CLEANFRUIT - cod. 20152 - EITFOOD Innovation BP 2020

Fruit crop protec􀆟on is heavily dependent on chemical pes􀆟cides. Fruit processors need fruit free from pes􀆟cides for baby food and other specialized products. Fruit quality and safety could benefit from standardized produc􀆟on under schemes free from chemical pes􀆟cides. The aim of CleanFruit is to develop and promote standardized prac􀆟cal strategies for fruit crop protec􀆟on, based on new and exis􀆟ng biological pes􀆟cides (i.e. beneficials and microbials), commercial pollinators, and innova􀆟ve pest detec􀆟on tools. A holis􀆟c approach permits the evalua􀆟on of the impact of innova􀆟ve and sustainable crop protec􀆟on strategies on pest control, pollina􀆟on, yield, costs, post-harvest quality and health of fruit, storage and processing. Strawberry and apple cul􀆟va􀆟ons are the selected model crops,. Sustainable and innova􀆟ve preven􀆟on, monitoring (LAMP detec􀆟on) and control tools are adopted in commercial fields of strawberry and apple, located in Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and UK. The farmer acceptance of the new technologies and the consumer behaviour towards fruit and fruit-derived products free from chemical pes􀆟cides are analysed. The dissemina􀆟on of the results involves farmers, consumers and other stakeholders of the fruit value-chain. The project outcome is a standardized pest control package that supports zero-residue crop produc􀆟on, which has been tested for delivery of clean crops, grower acceptance and wider ecological, economic and social benefits.