As part of the CIRQUA project, members of our consortium have recently published a significant review paper in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, titled “Metal organic frameworks: Innovation in fertilization and crop defense”.
As global food demand increases, this paper highlights the pressing need for technological upscale to address the significant environmental losses and low nutrient-use inefficiency associated with the widespread use of conventional fertilizers and pesticides. Our researchers provide an integrated assessment of how Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) can serve as multifunctional delivery platforms for both nutrient and phytosanitary management.
Key highlights of the research:
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MOF-based systems exhibit a high capacity for nutrient loading and controlled-release properties.
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They lead to improved nutrient use efficiency and reduced leaching losses compared to conventional fertilizers.
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They can be utilized to deliver pesticides and antimicrobials in a controlled and gradual manner, minimizing environmental effects while maintaining high crop protection efficacy.
This study was implemented with the co-funding of the CIRQUA project, under the PRIMA program (European Union Horizon 2020).
