Smart farming for more sustainability
New ways to measure nitrous oxide emissions from soils as well as detect invasive pests in vineyards are the foci of two new interdisciplinary projects starting in 2024. Both projects are funded by the Center’s Smart Sustainable Farming Research Program.
The Smart Sustainable Farming Research Program aims to contribute to sustainable, innovative and competitive agricultural production and increase transparency from agricultural production to consumers. The program enables interdisciplinary projects at the interface of agriculture, sustainable production systems, robotics, and artificial intelligence.
In the most recent call for proposals, two new interdisciplinary projects were funded and start in 2024. The program is supported by fenaco, with a donation to the ETH Foundation.
New project highlights
Genetic and robotic technologies for pest detection in vineyards
Investigators: Prof. Stefano Mintchev, Environmental Robotics, ETH Zurich; Prof. Loïc Pellissier, Ecosystems and Landscape Evolution, ETH Zurich
Pest invasions and outbreaks lead to substantial crop losses and economic damages in Switzerland and worldwide. Traditional detection methods like visual inspections, traps, and remote sensing are often insufficient in detecting early-stage invasions. This new project focuses on combining robotics and genetic technologies to overcome the limitations of traditional pest detection methods.
Utilizing drone-enabled sampling of environmental DNA (eDNA) and near-real-time analysis with the CRISPR-Cas system, the project aims to detect two invasive species American grapevine leafhopper and the Japanese beetle found in Swiss vineyards.
“This new interdisciplinary project combines robotics and genetic technologies to overcome the limitations of traditional pest detection approaches. Utilizing drone-enabled sampling of environmental DNA and near-real-time analysis with the CRISPR-Cas system, the project aims to detect pests and invasive species at their early stages, allowing for the implementation of efficient and sustainable management protocols.”Prof. Stefano Mintchev, Principal Investigator
ChemiResistive sensors for effective Agricultural N management and N2O mitigation
Investigators: Prof. Máté Bezdek, Functional Coordination Chemistry, ETH Zurich; Prof. Nina Buchmann, Grassland Sciences, ETH Zurich; Dr. Eliza Harris, Swiss Data Science Center
Addressing the challenge of measuring nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agricultural soils, this newly funded interdisciplinary project aims to develop a cost-effective system which offers a continuous monitoring solution and promotes more efficient and sustainable agricultural practices.
Nitrous oxide emissions are rarely measured at the farm level, because no simple or low-cost methods are available to monitor nitrous oxide. The project focuses on developing a cost-effective "N2OSense" system, utilizing chemiresistor technology for continuous monitoring of nitrous oxide concentrations in soil at various depths. By enabling farm-level measurement and offering a low-cost monitoring solution, the project aims to contribute to the Swiss Nutrient Reduction Initiative's goal of reducing nitrogen losses by 20% by 2030.
“Optimizing fertilizer use in agriculture will make or break global sustainability goals. To know how we’re doing, we need better sensing technology.”Prof. Máté Bezdek, Principal Investigator
