CA19110 - Plasma applications for smart and sustainable agriculture (PlAgri)

A continuous increase in demand for food caused by population growth represents a serious challenge for the humankind. Even in regions where food is plentiful, safety of the food cycle is increasingly important. Improving sustainability of agriculture and at the same time reducing adverse effects of agriculture on the environment requires efficient technologies that enhance productivity while maintaining food quality and safety. The main aim of this COST Action is to investigate the potential of low temperature plasmas (cold plasmas), as a green alternative to conventional chemicals in agriculture to improve yields, increase size and robustness of plants and to reduce (or eliminate) the need for antifungal agents. It will aim to break the classical field boundaries for new dimension in sustainable agriculture with lower chemical impact. The Action will address the use of plasmas for treating food and packaging. Action aims at combining efforts of numerous European scientific communities dealing with plasma, biology, agriculture and food processing with a goal of identifying and developing applications in the chain of food production. Transfer of plasma technology to industry will be based on understanding of plasma’s most important processes with further considerations including (Novel food) legislations, energy consumption, food safety and quality. The Action will help define a new field in science by a coordinated, joint effort across the Europe and broader, through exchange and a better use of resources and by intensive study of the basic mechanisms within the context of the well thought out present or future applications.