"Advanced nanoencapsulation of bio-based pesticides and fertilisers for a circular and sustainable viticulture."
Project Number: 101130039
Project Duration: June 2024 – May 2028
Total budget: € 7.835.161
Supported by: Horizon RIA
Website: projectvinny.eu
The Project:
VINNY is a highly innovative 4-year European Project that aims at reducing conventional agrochemicals in viticulture by 50%, mitigating their harmful effects on soils, plants, and the environment. To achieve this goal, VINNY’s nanoBPs and nanoBFs will be developed as sustainable alternatives.
The encapsulation technologies will employ biomaterials, which allow for the stabilization of bioactives and synergistic antimicrobial effects (piezoelectric / electroactive effect).
The effectiveness of these bio-based solutions will be validated in the laboratory (proof-of concept) and in field in four vineyards. Furthermore, VINNY fully aligns with two EU Missions: “A soil deal for Europe” and “Restore our Ocean and Waters” to promote sustainable practices for maintaining healthy soils and effective water management.
Objectives of the project
VINNY main objectives are:
• Explore new bioactives: grapevine-derived biopesticides (BP) and industrial side-streamsbased biofertilisers (BF);
• Develop new eco-friendly nanobiopesticides (nanoBP) and nanobiofertilisers (nanoBF) through nanoencapsulation techniques;
• Develop agrotextiles impregnated with nanoBFs;
• Test nanoBP and nanoBF efficacy and safety in vitro, in planta, and validate their performance in fields.
Our involvement in the project
As sustainability experts we are in charge of the following tasks:
• Design of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) frameworks.
• Responsible for safety assessment, LCA LCC, S-LCA and SSbD activities.
• Implementation of short, medium- and long-term LCA, LCC, S-LCA for the technologies and nano encapsulated BPs and BFs.
Partners
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon RIA research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101130039