At POMATO, we place great importance on building meaningful connections with sister projects, EU and international initiatives that share our vision for sustainable agriculture and plant health.
By aligning with like-minded efforts, we enhance our collective impact and broaden the reach of our stakeholder engagement. This collaborative spirit reflects our core values: inclusivity, innovation, and shared responsibility.
By working together, we strengthen our ability to tackle bacterial outbreaks caused by Clavibacter sepedonicus and Ralstonia solanacearum and protect the quality of potato and tomato crops.
Our objectives include identifying resistance genes, developing early detection tools using AI and drone imaging, creating natural and biological control solutions, and validating integrated pest management strategies in both greenhouses and real field conditions. We also focus on sharing results and encouraging uptake across sectors.
Through joint efforts and open knowledge exchange, we can reach more stakeholders, foster innovation, and accelerate the shift toward sustainable plant health strategies. Together, we are building a resilient future for crops, communities, and food systems.
Launched in September 2024 with 17 partners from 10 European countries, the Horizon Europe–funded IPMorama aims to improve disease- and pest-resistance in wheat, potato and grain legume varieties while developing variety-focused IPM strategies to reduce chemical pesticide use. Targeting key pests and diseases – such as potato blight, wheat rust, soy fungi, pea anthracnose and lupin broomrape – IPMorama will create a connected “practice ecosystem” through four pillars: understanding genetic resistance, mapping pest/pathogen distribution, developing tailored IPM practices, and upskilling stakeholders to enable widespread adoption.
Launched in June 2023, with 18 partners from 9 countries, the EU-funded PataFEST strengthens Europe’s potato value chain against zebra chip (Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum, vectored by Bactericera cockerelli) and major post-harvest diseases such as dry rot, black dot and silver scurf. PataFEST will identify resistant potato varieties and unravel pest and pathogen spread pathways at the molecular level, then integrate effective pre-harvest plant and soil treatments with digital tools (image-based mobile app and AI predictive models) and advance post-harvest solutions – including biocontrol coatings, controlled-atmosphere storage and VOC sensors – within an Integrated Pest Management approach validated up to TRL5.
Launched in May 2025 with 11 partners from 7 European countries and Brazil, the Horizon Europe–funded CitrusBusters is a four-year Research and Innovation Action aimed at protecting citrus production through sustainable, smart, and bio-based pest management solutions. It targets three citrus pests: Candidatus Liberibacter (CL), its associated insect vector Trioza erytreae (T. erytreae), and Phyllosticta citricarpa (PC), all considered priority threats under quarantine in the EU. CitrusBusters will expand the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) toolbox for citrus growers across Europe. With a prevention-first approach, the project pursues three core objectives: enabling early outbreak detection through hyperspectral and LiDAR imaging technologies and predictive models; enhancing citrus plant resilience via DNA-free innovations and active molecule extraction to trigger plant immune responses; and delivering safe, effective biocontrol formulations to reduce reliance on conventional pesticides and support healthier, more resilient crops.
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