Objective VALORAM aims at exploring and valorizing Andean soil microbial diversity for the development of alternative, efficient technologies and crop management practices to improve the sustainability and productivity of Andean cropping systems benefiting rural farming households. The project will focus on potato because of its global importance for small-scale farmers in the central Andean highlands. The participants will use metagenomic, genomic, proteomic and metabolomic analysis to identify novel traits of microorganisms and characterize beneficial soil microbial communities, to achieve the objective. The project specific aims are to (1) explore the agro-ecosystem functions of soil microbes in potato-based cropping systems and preserve the components of this microflora in international culture collections, (2) elucidate the role of rhizosphere microorganisms and communities in promoting plant growth, suppressing soil borne disease and priming plant biotic defenses, developing eco-efficient technologies/products for sustainable crop production systems, (3) develop applied technologies and knowledge-based systems to improve the sustainability and resilience of potato based cropping systems for the benefit of the indigenous farmers and (4) promote the exchange of scientific knowledge and technologies among partners and the LA scientific community to impulse research in this area and support the continuous development of crop production technologies. The strategy for VALORAM implementation is to engage LA and EU partners in developing and further stengthening collaborative research activities in order to sustainably improve potato-based systems. This is supported by a multidisciplinary team of experts with highly complementary skills and based on a robust management structure with an efficient workshop and communication programme. The results will directly benefit the local partners and may also contribute to increase the productivity of organic potato production in the EU. Fields of science social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivitynatural sciencescomputer and information sciencesartificial intelligenceexpert systemsagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturesocial scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiology Keywords PGPR arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi culture collection ecological impact endophytes metabolomics metadiversity metagenomics potato rhizosphere sustainable agriculture Programme(s) FP7-KBBE - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology Topic(s) KBBE-2008-1-4-08 - Characterisation and valorisation of Andean soil microbial diversity to support sustainable crop production and agro-ecosystems – SICA (Latin America-Andean region) Call for proposal FP7-KBBE-2008-2B See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CP-SICA - Collaborative project for specific cooperation actions dedicated to international cooperation partner countries (SICA) Coordinator UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN EU contribution € 512 999,00 Address PLACE DE L UNIVERSITE 1 1348 Louvain La Neuve Belgium See on map Region Région wallonne Prov. Brabant Wallon Arr. Nivelles Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Stéphane Declerck (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all AIT AUSTRIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GMBH Austria EU contribution € 555 560,00 Address GIEFINGGASSE 4 1210 Wien See on map Region Ostösterreich Wien Wien Activity type Research Organisations Administrative Contact Angela Sessitsch (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK - NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, CORK Ireland EU contribution € 457 552,00 Address WESTERN ROAD T12 YN60 Cork See on map Region Ireland Southern South-East Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Mary Cusack (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS-UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN Germany EU contribution € 464 520,00 Address GESCHWISTER SCHOLL PLATZ 1 80539 Muenchen See on map Region Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Arthur Schuessler (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITEIT GENT Belgium EU contribution € 302 398,00 Address SINT PIETERSNIEUWSTRAAT 25 9000 Gent See on map Region Vlaams Gewest Prov. Oost-Vlaanderen Arr. Gent Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Paul De Vos (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data CENTRO INTERNACIONAL DE LA PAPA Peru EU contribution € 257 310,00 Address AVENIDA LA MOLINA 1895 12 Lima See on map Activity type Public bodies (excluding Research Organisations and Secondary or Higher Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Carlos Alonso (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data FUNDACION PARA LA PROMOCION E INVESTIGACION DE PRODUCTOS ANDINOS Bolivia EU contribution € 205 798,00 Address Av Meneces km 4, El Paso Cochabamba See on map Activity type Research Organisations Administrative Contact Iber Albornoz (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSIDAD TECNICA PARTICULAR DE LOJA Ecuador EU contribution € 221 249,00 Address SAN CAYETANO ALTO S/N 11 01 608 LOJA See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Juan Pablo Suarez (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Total cost No data