Today, we conducted practical demonstrations at the hop farm Ribič, where participants were introduced to modern methods for monitoring soil and plant status, as well as advanced technologies supporting precision hop production:
- Soil compaction assessment – Within the #CLIMAGROW operational project, we demonstrated methods for measuring soil compaction and highlighted its importance for root development, water retention, and adapting hop production to climate change.
- Physiological measurements in hops – Is the hop under stress? – As part of the #PRIRAST operational project, we demonstrated physiological measurements that enable the assessment of heat and drought stress in hop plants, providing a better understanding of plant responses to changing environmental conditions.
- Automated soil sampling and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) soil mapping – Within the #Robot4Plants operational project, we presented the use of an automated soil sampler and ground-penetrating radar for high-resolution soil mapping, supporting precision management of hop fields.
We would like to thank all hop growers and other participants for the excellent attendance, great interest, and many engaging questions. It is encouraging to see the growing interest in modern technologies, which represent an important step towards more sustainable, efficient, and data-driven hop production.
These operational projects are implemented under Intervention #IRP38 of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023–2027.
