COLFRESA · (Sustainable) Strawberry Fields Forever: Harnessing plant volatiles and optimizing agricultural practices in the management of pathogens in a strawberry production system in Sibate, Colombia

Smallholder farming plays a crucial role in the food security and socio-economic stability of rural communities. However, their success is highly dependent on the profitability of crops, compelling farmers to intensify farming practices and widen profit margins. In the smallholder farming community of Sibate, Colombia, strawberry production has greatly increased over the past 2 decades. However, this crop is sensitive to infection by fungal pathogens, such as grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) and red stele disease (Phytophthora fragariae), of which outbreaks can decimate harvests. The intensive application of costly chemicals and expansion of cultivated lands to mitigate losses has led to the pollution of arable lands and threatens the endangered, highly biodiverse paramo ecosystem. I aim to provide the fundamental knowledge needed to develop sustainable management strategies and provide accessible information to promote its implementation. My first objective is to develop a causal model to predict disease outbreaks in the strawberry production system, with the aim of reducing the use of agrochemicals and optimizing irrigation practices. My second objective is to provide an alternative pathogen management strategy by making use of plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs emitted by infected plants can be detected by healthy plants and invoke a pre-emptive immune response. I aim to explore whether VOC-induced immune responses can be used as a “green vaccine” in strawberries under the Sibate environmental conditions. My third objective is to develop a web-application that predicts disease outbreaks, in collaboration with the farmers, so that cost-effective and pesticide-reduction management will be implemented. Together, this project aims to become a showcase to develop sustainable agricultural practices together with small-holder farmers that will help conserve the unique paramo region, and help develop sustainable strawberry cultivation practices around the world.