LifeisLight project benefits from the European Commission fundings and aims at demonstrating the environmental and socioeconomic performances of a disruptive technology for plant protection.

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Université de Bordeaux

is specialized in measuring the impact of the UV solution on plant defense system and in evaluating the impact of the innovative solution on the surrounding environment.

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Université de Toulouse

is among the world leaders in the domain of Science and Technology of Light Sources and their expertise in the project covers the evaluation and characterization of UV sources.

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Torres
Vineyards

is well known for its ecological practices and allows us to conduct full-scale monitoring of the experiments.

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UV
Boosting

is a pioneer in the use of UV flashes as a substitute for fungicides and is the expert of plants' stimulations through the technology already developed.

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#SustainableViticulture

Our goal is to help winegrowers reduce

their use of fungicides.

LIFEisLIGHT project aims at demonstrating the environmental, economic, and social performance of an innovative technology for plant protection against fungi based on UV-C flashes in 3 different EU Member States (France, Spain and Italy). This general objectif can be split in 4 specific objectives:

  • REDUCING by at least 50% the use of fungicides in vineyards to limit environmental and health impacts
  • OPTIMIZING the UV-C sources
  • DEEPENING knowledge on plant reaction to UV-C flashes
  • EQUIP a total of 15 commercial wine farms with the prototypes developed in the scope of LIFEisLIGHT (France, Spain, Italy)

A new technology based on UV-C

In nature, plants are able to detect pathogens and trigger a natural process to stop the disease from spreading

Natural plants defenses stimulators

UV-C FOCUS

UV-C can also stimulate this natural defense mechanism: it triggers the production of a natural plant hormone: salicylic acid. This hormone activates natural defenses even before the pathogen attacks: the plant becomes more resistant to future attacks and the development of the disease is stopped faster

✓ This technology is the result of 9 years of research including 4 years of testing with growers

✓ It has been used commercially for 2 years in French vineyards 

✓ It is a very promising tool to drastically reduce fungicide inputs in agriculture

Used for 4 years in agriculture in the field

Your questions, Our answers

?

UV-C being the less penetrating type of UV, they are less carcinogenic than UV-B.

The sun emits a wide range of light, visible and invisible. Among the invisible, we find UV-A, UV-B and UV-C (ultraviolet), all of them corresponding to short wavelengths. The first two UV types, namely UV-A and B, are the most commonly known and are partially filtered by the ozone layer while all UV-C is blocked. But the ozone layer is only 600 million year old, while plant ancestors appeared 1200 millions years ago. For approximately 600 million years, plant ancestors had to live with UV-C that used to reach the earth surface every day.

No, UVs are part of the natural phenomenons that plants know how to respond to. Plant stimulation with UV light « trains » the plant immunity system and will allow the plants to produce naturally occurring compounds that will help it to become more resistant to pathogen attacks.

No, UV boosts are used in coordination with phytosanitary treatments. While phytosanitary treatments target pathogens, UV boosts help the plants to answer more quickly and more strongly to pathogen attacks. Stimulating the plants with UV-C can help reduce the total quantity of phytosanitary inputs needed while maintaining the same yields.

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