Conference Agenda

Despite the many research successes, the widespread use of nano fertilizers is still limited. One reason for this slow pace of innovation has been identified as the lack of an adequate legal framework for monitoring technology’s efficacy and risks.

The goal of the study is to carefully review the European Union (EU) provisions regarding nano-fertilizers, critically analyzing their political content and practical-operational repercussions. The results demonstrate that there is still a legislative vacuum that risks hindering a sustainable innovation in the field of nano-fertilizers.

Some solutions to such regulatory shortcomings have been proposed by the new EU strategy to chemical substances regulation, establishing an European assessment framework for ‘safe and sustainable by design’ (SSBD) chemicals and materials,

The SSBD concept serves to move towards a private regulation approach based on the social responsibility of the private sector and scientists. The general conclusion of the study is that scientists are currently called to assume a new role in innovation processes, with an expansion of their political and social responsibilities. Therefore, new ethical training for scientists is needed, one that goes beyond the traditional deontological approach and ventures into the less secure territories of applied ethics.

Stomata are microscopic pores on leaf surfaces and play a crucial role in gas exchange by dynamically responding to environmental stimuli. However, their small size and rapid responses make in vivo biophysical measurements challenging. Leveraging a customized photosynthesis-laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy (P-LSCM) system, we develop a 3D stomatal motion morphological model, VivoStomaScan, which enables real-time and non-invasive 3D structural observation of stomata in vivo under controlled micro-environments, along with in situ gas exchange measurements. Based on VivoStomaScan, we found that there was a negative correlation (R²=0.7) between the volume of guard cells (GCs) and subsidiary cells (SCs), which witnessed a significant increase (p<0.01) and decrease (p<0.001) respectively during stomatal opening, indicating that the volume expansion of the GCs could be compensated by the SCs. Additionally, the volume variation of SCs was much larger than that of GCs, which may prove that SCs play a leading role in monocotyledon stomatal opening, as also supported by the finite element analysis insights. Taken together, VivoStomaScan enables insights into the functional interactions between GCs and SCs within the stomatal complex, and provides a powerful tool for acquiring stomatal phenotypes in crop breeding and plant physiology.

Throughout earlier industrial revolutions, agriculture consistently adapted and improved practices to meet increasing food demand while facing a shrinking workforce. Industry 4.0's data-driven technologies, including artificial intelligence, smart sensors, and robotics, demonstrate potential to advance sustainable agriculture and reduce dependence on human labor. However, Agriculture 4.0 technologies have not been adopted as widely as anticipated. Farmers often question the workflow integration and its effects on efficiency and costs. Furthermore, advanced technologies may not be compatible with existing practices or equipment. A critical barrier is the knowledge gap among many actors, exacerbated by an aging workforce, limited training, and technology anxiety. In this talk, I will present how Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) approaches, when thoughtfully adapted to the unique conditions of the agricultural sector and properly implemented, can help bridge the persistent gap between rapidly advancing Agriculture 4.0 technologies and their still-limited adoption. HFE concepts have been largely absent from discussions of Agriculture 4.0. Industry 5.0 emphasizes human-centricity, resilience, and sustainability, prompting a refocus of HFE research in the unstructured, variable agricultural environment. Strengthening HFE in this context is essential for aligning technologies with the needs and limitations of agricultural tasks and users, ultimately promoting global food security.

This study, conducted within the Horizon Europe ICAERUS project (Innovation and Capacity building in Agricultural Environmental and Rural UAV Services), applies the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to investigate the determinants of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) adoption in European agricultural and rural contexts. The research aimed to understand how individual characteristics and perceptions influence behavioural intention to adopt drone-based services. Data were collected through in-person surveys at five demonstration events held across France, Greece, Lithuania, North Macedonia and Spain (106 responses), and an online survey administered to 497 European respondents with an interest in drone technologies.

Structural equation models and hierarchical regression analyses revealed that demographic and experiential variables—such as gender, education level, and prior drone usage—significantly predicted behavioural intention. The inclusion of TAM constructs, particularly perceived usefulness, further enhanced the model’s explanatory power. These findings underscore the importance of psychological and perceptual factors in shaping drone adoption.

The results offer practical insights for designing targeted communication, training, and demonstration strategies to enhance UAV uptake. At the policy level, the study provides evidence to support regional and EU-level initiatives aimed at accelerating the digital transformation of agriculture by addressing user perceptions and reducing barriers to adoption.