“The Quality Management System of Potato Crop Health” project receives first prize in Argentinean INNOVAR 2016 event

The National Innovation Competition (INNOVAR) in Argentina has been organized since 2005 by the Program of Popularization of Science and Innovation Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. The aim of this event is to stimulate the transfer of knowledge and technology through innovation and improvement in quality of life of society, and to enable marketing in the productive national and global markets.

In INNOVAR 2016, a project submitted by a team of experts from Integrated Unit Balcarce of the Argentinean National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) received the first prize.

The project was called “The Quality Management System of Potato Crop Health.” It was included as part of the category “Applied Research”, standing out among approximately 1,500 projects submitted to the call.

It was coordinated by Gladys Clemente, Professor and Researcher at ProPapa Group, Integrated Unit FCA National University of Mar del Plata, INTA Balcarce, along with a team of members from areas of improvement, seed production and Agrometeorology from INTA Balcarce Integrated Unit.

This project will reduce the application of agrochemicals to be aligned with environmental care and allow the production of safe food under "Good Agricultural Practices."

This procedure maintains crop health through the use of crop management protocols, combining knowledge and experience in automation systems. It outpaces the risk prediction in the systems based on mathematical calculations, with the addition of agronomic variables, monitoring and laboratory diagnosis. The information in the system is organized, managed and audited by own procedures and records of quality management.