Aim of SoilProS

SoilProS will interpret big data on soil biodiversity, soil chemical and physical characteristics with respect to current and desired soil functions, and how to use this information in order to help farmers predicting which crop varieties, seed mixtures, (organic) fertilizers, soil inocula, and organic substrates enhance the environmental sustainability of their activities.

The National Centre for Soil Ecology (NCSE) is a virtual platform to connect soil ecologists in the Netherlands. NCSE is a grassroots initiative led by Dutch universities, research institutions and universities of applied sciences.

Promoting Root Microbes for Integrated Striga Eradication

In Sub-Saharan Africa, many farmers face challenges accessing affordable resources to protect crops against pests and diseases, and ensuring stable crop yields for food, feed and fiber. While natural resources and fertile soils are becoming scarcer every day, feeding a growing global population will require novel and sustainable strategies to increase agricultural production. Nature offers potential allies that can help us enhance food production with less fertilizers and harmful pesticides. These partners are beneficial microbes. All life depends on them to provide many essential ecosystem services. How exactly can these microbial partners help?

Our aim is to engineer soil and plant microbiomes to enhance crop productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Specifically, we will explore and harness the functional potential of soil- and plant-associated microbes (bacteria and fungi) to minimize yield losses caused by Striga, a root parasitic weed that adversely affects many cereal crops all over the Sub-Saharan region.