PROJECT DESCRIPTION & GOALS

The biggest challenge faced by the wine industry is the grape infection by Botrytis cinerea, affecting 15-20% of the harvest worldwide.

WINBIOTOOL aims to provide a much needed tool for wine producers to answer this challenge, in the form of an integrated detection platform, combined with mapping and decision software.

This tool allows the in-field, early detection of fungal attack by Botrytis cinerea and screening laccase activity in grapes and throughout wine production, recommending the best decision for minimizing the impact of the fungal attack.

The instrument includes electrochemical biosensors, GPS sensors and web application and combines KETs (Key Emerging Technologies) and ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) to map the fungus spread in the vineyard. Starting at TRL2, the project will advance to TRL4, delivering an instrument tested at winery level as main outcome of high added value.

Carried out by 4 SMEs/Industrial partners and 2 Public Research Centers, WINBIOTOOL will provide a product that will facilitate obtaining high quality/yields of wine production and will contribute to the European companies’ competitiveness in the global wine industry.

PARTNERS

For this project, our partners are

The Research and Development Institute for Viticulture and Enology – Valea Calugareasca (ICDVV)

International Centre of Biodynamics (CIB) Romania

ENKOA SYSTEM S.L.

BODEGAS DE LOS HEREDEROS DEL MARQUES DE RISCAL, S.L.

THE WHITEAM CONSULTING Spain

ACTIVITIES IN 2020

Developing (1.1) the electrochemical immunosensor as well as (1.2) the electrochemical sensor meant to measure lacase activity, both accompanied by preliminary study of the work methods and establishing the parameters to be implemented in the equipment.

(1.3) Preliminary implementation of abovementioned methods and parameters, followed by (1.4) developing the portable, integrated device and (1.5) establishing preliminary specs in order to implement the fungical infection risk management app.

ACTIVITIES IN 2021

2.1 Study and implementation of working methods, measurement parameters and the way of processing and saving the data obtained from live measurements (Stage 2) list of component modules.

2.2 Application of the immunosensor in the evaluation of Botrytis cinerea infected grapes (continued, Stage 2) - evaluation and testing under working conditions.

2.3 Preliminary validation of the portable device, integration of the GPS sensor and the adjacent sensors in the portable detection device.

2.4 Participation in the implementation of the support tool for making the decision regarding the corrective actions that are necessary for the infested vineyard - Software development.

2.5 Optimization and validation of the portable detection system in live measurement conditions (Stage 1).

2.6 Working visits, dissemination, participation in conferences.

RESULTS