QDPAM Operational Group: Quality assurance, differentiation, and valorization of Spanish production of aromatic and medicinal plants
- Type Operational group
- Status In progress
- Execution 2024 -2027
- Assigned Budget 599.986,00 €
- Scope Supraautonómico
- Autonomous community Andalucía; Extremadura; Murcia, Región de
- Main source of financing PEPAC 2023-2027
- Project website GO QDPAM
The aim of the QDPAM is to develop the aromatic and medicinal plants sector, differentiate its production, add value to it and thereby improve the competitiveness of the entire production chain. To this end, an in-depth analysis of market needs will be carried out, as well as the identification of existing material and the selection of those with the highest yield and quality in four different climatic zones. Finally, a catalogue will be created and made available to the sector as a result of the project.
The GO QDPAM aims to differentiate and enhance the value of national products derived from the cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants to demonstrate their profitability and environmental benefits compared to conventional crops: six species have been selected through market research.
- Market research, selection of aromatic and medicinal plant species, and collection of information on national genotypes of the selected species.
- Preparation of a common protocol for preparing cuttings and shipping plant material, trials to optimize planting or cuttings, multiplication and propagation of selected plant material, field evaluation of genotypes in different climatic areas, and, finally, development of a catalog of characterized genotypes adapted to different climatic zones.
- Evaluation of management plans for the cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants, one per climatic area (three areas) and species (two species), where irrigation doses, weed suppression/control techniques, regenerative agriculture techniques to improve soil fertility and analysis of the influence of crop management on soil conservation and improvement will be studied.
- Establishment of a predictive model for the authentication of lavandin essential oils.
- Analysis and characterization of national products, and of products on the market, and their differentiation.
- Comparative studies of biodiversity and carbon footprint between lavandin cultivation and conventional cultivation.
- Studies on the use of residual biomass at an industrial level in two species.
- Obtaining a comprehensive management plan for aromatic and medicinal plant crops in three different climatic zones, seeking to reduce irrigation, optimize production, improve the quality of the products obtained, and conserve agricultural soils.
- Reducing the disadvantages of competition from synthetic products, produced as substitutes for natural ones, at low cost and without maintaining the desired active ingredients. Demonstration of the economic and environmental benefits compared to the majority of crops grown in the area.
This sector boasts a wide variety of species, diverse types of agricultural operations, and produces numerous final products processed in a variety of ways. Its uses span a wide range of sectors, including food, pharmaceuticals, animal nutrition, perfumery, decoration, phytosanitary products, dyes, adhesives, and glues. It is highly influenced by technological developments and consumer trends. Aromatic and medicinal plants are of great importance to the food industry, providing the basic components for the production of its products. They are most frequently used as flavorings, colorings, and preservatives, in addition to their antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, attributed to phenols and phenolic acids, among others. Furthermore, the cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants is a major tourist attraction and offers numerous environmental benefits.
However, this wide variability hinders the sector's specialization, creating competitive barriers at the European level despite Spain's favorable climate and the vast genetic diversity available in national germplasm banks, whether from the most important Spanish research centers, seed suppliers, nurseries, or farmers themselves. These genetic resources, already evaluated and characterized, are in many cases highly profitable, but there are no comparative studies among them, nor are there any accessible inventories for producers.
The main phytochemical compounds are responsible for a plant's properties, but their percentage in the final product (oil, extract, dried or fresh plant) can be influenced by the genetic material used, soil and climate conditions, or cultivation techniques. It is important to emphasize that active ingredients are substances found in different parts of plants. The lack of specificity on labels indicating their origin, whether natural or artificial, causes consumer confusion, but also directly reduces the profitability of agricultural production, as it increases unmarketable stocks.
The main objective of the GO QDPAM is to promote the aromatic and medicinal plant sector nationwide, guaranteeing the quality and consistency of its products, whether extracts, essential oils, fresh or frozen plants, or dried leaves.
Selection of twenty-one genotypes for evaluation in each climatic area. A catalog of characterized genotypes adapted to different climatic zones. Six management plans for the cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants, one per climatic area (three areas) and species (two species). A predictive model for the authentication of lavandin essential oils. Fifty-nine characterizations of domestic products on the market, whether essential oils, dried plants, or extracts, and twenty-two commercial ones. Four comparative studies between conventional and lavandin cultivation. Two studies on the utilization of residual biomass at the industrial level in two selected species.
- Coordinator/entity name: NATIONAL AGRO-FOOD TECHNOLOGY CENTER (CTAEX)
- Postal address: Ctra. Villafranco a Balboa km 1.2; 06195 BADAJOZ
- Coordinator/entity email: lzajara@ctaex.com
- Telephone: 677448376
From the perspective of the experience of the task force participants, it is innovative to unify all existing information in the sector thanks to numerous research projects in which genotypes of interest have been identified for their industrial yields and composition, and which are maintained in their germplasm banks. This is also due to the ongoing innovative work of producers thanks to their concern, not only nationally but also internationally. Producers require high-quality, homogeneous vegetative material, avoiding the high variability between plants in terms of yield, which in most crops determines low crop profitability. Furthermore, alternatives to chemicals are needed for weed control, since organic farming offers added value for the production of aromatic and medicinal plants. Options such as grazing, weed control nets, and regenerative agriculture are being evaluated.
The main technological innovation addressed by this Task Force is the analysis of PAM essential oils to identify adulterated oils that unfairly compete with natural oils. Chromessence is focused on developing a tool based on computational chemometrics and machine learning, which rigorously assesses the purity and naturalness of essential oils and provides qualitative information of great interest to the sector. Software that applies multivariate analysis techniques is being used for this development.
This technique uncovers patterns in large data sets obtained from the chromatographic analysis of several botanical species of different origins and varieties. The masses of data provide easy-to-understand graphic information about the relationships between important sets of variables with very little loss of information, making it much more efficient and reliable than measuring individual variables as has been the case up to now. Prediction will be performed using PLS-DA or SVM algorithms.
- CENTRO TECNOLÓGICO NACIONAL AGROALIMENTARIO (CTAEX)
- CENTRO TECNOLÓGICO NACIONAL AGROALIMENTARIO (CTAEX)
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