Chapingo University students visit our Living Lab in La Axarquía

On October 8th, our “Living Lab” in La Axarquía welcomed 40 senior agronomy students from Chapingo University in Mexico. This visit, organized by BIOAZUL in collaboration with CSIC-IHSM La Mayora and TROPS, aimed to inform students about the innovative projects based at the Algarrobo demonstration plot and to explain the different lines of work and research underway regarding the use of reclaimed water in subtropical crops.

As part of the “Axarquía Sostenible” Operational Group, attendees were able to witness firsthand the state of the pitaya and passion fruit crops in the greenhouse. The pitaya plants are currently in full bloom, a significant step in evaluating the use of reclaimed water and the production of this crop.

Additionally, the students visited the outdoor area dedicated to avocado and mango cultivation, part of the European P2GreeN project. Since May 2023, various fertigation treatments have been carried out on the plot, using both reclaimed water and local water. Recently, the TROPS team completed pruning tasks for avocados and mangoes, a crucial step to promote tree growth and future fruit production. Furthermore, students learned about the tertiary treatment and disinfection processes used to produce reclaimed water from urban wastewater.

To conclude, the group delved deeper into the concept of the “Living Lab” thanks to the European NOVAFERT project, which aims to promote the use of alternative fertilizers through “Living Labs” focused on nutrient recovery, as is the case in La Axarquía.

It was a day filled with enthusiasm from the participants, packed with questions and answers, in an atmosphere of great interest and support for the innovative work carried out by all the entities involved in each project.