BIO TERRABOT Operational Group: Robotic control of plant cover by removing plastic mulch from the soil in organic berry cultivation.

The new regulations proposed by the CAP require the development of more sustainable crop use and soil management. In the particular case of greenhouse cultivation, this presents a series of challenges for producers. To ensure the success of greenhouse cultivation, it is important to understand the problems that can arise throughout the entire production process. One of the major problems facing this type of cultivation is the large amount of plastic waste.

Current berry cultivation, even in organic and agroecological agriculture, relies on soil mulching to control weeds that compete with the crop for water and nutrients. Currently, in the province of Huelva alone, four million kg of polyethylene are used annually in agricultural mulch. It is crucial to eliminate the use of plastic in greenhouse crops through various ecological alternatives that have a positive impact from the soil to the crop.

Given the problem of the widespread use of agricultural plastic, and sponsored by the EU Commission to adopt measures to reduce single-use plastics in production processes, the use of ground cover made from native plants appears to be an optimal alternative, also absorbing carbon from the atmosphere. This same ground cover is seen as a way to introduce biodiversity into the greenhouse itself, improve soil fertility, and promote the development of living soil.