BIO-DIGIPROP AVOCADO Project to boost biotechnology and artificial intelligence to improve sustainable avocado plant production

The production of high-quality plant material is one of the main challenges in moving towards more efficient, sustainable agriculture that is better adapted to environmental conditions. In the case of avocado, one of the technological obstacles lies in the difficulty of producing plants through in vitro clonal propagation techniques, a process affected by oxidation, necrosis and variability in plant tissue responses.

To address these challenges, BIO-DIGIPROP AVOCADO is being developed as a national industrial research project combining plant biotechnology, biostimulation and artificial intelligence. Its aim is to develop new strategies to improve the in vitro production of clonal avocado rootstocks (Persea americana), paving the way for more reproducible, efficient, traceable and sustainable processes.

Coordinated by Bioval, the initiative brings together the expertise of Meristec, Ecoforce and Graphenus, alongside the participation of the Spanish Bioindustry Association (AseBio), in a multidisciplinary collaboration integrating biological research, the development of functional formulations, experimental digitalisation and knowledge transfer to industry. Throughout the project's 11-month duration, the five participating organisations will work together to develop innovative solutions that help improve the efficiency and sustainability of avocado plant production by combining biotechnological research with new digital tools.

"BIO-DIGIPROP AVOCADO was launched with the ambition of providing new tools to address some of the major challenges facing agriculture today: producing more efficiently, sustainably and through a knowledge-based approach. Collaboration between the participating organisations will make it possible to combine advanced research and digital technologies to generate solutions with real-world application potential. At Bioval, we firmly believe that initiatives of this kind are essential to promoting more innovative, resilient agriculture that is better prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow."

Overcoming the Limitations of Avocado Propagation

One of the distinguishing features of BIO-DIGIPROP AVOCADO is its focus on a critical stage of the production chain: the clonal rootstock, the part of the plant onto which the graft is made and which plays a decisive role in its agronomic performance.

Rootstock selection influences essential factors such as adaptation to soil conditions, response to water or salt stress, interactions with root pathogens and crop uniformity. Advancing rootstock propagation therefore represents an opportunity to improve the quality and uniformity of the plant material supplied to nurseries and, subsequently, to agricultural producers.

However, avocado plants are particularly challenging to grow under in vitro culture conditions. Phenomena such as tissue oxidation and phenolisation, explant necrosis —the death of plant tissue fragments used to initiate cultures— and variability between experiments make it difficult to establish reproducible protocols. These limitations are compounded by reliance on empirical trial-and-error procedures and the need to reduce the consumption of inputs used in culture media.

BIO-DIGIPROP AVOCADO is investigating these factors through an integrated approach, combining knowledge of plant physiology with new functional formulations and digital tools capable of making use of the information generated during experiments. The project uses the Duke7 rootstock as its initial biological system to investigate potential improvements during the critical stages of its micropropagation.

Towards More Efficient and Sustainable Plant Production

BIO-DIGIPROP AVOCADO has established measurable objectives to assess the potential of the solutions under investigation. These include improving process reproducibility by at least 25%, increasing the overall efficiency of critical micropropagation stages by a minimum of 20%, and reducing the incidence of severe oxidation or necrosis by between 25% and 30%.

In terms of sustainability, the project aims to identify formulations that make it possible to reduce the use of conventional mineral salts by at least 20%, without compromising the technical viability of the cultures.

The project also plans to digitalise all valid experimental trials and develop analytical tools to facilitate treatment comparisons and the identification of response patterns, helping to reduce reliance on traditional trial-and-error methods.

Beyond scientific and technological advances, the initiative seeks to generate knowledge applicable across the agricultural biotechnology value chain, contribute to reducing operating costs and create opportunities for developing new solutions in biostimulation and process digitalisation.

The project also incorporates an environmental dimension by investigating formulations that require fewer resources and procedures that reduce unsuccessful experiments and optimise the use of materials, reagents and energy.

A Multidisciplinary Consortium to Drive Agricultural Biotechnology Innovation

Bioval, the association representing the biotechnology cluster in the Valencian Community and recognised as an Innovative Business Group (AEI), is responsible for the project's technical, administrative and strategic coordination, promoting collaboration among participants and ensuring progress towards the established objectives.

Meristec leads the biological and experimental component, contributing its expertise in in vitro clonal propagation and the evaluation of new culture conditions. Ecoforce is responsible for research into biostimulation and the development of functional formulations aimed at controlling oxidative stress and reducing mineral inputs.

Meanwhile, Graphenus contributes its Big Data and artificial intelligence capabilities to develop the data architecture, preliminary predictive models and the Omnichat conversational tool.

The consortium also includes AseBio, which helps strengthen the project's visibility within the biotechnology sector, disseminate the knowledge generated and extend its reach nationally and internationally, fostering connections between agricultural biotechnology innovation and the wider Spanish biotechnology ecosystem.

Through this collaboration, BIO-DIGIPROP AVOCADO aims to advance new technological capabilities for plant propagation, strengthen the competitiveness of the participating companies and promote knowledge transfer to an agricultural sector that increasingly needs more efficient, sustainable tools adapted to environmental challenges.