VAROS

Project information
The ability to optimize inputs at spatial scale has been enabled with the use of Variable Rate Applications (VRA). Despite the fact that there are numerous VRA systems aimed at arable crops, specific systems for orchard management utilizing precision monitoring and application of the orchards are still lacking. These cropping systems face increasing market pressure to produce quality products, and provide a detailed traceable system for the origin of the product including, the treatments and the conditions that have occurred during the production. The main aim of this project is to advance the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the VRA for orchard management, from the research stage to prototype testing, to enable more optimized use of inputs in fruit production, minimize the use of pesticides and protect the environment. The consortium has five partners from five countries participating with funding under this ICT-Agri Call. The field applications will be carried out in 3 countries: variable rate irrigation in Spain, variable rate fertilization in Turkey and variable rate spraying in Denmark. Specific orchards have been identified in all three countries: apples in Denmark and Turkey and olive oil and citrus trees in Spain. The project consists of five research activities. The first research activity will develop a set of algorithms for operations management for VRA in orchards based on task allocation and auxiliary data, the second activity will implement a set of sensing systems for 3D representation of the tree canopy and the remaining three research activities will deal with the three VRA (irrigation, fertilization and spraying). The project will also undertake adoption studies in the three countries, where the experimental fields are located. It will have an exploitation package for valorization of the results and a dissemination activity to publish and circulate the results into the scientific and farming communities.
Project partners: 
Department of Engineering
Institute for Mechatronic Systems (IMS)
Soluciones Agrícolas de Precisión S.L. (AgroSap)
Department of Agricultural Sciences
Atatürk Central Horticultural Research institute
Project dates: 
January 2016 to December 2018
Contact
Contact person: 
Claus Grøn Sørensen
Contact email: 
Contact organisation: 
Department of Engineering
Funding
Funding agency: 
ICT and robotics for sustainable agriculture
Grant: 
k€575
Total budget: 
k€833