Sustaining low-impact practices in horticulture through non-destructive approach to provide more information on fresh produce history and quality

The general objective of the Project SUS&LOW is to enhance quality of fresh fruit and vegetables by testing and implementing low-input agricultural practices (LIP) with the support of non-destructive (ND) tools capable of evaluating in real time the quality and ”history” of the products, applying new marketing strategies which satisfy the final consumer. Results of three main work packages (WP) are reported. In WP1, specific water and nutrient administration strategies were applied to obtain greenhouse horticultural products with different levels of 'input use efficiency' (sustainability indicator of the production process). Objective of WP2 is to compare conventional analysis techniques with non-destructive techniques for the discrimination of fresh products obtained with LIP (from WP1) and for the prediction of their quality and shelf-life also applied through the packaging material. The spectra of rocket leaves were acquired and analyzed to study the impact of LIP on the variation of this parameter and to identify the spectral interval varied by the production technique. Furthermore, predictive models based on the use of computer vision systems have been developed and validated on fresh and packaged rocket to determine the quality level, the discrimination of fertilization levels and the irrigation management systems applied during the cultivation and prediction of the main quality marker parameters (chlorophyll and ammonium content). Lastly, in the context of WP3, through an ad hoc survey, consumer behavior was analyzed with respect to the possibility of purchasing fruit and vegetable products certified for the use of LIP (WP1), identified through the possibility of using ND techniques (WP2) to implement appropriate marketing strategies. In particular, the impact of storytelling was measured together with other communication and certification strategies.