Food products, crop and fish yields are projected to decline in many Mediterranean areas by 2050 due to climatic and other stress factors. U nder semi-arid growing conditions like those found in Mediterranean regions, greenhouse crops are usually over-irrigated so that growers prevent water and nutrient shortages. In view of this, optimal greenhouse management is required to ensure unrestricted growth at a yield close to the maximum potential, while minimizing unsustainable exploitation of resources, especially energy, soil & water. The overall objective of present study is to provide the Mediterranean horticultural community with innovative tools to enable resource efficient year round greenhouse cultivation by: 1( Developing and testing a user-friendly and flexible Decision Support System (DSS) allowing smart nutrient, irrigation & climate control, and integrated pest management in greenhouses ; 2( Demonstrating the potential of biological agro-ecological technologies to close the loop in Mediterranean greenhouses by validating aquaponics systems based on the combination of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) and hydroponics to deliver high quality Mediterranean horticultural and fish products with improved N use efficiency (NUE), and water use efficiency (WUE); 3 ) Providing farmers with tools for environmentally friendly integrated pest management in horticultural greenhouses. 4-Validating HortiMED technologies in low, medium and high technology greenhouses from Egypt, Algeria and Spain. 5-Achieving well-targeted communication and effective transfer of the project results to stakeholders and local horticultural community.
HortiMED project will improve: a) the sustainability in Mediterranean greenhouses and increase productive capacity by validating in real scenarios freshwater IMTA -aquaponics systems based on the integration of ecosystem services; b) Development DSS to guide farmers through advisory services on the optimal quantities of water and nutrients to be applied based on the crop requirements and the greenhouse conditions; combined with partial or full automation of the irrigation, nutrient and/or fertigation systems; c) Support the promotion of protected agricultural production systems to increase the ability of farmers in Egypt and in the Mediterranean countries to adapt to climate change effects
HortiMED-Towards circular horticulture: closing the loop on Mediterranean greenhouses (Grant Number 1915) is part of the PRIMA Programme supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.