On Tuesday, 24 June, a meeting was held at the Council Hall of the Municipality of Sant’Alessio con Vialone between the Research Module 1 team of the flagship project Formidabilae, Mayor Ivana Maria Cartanì, and agricultural entrepreneur Stefano Lamberti, owner of Tenuta Vialone.   The discussion aimed to explore the future sustainability of agricultural enterprises and to reflect on the role that the farm of the future can play as a productive, energetic, and social space in response to current environmental and territorial challenges. The research project, developed by AUDE Lab of the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture at the University of Pavia, proposes a reconfiguration of the traditional Lombard farmstead as an ideal model of an agro-energetic farm—capable of integrating technological innovation, landscape stewardship, energy self-sufficiency, and community values.   During the meeting, Prof. Carlo Berizzi and Prof. Nadia Bertolino, supported by research interns Adele Bianchi and Beatrice Zanetti, presented the preliminary outcomes of a design-based research project centred on Cascina Vialone, used as a case study to explore alternative models of agriculture and land management.   The collaboration between research, local government, and economic stakeholders proved to be a strategic driver for promoting high-impact social innovation, and will be publicly shared through the upcoming exhibition “Cultivating the Future: Agriculture, Energy, Community”, curated by the AUDE Lab team and scheduled for Autumn 2025. This initiative is part of the broader mission of the PNRR NODES project to develop sustainable models of agro-industrial innovation that generate territorial and collective value.

On 12 June 2025, the final conference of the SmartSilo project was held at the headquarters of SIVAM S.p.A., as part of the NODES – Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile programme (Spoke 6 – Primary Agroindustry). Together with Società Agricola Berticelli Luigi S.S. and the research centre CERZOO, around 30 dairy farmers and stakeholders gathered to share the key outcomes of the project.   During the event, an intelligent silo system was presented, equipped with electronic load cells capable of remotely monitoring daily feed and supplement consumption. Through digital monitoring and the use of advanced sensors such as ruminal boluses, the project enabled more efficient logistics, reduced waste and packaging, and optimised cow diet management based on precision feeding principles.   Professor Francesco Masoero presented CERZOO’s scientific contribution to the experimental validation of the system, highlighting its benefits in terms of environmental sustainability and animal welfare.   The event underlined the crucial role of digitalisation in making the dairy supply chain more efficient and resilient, in line with the objectives of Spoke 6. With the official project closure, a wider dissemination phase of the results will soon begin to encourage the adoption of the SmartSilo system across the sector.

On 28 May 2025, Professor Fabio Dell’Acqua (University of Pavia) presented the initial results achieved by his Research Module within VINO flagship project at the Radar and Remote Sensing Workshop (RRSW) organised by GTTI.   The study, conducted in collaboration with the Microwave Remote Sensing Lab (MRSLab) at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and the Telecommunication and Remote Sensing Lab at UniPV, proposes an innovative approach to vineyard monitoring by combining optical vegetation indexes with multi-polarisation radar indexes. The case study focused on vineyards in the Valle Versa area, contributing to the development of more sustainable, data-driven agricultural practices.   The project is now expanding to Armenia, where full-polarimetric radar data are being acquired through the support of the Italian Space Agency (project AO "ID 910 actirs4env-nodes") on vineyards at Trinity Canyon Vineyards, equipped with in-situ sensors. In collaboration with the CENS NAS RA, researchers are analysing the relationship between radar responses and the seasonal evolution of the vine, also thanks to the presence of co-author Andrea Bergamaschi (UniPV), currently on Erasmus+ mobility.   Future developments include the modelling of radar backscatter from vine rows, in collaboration with Professor Ferdinando Nunziata from Sapienza University of Rome. The project thus strengthens the international and multidisciplinary network of Spoke 6, contributing to digital innovation for a more sustainable agri-food industry.   This experience confirms the strategic value of international research cooperation promoted by Spoke 6, fostering synergies between universities, centres of excellence, and businesses worldwide to advance digital and sustainable solutions in agroindustry.

On 30 May, the final event of the APNR – Academy del Pinot Nero Research project was held at the Prime Alture agricultural company (lead partner), in collaboration with Geosmartcampus Srl. APNR is an industrial Proof of Concept funded under the Cascade Calls – Line A of the NODES – Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile programme, aimed at developing innovative technologies and strategies to enhance the Pinot Noir supply chain in the Oltrepò Pavese region of northern Italy.   The project focused on two complementary areas: experimental fieldwork in the vineyard, with the installation of pilot systems, and market research to analyse consumer preferences and refine product positioning strategies. Among the innovations tested in the vineyard, special attention was given to the use of inter-row mulching, an agronomic technique involving the autumn-winter sowing of temporary cover crops. These are later shredded and channelled beneath the vines using a dual-row mulching machine, creating a uniform organic layer. This practice significantly suppressed weed regrowth throughout the season without the need for further intervention, while repurposing plant residues from within the vineyard ecosystem itself—an example of circular sustainability.   A second pilot involved the use of shade nets, designed to reduce incident solar radiation by 20% to 70%. The results were highly promising: the nets helped prevent sunburn on grape clusters and improved overall agronomic performance. Analytical data recorded slightly higher yields (127 kg per row with nets vs. 124 kg without; 2.12 kg per vine with nets vs. 1.87 kg without), better fruit distribution, and healthier vines with minimal fungal disease. Labour was also optimised, as no de-shooting was required and harvesting was easier thanks to the clear and compact cluster arrangement.   On the industrial research side, the APNR team conducted a two-phase market study. The qualitative phase explored emotional responses, perceptions, and narratives surrounding Pinot Noir, gathering insights from sommeliers, chefs, and wine enthusiasts to guide marketing strategies and uncover new consumption occasions. The subsequent quantitative phase validated these insights across a representative sample of wine consumers, identifying high-potential target groups and effective communication strategies to attract and retain new audiences.   APNR has served as a practical example of how combining field-based innovation with market intelligence can produce tangible benefits for wine producers, enabling a shift toward more sustainable, competitive, and consumer-conscious viticulture.