A project on the microbiome in apples selected for joint research between the UdL and IRTA

The projects "Apple Microbiome: effect of environmental conditions and a source of microorganisms to improve fruit quality" and "Managing populations of thrips (Thysanoptera) in integrated and organic nectarine orchards" have been selected in the second call for joint research grants between the University of Lleida (UdL) and IRTA, which opened on 6 July. The grants involve collaboration between at least one IRTA researcher located in Lleida and one researcher from the UdL, and include the hiring of a pre-doctoral researcher for three years and an additional amount of up to €15,000 to cover operating costs. The selected projects are those of Neus Teixidó (head of the Postharvest programme) and Jonás Oliva (from the UdL), and Dolores Bosch (from the Sustainable Plant Protection programme) and Jesús Avilla (UdL), respectively. These researchers will be in charge of supervising the doctoral thesis of the trainee researchers hired within the framework of each of the projects. The call for applications for the two pre-doctoral contracts will open in September. The joint research grants between IRTA and the UdL are the result of the agreement signed on 9 March 2020 with the aim of fostering collaboration between research groups from both institutions and promoting research and technological development in the agri-food sector in the Lleida region. The grants will be awarded in three calls (2020, 2021 and 2022), each for two three-year projects, and the total budget to be devoted to this aid programme is 500,000 euros.