Last 9 of May, a preliminary trial has been carried out to fine-tune the dosage of the whitefly fumigants based on natural active ingredients that are being developed as part of the European LIFE NextFUMIGREEN project, at the Tecnova Experimental Centre in Almeria and in which Comercial Química Massó collaborates.. The technical visit coincides with Europe Day, a key date for the European Commission's LIFE Programme of which this project is 60% co-financed.
These trials, which are being carried out on a cucumber crop in two Tecnova greenhouses, give continuity to the project "Development of natural fumigants for the control of whitefly and botrytis in horticultural crops under glass", financed by CDTI. The results of the fumigants obtained in this project are the basis of NextFUMIGREEN, which will validate their efficacy against whitefly and aims to be extended to other phytosystems to treat the most recurrent pests of greenhouse crops.
LIFE NextFUMIGREEN and the consortium
Following on from the first chamber trials, in this second phase, sensors installed by the company Brioagro have been incorporated to monitor the crop conditions during the application of the fumigants.
The project aims to validate that FumiHogar's fumigant technology optimises the properties of natural biopesticides, maximising their efficacy and minimising risks for operators and the environment. Massó Agro is collaborating in the definition of the product to align it with both the needs of farmers and the requirements of phytosanitary products. On the other hand, the participation of the Finnova Foundation, based in Belgium, is based on the alignment of the current and future guidelines set by this LIFE programme of the European Commission.
This project from the LIFE programme, which has been proposing environmental solutions for the improvement of biodiversity, nature, circular economy, climate change and transition to clean energy since 1992, is aligned with the Farm to Fork strategy and the EU's SDGs, European Green Pact and sustainable use of biocides guidelines.
About Life NextFUMIGREEN
LIFE NextFUMIGREEN is a European project that seeks to develop natural fumigants from plant extracts to control whitefly populations and fungal outbreaks of botrytis in greenhouse horticultural crops. The project, led by FumiHogar and 60 % funded by the European Union's LIFE programme, will last four and a half years and will test the efficacy of a new fumigant biopesticide that is less toxic than conventional ones. With a total budget of €2.758.921,01 this project aims to improve food safety, biodiversity and contribute to the professionalisation of farmers in the use of biopesticides.