A project on securing crops and soil health with sustainable fungicides by a research team at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) has won funding from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI).
It is one of four projects from ATU that have secured funding to help communities find solutions to societal challenges.
This is part of the National Challenge Fund worth €65 million announced recently to help Ireland prepare for its green transition and digital transformation.
Sustainable fungicides
ATU Sligo’s Dr. Shane O’Reilly and Dublin City University’s (DCU) Ruairí Brannigan’s project, named LeafLock, will develop bio-based polymeric ‘stickers’ from unwanted biological by-products like woody biomass.
Fungal diseases are a persistent threat for global food supply, yet the production of fungicides relies on the petrochemical industry which has its own problems in terms of climate and carbon emissions, according to the research team.
Degradation products from current fungicide formulations may also be harmful and threaten soil health.
“By adding these novel stickers into anti-fungal formulations, the LeafLock team aims to increase the effectiveness of fungicides and reduce the environmental burden in terms of emissions and contamination of soil with harmful compounds,” Dr. O’Reilly explained.
“Over the coming months, we will be engaging with stakeholders with an interest and expertise in the agri-food industry, and people who may be impacted by this problem including farmers, as well as relevant government departments and agencies and others who manage crops and soils in various ways.”
Rural mobility
Among the other ATU projects to receive funding is a bridge management and infrastructure project.
Dr. Amaya Vega’s and Dr. Myra Lydon’s project ‘EMBRACE-Mobility‘ takes a community-centric approach to bridge management and infrastructure investment prioritisation to ensure the mobility needs of rural communities are taken into consideration.
They will engage with the Western Development Commission (WDC), Galway County Council and other stakeholders.
EMBRACE-Mobility will bring together transport researchers and rural communities in Co. Galway to understand the extent of the wider effects associated with bridge failure and to address the issue of climate adaptation and the sustainability of many rural communities.
Dr. Lydon, lecturer in Civil Engineering, University of Galway said: “This novel approach to consider the value of bridge investments in terms of safeguarding mobility will provide vital evidence in securing future funding to maintain aging bridges connecting rural communities.
“Bridges carry many other critical infrastructure services, including power, telecommunications and water, their importance is often overlooked.
“EMBRACE will for the first time enable us to understand the cascading impact of bridge loss across the region.”