To further strengthen collaboration within the POMATO project, Antonio León, Head of the POMATO team at University of San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), visited project partner FERTICO in Serbia. The meeting provided a valuable opportunity for the two partner organisations to learn more about each other’s work, exchange ideas and discuss future collaboration within the POMATO project.

During the visit, the teams shared insights into their respective project activities and explored how their expertise and ongoing work could contribute to the project’s common objectives. Particular attention was given to gaining a closer understanding of FERTICO’s role and activities within POMATO and identifying possible areas for cooperation with the USFQ team.

The meeting also enabled the partners to discuss future priorities and opportunities to strengthen collaboration as the project progresses. Direct exchanges between consortium members are essential for connecting complementary expertise, supporting the effective implementation of project activities and ensuring that research developments respond to practical needs.

By encouraging closer interaction between partners from different countries and areas of expertise, visits such as this one help reinforce the collaborative approach at the heart of POMATO.

The exchange between USFQ and FERTICO represents another step towards stronger cooperation across the consortium and the joint development of effective strategies for addressing bacterial diseases affecting potato and tomato production.