We’re excited to share that Wikifarmer has published a feature on POMATO by Raquel Hernández Ruiz (UBU), co-authored with Saul Vallejos (UBU) and Christian Ghidelli (FUNDITEC). The article explains why two quarantine bacteria, Clavibacter sepedonicus (ring rot) and Ralstonia solanacearum (bacterial wilt), are so disruptive for European tomato and potato growers, and how POMATO aims to help.

The article covers:

• Key challenges: stealthy spread, long survival in soil/water, costly lab diagnostics, and the limits of conventional control. 

• POMATO’s four pillars:

  1. Resistance genes from cultivated & wild varieties;

  2. Early detection (AI predictive models, a multiparametric sensing device, and low-cost polymer sensors that can visualize infections in under ~30 minutes);

  3. Natural biocontrol (plant compounds, coatings, chemoperception disruptors, PGPMs);

  4. Field validation & IPM, with pilots across Europe and Latin America aiming to cut incidence by 40–60%. 

What farmers can expect

Faster, simpler diagnostics; decision-support tailored to local conditions; eco-friendly alternatives; and IPM strategies validated under real farm conditions, delivered by a multi-actor consortium of 16 partners working across continents. 

>> Read the full article on Wikifarmer.