Innovative approach for the protection of medicinal and aromatic plant crops – between circular bioeconomy and nanotechnology
PN-IV-P7-7.1-PED-2024-0318 (85PED/2025)
Combining natural extracts and nanomaterials can result in synergistic effects (where the antimicrobial properties of metals complement the biostimulant activities of plant-derived compounds), amplifying the benefits of both approaches. Thus, incorporating plant-derived compounds into nanocarriers can enhance their stability and bioavailability, ensuring a more sustained and effective delivery to plants.
Project goal
This integrated approach holds great potential for sustainable and efficient agriculture. This synergy creates a balanced formulation that not only protects plants from pathogens, but also enhances their overall growth and resilience. The project “Innovative approach for the protection of medicinal and aromatic plant crops – between circular bioeconomy and nanotechnology” (BioEcoNan) proposes a circular approach for the protection and enhancement of medicinal and aromatic plant crops, in which the vegetal wastes of a plant are used to develop modern tools for its own protection.
Contracting authority: Executive Unit for Financing Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation (UEFISCDI)
Implementation period: 05/05/2025-04/05/2027
Total budget: 848.197 lei
Value from the state budget: 746.162 lei
Co-financing: 102.035 lei
Project director: Dr. Habil. Radu Claudiu Fierăscu
Coordinator:
National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry – ICECHIM Bucharest
Project director: Dr. Habil. Radu Claudiu Fierăscu
Partner:
Partner responsible: Dr. Eng. Daniela Ionescu
The project “Innovative approach for the protection of medicinal and aromatic plant crops – between circular bioeconomy and nanotechnology” (BioEcoNan) proposes a circular approach for the protection and enhancement of medicinal and aromatic plant crops, in which the vegetal wastes of a plant are used to develop modern tools for its own protection. The resulting solution (incorporating vegetal wastes and phytosynthesized nanomaterials) will act not only as a protection against the biocenotic stress agents (particularly the fungal and bacterial diseases), but also as a biostimulant, thus increasing not only the crop yield, but also the overall use of plants.
Evaluation of the possibilities of valorizing vegetable waste as a powerful tool against biocenotic stress of fungal and bacterial origin.
Implementation period: 05/05/2025 – 31/12/2025
Activities:
- Evaluation of vegetable wastes of Momordica charantia L. and Calendula officinalis L., 1753 in order to obtain extracts with increased content in active principles and for the phytosynthesis of nanoparticles;
- Identification of fungal and bacterial diseases affecting target crops;
- Development of protocols for obtaining natural extracts with increased concentrations of phytoconstituents;
- Collection of vegetable wastes;
- Obtaining and characterizing natural extracts with increased concentrations of phytoconstituents and active fractions;
- Optimization of extraction methods – Part I;
- Preliminary evaluation of biostimulant and antimicrobial properties – Part I;
- Results and project dissemination.
Optimization of extraction methods and development of technology for obtaining phytosynthesized nanostructures with controlled properties and morphologies; preliminary evaluation of the biostimulant and antimicrobial properties of nanoparticle/extract mixtures.
Implementation period: 01/01/2026 – 31/12/2026
Activities:
- Optimization of extraction methods – Part II;
- Synthesis and characterization of phytosynthesized nanomaterials;
- Preliminary evaluation of biostimulant and antimicrobial properties – Part II;
- Development of final solutions (mixtures of nanoparticles/extracts);
- Initiation of validation in a controlled environment;
- Demonstration of the efficiency of the proposed solutions as biostimulants and protective agents against fungal and bacterial diseases – Part I;
- Starting the primary evaluation of the results obtained in a controlled environment;
- Results and project dissemination.
Demonstration and validation of the proposed technology.
Implementation period: 01/01/2027 – 04/05/2027
Activities:
- Demonstration of the efficiency of the proposed solutions as biostimulators and protective agents against fungal and bacterial diseases – Part II;
- Evaluation of the results obtained in a controlled environment – making corrections and improvements to the process;
- Validation of the solution through internal and third-party studies;
- Development of technical documentation for the development of biostimulator and protective solutions and patent applications;
- Results and project dissemination.
- 8 participations in scientific events;
- 4 scientific papers submitted for publication in Web of Science/Clarivate journals
- Organization of one workshop on the project
- Two patent applications
- Other communication and dissemination measures
- Anuta, V.; Blidaru, A.; Dinu-Pîrvu, C.-E.; Fierascu, R.C.; Fierascu, I.; Toma, D.-I.; Popa, L.; Ghica, M.V.; Prisada, R.-M. Metal-Based Nanoparticles with Biostimulatory Effects: Harnessing Nanotechnology for Enhanced Agricultural Sustainability. Materials 2025, 18, 3142. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18133142
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