Projects
Mesfin Tsegaye Gebremikael , Thayna Mendanha , Hanne Lakkenborg Kristensen , Signe Værbak , Sindhuja Shanmugam & Julietta Moustaka
Hort2thefuture is an Innovation action type of project, which will deliver outputs at TRL5-7 for Decision Support and LCA tools, new peat-free alternatives based on wood fibre, nano / micro – irrigation products developed to improve irrigation efficiency and soil health, an in planta nitrate monitoring electrode, as well as commercialised biological, chemical and mechanical solutions to reduce/prevent soil compaction, restore compacted soils and improve soil structure.
Hort2thefuture is a 6.5 MEUR project which will run from 2024-2028. It comprises 28 research, supplier, retail, grower, communication, training and stakeholder partners from 12 European countries. AU leads WP3, aiming to develop low-cost, scalable alternatives to replace peat in horticulture. AU will also lead tasks to establish new management practices for peat-free blends and conduct large-scale trials to validate their commercial performance and sustainability in DK. In WP5, AU leads a task to develop tailor-made products for improving soil structure, carbon sequestration, and mitigating compaction in horticulture and conducts trials in both controlled and field conditions in DK.Description
01/06-2024 → 01/05-2028
Antonios Petridis , Hanne Lakkenborg Kristensen , Mesfin Tsegaye Gebremikael , Sabine Ravnskov , Ole Andersen , Kim Nielsen & Knud Ole Pedersen
Recently, prolonged periods of drought have resulted in significant yield losses in fruit trees. Expected climate change scenarios are not encouraging either, indicating an increase in the frequency, duration and severity of droughts, thus threatening further the Danish fruit industry. This is a very big challenge for Danish fruit growers, as they lack reliable tools and knowledge to protect their trees from drought. Irrigation seems to be the obvious solution, but it is not sustainable, as competition for good quality water has increased among water users and many fruit growers do not have access to it or are limited in using it. This project will develop effective and sustainable tools and practices to mitigate the negative effects of drought on fruit tree production and thereby future-proof the Danish fruit industry. The project will identify drought-resistant apple varieties and rootstocks, and will test and optimize the use of environmentally friendly biological solutions that increase drought tolerance or reduce water loss from leaves via transpiration, thereby increasing production under drought stress. In addition, we will investigate the potential of promoting symbiosis of apple trees with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to prevent drought stress effects and increase drought tolerance. Finally, we will apply different types of compost to the soil to improve its properties and thus its ability to retain water.Description
16/09-2024 → 31/08-2028
In this project we evaluate a sour cherry clone collection to provide Danish growers with new, high-yielding cultivars that bear fruits with excellent organoleptic traits and are resistant to diseases (primarily Pseudomonas) and to frost damage.Description
01/10-2024 → 30/09-2027
