of a holistic integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach which includes the major elements related to integrated disease managementPrediction models
For prognosis of plant diseases using a Decision Support System (DSS)Precision spraying
Smart technologies for a variable rate spraying based on canopy characteristics, pathogen dispersal and disease expansionBio-PPPs
Novel bio-Plant Protection Products (bio-PPPS) from the collections of OPTIMA partnersProject Funding
- Starting date : 01/09/2018
- Duration : 36 Months
- Status : Running
- AGENSO participation type: Direct Beneficiary
- This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 773718
% PPP usage reduction
% Reduction of residues
%> DSS Accuracy
Bio-PPPs assessed per crop
AGENSO Main Tasks
Design and development of OPTIMA DSS. The DSS will offer increased prediction accuracy by using detection data and geostatistical methods, making the DSS able to provide prediction data with high accuracy at field and site-specific scale.
AGENSO methodology for the prediction of the ideal timing for minimizing spray drift (http://www.effispray.com/), will be embedded into OPTIMA’s DSS.
AGENSO will participate in the pilot testing of OPTIMA IPM for evaluating the correct functionality and result outcomes of the DSS.
News Related to the Project

SymbIoT, EffiSpray and OPTIMA Projects presented on 1st Greek INNOSETA Regional Workshop
On 16 December 2019 the 1st Regional Workshop of INNOSETA project in Greece was held at Agricultural Association of Pella,...

3rd Meeting for OPTIMA
On December 11th, 2019 the 3rd Project Meeting for the H2020 project OPTIMA was held in Turin, Italy hosted by...

OPTIMA project meeting
A bilateral technical meeting of OPTIMA Η2020 Project, was held today at AGENSO premises, between Agricultural University of Athens (AUA)...

OPTIMA H2020 project has started
A new European Horizon2020 project called OPTIMA, in which AGENSO is a project partner, has officially started at 01/09/2018. OPTIMA...