ADAPT kicked off novel collaborations between distinct research areas that have rather been isolated before by combining the complementary expertise in stress physiology with molecular plant breeding and technology development together with bioinformatics and the end-user’s perspective.

Only this combination enabled us to tackle these complex challenges at such a sophisticated level build on the needs of the community/stakeholders. In my view this is the way to go for future research towards more climate resilient crops and should be followed in future projects.

To this end, the consortium is already working on follow-up proposals, for example to train the next generation of researchers in such an interdisciplinary setting and also to take advantage of the unique expert knowledge and available tools that have been developed to bring the research results from this project into practice in breeding programs at the breeders or recommendations for farmers.

After four intense years of potato research, I would like to warmly thank all partners for their tireless and strong collaboration. I look forward to keeping working together and make potatoes fit for the future.

Dr. Markus Teige

ADAPT project coordinator

Senior Lecturer at the University of Vienna and Research Group Leader of the Plant Signalling Group at the Faculty of Life Sciences.