Periodic Reporting for period 2 - OchraVine Control (Implementation of integrated and innovative Precision Agriculture management strategies to reduce the occurrence of ochratoxins along the vine value chain products: grapes, raisins/currants and wine)
Reporting period: 2020-01-01 to 2023-10-31
The risk of mycotoxins is a global issue that represents a serious risk for human and animal health. Οchratoxin A (OTA) is a very toxic mycotoxin that constitutes a severe problem for viticulture and taking into account the extreme climatic events that are frequently faced in recent years, the OTA problem is arising in wine and raisins/currants. OchraVine Control project offers an inexistent innovative, sustainable and integrated smart ICT solution (OchraVine Control DSS) considering fungal, host and environmental indicators that affect OTA contamination along the vine grape-wine value chain.
The main objectives of OchraVine Control were to:
1. Identify pre-harvest indicators for the development of the OTA predictive model
2. Develop a rapid OTA detection system and sustainable pre-and post-harvest OTA management strategies
3. Develop an integral solution for the OTA risk contamination control along the vine chain
4. Increase consumer confidence and reduce the risk for human health and economic OTA impact associated with human health within all sectors of vine production
The developed OchraVine Control DSS allows the prediction and monitoring at pre- and post-harvest level of Aspergillus infection and OTA contamination in vine cultivation by combining epidemiological data, biological and chemical management strategies, post-havrest technologies and precision agriculture tools. OchraVine Control DSS solution pursues a field-to-fork approach and links and translates the information derived from the OchraRisk predictive map tool with environmental data obtained by weather stations. OchraVine Control DSS tool is an open access web platform and in combination with data from the OchraRed Integrated Management Strategy can provide risk prediction information (i.e. geographic OTA vine alerts), practical recommended solutions for OTA management and verifies the compliance with legislation requirements in a rapid and cost-effective way.
The main objectives of OchraVine Control were to:
1. Identify pre-harvest indicators for the development of the OTA predictive model
2. Develop a rapid OTA detection system and sustainable pre-and post-harvest OTA management strategies
3. Develop an integral solution for the OTA risk contamination control along the vine chain
4. Increase consumer confidence and reduce the risk for human health and economic OTA impact associated with human health within all sectors of vine production
The developed OchraVine Control DSS allows the prediction and monitoring at pre- and post-harvest level of Aspergillus infection and OTA contamination in vine cultivation by combining epidemiological data, biological and chemical management strategies, post-havrest technologies and precision agriculture tools. OchraVine Control DSS solution pursues a field-to-fork approach and links and translates the information derived from the OchraRisk predictive map tool with environmental data obtained by weather stations. OchraVine Control DSS tool is an open access web platform and in combination with data from the OchraRed Integrated Management Strategy can provide risk prediction information (i.e. geographic OTA vine alerts), practical recommended solutions for OTA management and verifies the compliance with legislation requirements in a rapid and cost-effective way.
OchraVine Control project has collected data to identify fungal, pest, host as well as environmental indicators and agricultural practices that are involved in OTA outbreaks during pre-harvest of grapes especially under a climate change scenario. These results contributed to the elucidation of the epidemiology of these fungi in relation to the management of ochratoxin A risk in grapes. Next, various commercial vine varieties were evaluated for their susceptibility/resistance in Aspergillus and biosynthesis of OTA in France, Italy and Greece with the main goal of defining “susceptibility indicators”, based on genetic or physiological aspects of grape varieties. Weather indicators such as air and soil humidity and temperature have been found to influence the occurrence of OTA producing fungi and mycotoxin contamination at pre- and post-harvest level.
OchraVine Control developed innovative sensor systems for OTA detection in vine products (OchraSensor). Compact portable membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MIMS) systems have been employed for the first time to detect and monitor volatile emissions of grapes infected by the fungus A. carbonarius. Additionally, a thermal imaging approach was developed to detect the initial stages of Aspergillus grape rot disease. The proposed thermography methodology seems to be quite promising regarding the detection of fungal infection at early stages of grape infection.
OchraVine Control has also developed an IPM strategy (OchraRed) based on a combination of biological and chemical plant protection products that can reduce significantly the OTA contamination in vineyards. Also, several novel biological agents (yeasts) have been evaluated for their ability to control very successfully OTA in vineyards.
The pre-harvest detection system consists of mapping the emergence risk of fungi based on dynamic modelling approaches. More specifically, data (indicators) are used to feed a conceptual prediction model for the dynamic simulation of A. carbonarius life cycle in grapes along the growing season including OTA production in grapes (OchraRisk). Additionally, critical post-harvest indicators and methods for the prevention of OTA production have been tested and developed in vine value chain and are crucial inputs for the Post-harvest model. Effective post-harvest management requires clear monitoring criteria and effective implementation, hygiene and monitoring to ensure that mycotoxin contamination is minimized along the food and feed chain. In the project, an axisymmetric 2-D Finite Element Model (FEM) of coupled heat and mass transfer model to describe the temporal and spatial temperature and moisture content variation of raisins and currants under direct solar drying, was developed and implemented to predict temperature and moisture content during the drying process (OchraDetect).
OchraVine Control Decision Support System (DSS) is a toolkit to effectively monitor the incidence of OTA in the grape-wine chain. It can prognose the disease in real time and provides appropriate warnings for preventive and direct sprays. The further goal of this task is the translation of the vision of OchraVine-DSS into sustainable business models and the development of environmentally friendly and economically feasible pre- and post-harvest practices for the examination of OTA contamination through the grape to wine chain. While the introduction of OchraVine DSS may involve moderate increases in operational costs and modest investments in equipment, the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis revealed a persuasive financial narrative. It showcased how these initial expenditures are outweighed by substantial benefits, including enhanced productivity, lower losses, superior product quality, and the ability to command higher prices in the market. In this manner, the financial landscape of the entire vine value chain is dynamically reshaped, reinforcing the economic viability of adopting OchraVine DSS.
OchraVine Control developed innovative sensor systems for OTA detection in vine products (OchraSensor). Compact portable membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MIMS) systems have been employed for the first time to detect and monitor volatile emissions of grapes infected by the fungus A. carbonarius. Additionally, a thermal imaging approach was developed to detect the initial stages of Aspergillus grape rot disease. The proposed thermography methodology seems to be quite promising regarding the detection of fungal infection at early stages of grape infection.
OchraVine Control has also developed an IPM strategy (OchraRed) based on a combination of biological and chemical plant protection products that can reduce significantly the OTA contamination in vineyards. Also, several novel biological agents (yeasts) have been evaluated for their ability to control very successfully OTA in vineyards.
The pre-harvest detection system consists of mapping the emergence risk of fungi based on dynamic modelling approaches. More specifically, data (indicators) are used to feed a conceptual prediction model for the dynamic simulation of A. carbonarius life cycle in grapes along the growing season including OTA production in grapes (OchraRisk). Additionally, critical post-harvest indicators and methods for the prevention of OTA production have been tested and developed in vine value chain and are crucial inputs for the Post-harvest model. Effective post-harvest management requires clear monitoring criteria and effective implementation, hygiene and monitoring to ensure that mycotoxin contamination is minimized along the food and feed chain. In the project, an axisymmetric 2-D Finite Element Model (FEM) of coupled heat and mass transfer model to describe the temporal and spatial temperature and moisture content variation of raisins and currants under direct solar drying, was developed and implemented to predict temperature and moisture content during the drying process (OchraDetect).
OchraVine Control Decision Support System (DSS) is a toolkit to effectively monitor the incidence of OTA in the grape-wine chain. It can prognose the disease in real time and provides appropriate warnings for preventive and direct sprays. The further goal of this task is the translation of the vision of OchraVine-DSS into sustainable business models and the development of environmentally friendly and economically feasible pre- and post-harvest practices for the examination of OTA contamination through the grape to wine chain. While the introduction of OchraVine DSS may involve moderate increases in operational costs and modest investments in equipment, the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis revealed a persuasive financial narrative. It showcased how these initial expenditures are outweighed by substantial benefits, including enhanced productivity, lower losses, superior product quality, and the ability to command higher prices in the market. In this manner, the financial landscape of the entire vine value chain is dynamically reshaped, reinforcing the economic viability of adopting OchraVine DSS.
OchraVine Control can effectively predict, monitor and reduce the incidence of OTA in grapes-wine-raisins. OchraVine Control can contribute to: a) reduction of diseases associated to OTA for the human consumption of grapes, wine, raisins/currants, b) reduction of OTA occurrence in grape value chain improving European farmers, industrials and retailers productivity and competiveness, c) reduction of the medical costs resulted from OTA entering to the human food/feed chains of grape products and wine, d) reduction of consumer complaints regarding the grape/raisin-wine safety. OchraVine Control project results were widely disseminated and were communicated with articles on newspapers, webinars, you tube channels, social networks, scientific, technical and consumer conferences, open access peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals, exhibitions.
The project targets to support all the operators in the vine chain, including farmers, policy makers and risk managers in their strategic and tactic decisions. For the end-users, the main focus was on the profits of farm/industry as the reduction of OTA occurrence in grape value chain improves productivity and competiveness. Academia and policy makers are interested on the scientific research and new technologies that can have direct impact in the quality of life, and the profitability of agriculture. Finally for the general public the main focus was on the fact that OchraVine Control project will contribute at the reduction of OTA and its negative impact in human health.
The project targets to support all the operators in the vine chain, including farmers, policy makers and risk managers in their strategic and tactic decisions. For the end-users, the main focus was on the profits of farm/industry as the reduction of OTA occurrence in grape value chain improves productivity and competiveness. Academia and policy makers are interested on the scientific research and new technologies that can have direct impact in the quality of life, and the profitability of agriculture. Finally for the general public the main focus was on the fact that OchraVine Control project will contribute at the reduction of OTA and its negative impact in human health.