The Partnership on Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) call has favorably reported on the implementation of the project called New low cost strategies of crop based on biodiversity and remote sensing to reduce the application of nitrogen fertilizers in the Mediterranean area (TeleNitro). This is a research project coordinated by the Center for Soil Science and Applied Biology of Segura, Higher Council for Scientific Research, Spain, which has the participation of the University Institute for Agrifood and Agro-Environmental Research and Innovation of the Miguel Hernández University, also from Spain, the Department of Biology, Agricultural and Food Sciences of the Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources of the National Research Council of Italy, the Research Center in Water, natural resource, environment, and sustainable development of the Mohamed V University of Rabat, Morocco, and the Higher Institute of Sciences and Techniques of Water Gabes, Tunisia. It will be carried out between 2023 and 2026 with the main objective of creating a low-cost and convenient agronomic strategy to reduce nitrogen fertilizers in agricultural systems (small or large farms) and limit the amount of nitrates that reach the soil, minimizing their leaching into water bodies, without affecting crop production and quality. This could allow the efficient use of fertilizers in intensive horticultural cultivation systems, avoid soil salinization, and nitrate pollution. The natural nitrification inhibitor (NBI) strategy in combination with information technologies, will be used to prevent nitrate leaching to soil areas where plants are unable to uptake them. TeleNitro will provide a decision support system (DSS) with functions such as data collection, fertilizer and irrigation recommendations, and a digital field notebook. Farmers will be trained in the use of native NBI plants, the nitrogen selective electrode, and the DSS. Disclose the progress of the TeleNitro project to different sectors, promoting awareness on the importance of caring for the environment, and inform on the tools available to farmers who manage small or large farms through the TeleNitro project and the Prima foundation. Training sessions with specific Training Kits will contribute to the professional development of stakeholders, researchers and potential users of the knowledge generated by the project. These activities will be one of the most important parts of the project, since our main objective is not only the development of a DSS for the application of NBI, but also that it be accessible to all farmers, but without forgetting that for this they must to know how to use it. To carry out these training courses in the DSS, the collaboration will be necessary, not only from all the partners, but also from the local agrarian entities, as well as from the local authorities that facilitate the realization of these courses. The number of courses will be two per country. In this work, we present the current state, including the DSS and the preparation of materials related to the use of NBI native plants and the use of the nitrogen-selective electrode.

Keywords: Horticultural production, nitrate, lixiviation, natural nitrification inhibitor, irrigation recommendations.