Funding: LIFE, co-funded by the European Union

Project duration: 06.2025 – 11.2027

Budget: 2,869,976.47€

Official website: Life Apollo – Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture in Europe 

Project aim

The LIFE APOLLO project aims to develop a new technological solution to protect apple trees from diseases like apple scab and powdery mildew, and olive trees from diseases such as olive leaf spot. The project uses UV-C light, a special type of ultraviolet radiation, which can reduce or prevent harmful fungal infections. The treatment is delivered by an autonomous rover equipped with UV-C lamps. These lamps emit light at a precisely tuned wavelength that targets the fungi without harming the trees. Thanks to its hybrid drive, the rover can operate electrically, contributing to more environmentally friendly farming. The best time for treatment is determined using predictive models that take into account both weather forecasts and the trees’ specific needs. Olive groves and apple orchards have been selected to test and further develop the technology – these crops are widespread in the Mediterranean region but currently have few technologies specifically designed for them.

Approach

The project focuses on refining and optimizing this new treatment method. Key factors such as the timing of the treatment, driving speed during treatment, distance to the foliage, and appropriate light intensity are fine-tuned under controlled conditions. At the same time, specialized prototypes for use in olive groves and apple orchards are developed. This is followed by a two-year testing phase under real-world conditions at multiple sites. These tests examine how reliably and effectively the technology works in everyday use, as well as its environmental and agricultural impacts. At Laimburg Research Centre and other trial sites, detailed assessments of disease incidence are carried out to provide accurate data on treatment effectiveness. Another important part of the project is introducing the technology to local farmers. Finally, LIFE APOLLO’s overall impact on sustainable fruit production is assessed. Detailed data are used to analyse both ecological and socio-economic effects, including comparisons with current standard farming practices and a life cycle analysis that considers economic, social and environmental aspects.

Expected Outcomes

The main expected outcomes of the project are:

• effective reduction of plant diseases with less reliance on chemical pesticides, thanks to the UV-C rover
• a practical, autonomous rover ready for use in apple orchards and olive groves
• precise, needs-based treatments guided by weather and plant data
• demonstrated effectiveness and reliability through multi-year field trials
• assessment of the sustainable and economic benefits compared to conventional methods
• presentation of the technology to stakeholders to encourage wider adoption