Harnessing the potato-microbiome interactions for development of sustainable breeding and production strategie

Current conventional agriculture relies heavily on high nutrient inputs as well as massive use of pesticides. The concept of this project relies on the principle that plants naturally interact with beneficial (soil) microbes, making them less dependent on synthetic inputs. This approach will be particularly beneficial for potato cultivation where many varieties have underdeveloped root systems and are susceptible to pests and other environmental stress factors including changes in climate. PotatoMETAbiome aims at identifying potato genotypes that interact effectively with the soil microbiome. This helps to breed varieties that depend less on external inputs, while maintaining yield both under optimal conditions as well as under conditions of (a)biotic stress.
Altogether, this project will generate a resilient potato cropping system better able to recover from biotic and abiotic stresses. PotatoMETAbiome will contribute to the achievement of sustainable potato cropping by integrating biological, social, economic and environmental dimensions while addressing smart breeding strategies, sustainable production and climate challenges.