EU project aims to develop film equipped with printed sensors that provide berry producers with data about their crops
A new EU project is developing intelligent agricultural film that biodegrades naturally and provides berry producers with soil health data to optimise their crops.
The Ecosystem project aims to create a film capable of lasting for an entire growing season that breaks down naturally after use. The film is also equipped with printed sensors that provide berry producers with valuable knowledge about their crops.
Danish Technological Institute (DTI) is providing with expertise in printed electronics and will also develop environmentally friendly inks to print the sensors that can be integrated directly onto the biodegradable film
Agricultural films are widely used in European berry production to protect crops and create the right microclimate. Traditional films do not degrade, and when fields are ploughed after harvest, plastic residues are mixed into the soil, creating a growing problem of microplastic pollution.
The Ecosystem project represents a circular approach in which waste from berry production is transformed into valuable raw materials in the form of polymers that can be used for biodegradable film. The film must be able to last for an entire growing season and then degrade quickly and naturally in the soil.
Previous research shows that mulch films can alter soil temperature and moisture beneath the film, affecting both plant growth and soil life. This makes the under-film environment an important target for sensing and monitoring, according to Sol Gutiérrez, specialist in printed electronics at DTI.
The project aims to develop a solution that can eventually reduce agriculture’s waste management costs, improve yields through better monitoring, and reduce microplastic pollution in agricultural soil.
As part of the initiative, DTI will develop and test sensors that can be printed onto the biodegradable film. The most important task is to develop printable inks that are both functional and environmentally friendly. In this context, DTI will test copper-based ink, which it has developed in other projects, and which has a lower CO2 footprint compared to silver inks. The main challenge in Ecosystem will be to adapt the inks so that it can degrade safely together with the film.
“Printed electronics have the advantage of using very small amounts of conductive materials. This helps keep the material footprint low. At the same time, the environmental and safety aspects of the developed solutions will also be assessed within the consortium, including through life-cycle assessment work,” Gutiérrez said.
The Ecosystem project brings together nine partners from five European countries. It is supported under the Horizon Europe programme and has a duration of four years and a total budget of €3.9mn.
