en
Plant biostimulants are a new class of agricultural inputs that increase nutrient absorption and nutrient utilization, increase plant tolerance to abiotic stress factors and improve crop quality. The DEMETRE project aims to develop and validate the devices, tools and equipment needed to (bio) manufacture a new product from the (emerging) new generation of biostimulants for plants. The new biostimulant for plants proposed by the project is based on bioactive compounds concentrated from root exudates. The main innovative approach to the current state of the art is related to the new flexible (bio) manufacturing method, which combines the two known products into a two-in-one synergic product. During its use, the proposed two-in-one product will perform two functions: as a soil conditioning product and as a reservoir for the slow release of the bioactive compounds. The needs addressed by the DEMETRE project are related to: (i) agricultural market requirements for new inputs that reduce the consumption and environmental impact of agrochemicals by maintaining / increasing profitability; and (ii) societal requirements for a circular (bio) economy, where the circuits are closed by exploiting the agro-industrial by-products. In recent years, the interest of economic agents and researchers for the development of more active biostimulants for plants has been growing. Such active ingredients have been proposed to be investigated among exo-signals that regulate plant interactions - beneficial microorganisms. Radical exudates are a source of chemical signals that modulate interactions in the rhizosphere, and are therefore a logical goal to produce the next generation of biostimulants for plants.
National Institute for Research and Development for Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM, Spl. Independence, No. 202, sector 6, 060021 Bucharest, Romania, dr. Habil. Florin Oancea, Project Director
Chemi Ceramic F Srl, Str. Ciucului nr. 163, 520036 Sfântu-Gheorghe, jud. Covasna, Romania, Orsolya - Csilla Raduly, responsible partner
Rodax Impex Srl, Partner 3, Str. Sadului nr. 5, 052167 Bucharest, dr. Ing. Lauren?iu Moldovan, responsible partner
StrigoLab Srl, Via Pietro Giuria 7, 10125 Turin, Dr. Ivan Visentin, Partner Partner
Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Verdi, 8, 10124 Turin, Prof. Dr. Cristina Prandi, Partner responsibile
-Development of experimental models for the bio-manufacturing of biostimulants for plants based on root exudates by: (a) (pre) concentrating them from recirculated hydroponic environments and associating with (b) porous ceramic granules, functionalized together with humic acids; - a charging system
-Development of experimental models to determine the activity of the products produced
-Protecting intellectual property
-Communicating and disseminating the results obtained
Experimental models have been developed and implemented to: (i) recover through innovative technology the hydrophobic bioactive components from recirculated hydroponic environments; (ii) manufacturing porous ceramic granules functionalized with humic acids; (iii) manufacture of a pre-concentrated and bioactive radionuclide pre-concentrate ceramic granule loading plant; (iv) determining the activity of the active ingredients released from the ceramic granules functionalized with humic acids.
The technological process for the manufacture of porous ceramic granules and the experimental equipment models, rotating trays, made this year.
Two patent applications were filed with OSIM and an EPO patent application