TECNOTRUF

Aragon has recently launched a project, called TECNOTRUF, with the aim of developing new technological procedures based on the monitoring of ecological variables, to optimise the productivity of truffle plantations, as well as to improve the marketing of their derived products.

The project is led by the Cluster for the Efficient Use of Water (ZINNAE) and includes the participation of the truffle company MYTRUFF, the companies QILEX and MICOLAB, the research centres Estación Experimental de Aula Dei (EEAD-CSIC) and CITA, the technology companies ARATECK, GEOSLAB and ACG DRONE, and the Aragon Food and Nutrition Cluster.

For the execution of the project, a prior evaluation of three truffle plantations in the provinces of Castellón, Guadalajara and Teruel will be carried out, in order to subsequently develop and implement 3 ecophysiological stations to monitor different parameters of the holm oak-truffle complex. Likewise, the monitoring of the tree top will be carried out by integrating multispectral cameras in a drone and the evolution of ecophysiological, mycorrhizal and production variables will be monitored by collecting and analysing data on a platform. Finally, a pilot project on agronomic management applied to truffle growing will be carried out, which will include the valorisation of truffle co-products and the development of a computer system to guarantee their traceability.

One of the most innovative aspects of the project is that the truffle grower will be able to have a unique device that monitors the most critical environmental variables for the proper functioning of the holm oak in the areas where it serves as a base for truffle plantations, as well as obtaining key physiological parameters for the functional monitoring of the holm oak (PRI and tree top temperature), displayed simultaneously with the environmental parameters. The project will enable the use of plant sensing for the first time in the optimisation of water use in holm oak truffle plantations.