The 14th edition of the European Conference on Precision Agriculture (ECPA) took place from July 2nd to 6th in Bologna, Italy. The ECPA is the biennial event of reference for Precision Agriculture in Europe and its objective is to showcase the results of ongoing research and applications in Precision Agriculture. The 2023 edition has been organised by the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna in close collaboration with the International Society of Precision Agriculture (ISPA).
Several Agrotecnio-UdL researchers have participated in this year event. On the one hand, through oral presentations. Leire Sandonís-Pozo presented ‘A new leafiness-LiDAR index to estimate light interception in intensive olive orchards’, while Àlex Escolà spoke about ‘How precision agriculture prescription maps can contribute to the 50% pesticide reduction goal of the Farm-to-Fork strategy in viticulture’.
Àlex Escolà and José Antonio Martínez-Casasnovas, who are actually members of the management Program Committee of the ECPA, participated in the presentation of ‘Adoption of precision agriculture across Europe: a case study on remote sensing’, ‘UAV photogrammetry vs mobile terrestrial laser scanning for woody crops characterization’ and ‘Implementation of variable rate of inputs in winter crops under rainfed conditions’.
On the other hand, the Agrotecnio-UdL research group on AgroICT and Precision Agriculture also participated in the ECPA through two scientific posters: Uncertainty analysis of a LiDAR-based MTLS point cloud using a high-resolution ground-truth, led by Bernat Lavaquiol, and Low-cost terrestrial photogrammetry for orchard sidewards 3D reconstruction, led by José Antonio Martínez-Casasnovas. The posters’ abstract book is available for download in the event website.
Escolà, who is the PI for Agrotecnio research group on AgroICT and Precision Agriculture, highlighted the importance for Agrotecnio to participate in this event, which is “the congress of reference for Precision Agriculture in Europe, which also has international impact”.
The next edition of the ECPA will take place in 2025, in Barcelona, and some researchers of group on AgroICT and Precision Agriculture will be part of the Organising Committee.