VerticHalPonics

Vertical haloponics: exploiting brackish water resources for sustainable, resilient and high valuable aquaponics productions

The general objective of VerticHalPonics is to develop an innovative food production system by implementing an interdisciplinary approach that builds on animal sciences, plant physiology and horticultural sciences while also exploring their interconnections with economic and environmental sciences. The system could boost the economy in the aquaculture and agriculture sectors, work in different areas, provide livelihoods for the growing world population, stimulate the transition towards sustainable food production practices, and ensure the quality and safety of food production.

The project will be structured in 6 work packages (WP) connected to each other and developed over a period of two years by three higher education institutions (UNIPD, UNIPI, UNIPG), and CNR-IRET. UNIPD will coordinate the project (WP1) that will start with the selection and test of halophytic plants cultivated in hydroponics with different water salinity levels and nutritive solutions (UNIPI_ WP2). The selected plant species will be used in a highly innovative and specifically developed haloponic systems for the cultivation of shrimps and vegetables in vertical conditions (UNIPD_WP3).

The system will be optimised by testing different shrimps’ stocking densities and feeds, and water salinity levels. The sludge of the system will be processed applying vermicomposting techniques and exploited as biofertilizers (CNR-IRET_WP4). Environmental sustainability and economic feasibility of the system will be evaluated through LCA and LCC analysis (UNIPG_WP5). Finally, the results will be disseminated and exploited through scientific communication, education, technological knowledge transfer and civil society awareness (UNIPG_WP6).