Jan van der Wolf

Jan van der Wolf is a researcher at the Biointeractions and Plant Health department of Wageningen University & Research, focusing on microbial plant pathogens and sustainable agricultural practices. His work addresses bacterial diseases affecting crops like potato, strawberry, and mushrooms, with emphasis on pathogen transmission, disease management, and environmental sustainability.

Research interests include:

• Infectious agents in plant systems
• Bacterial pathogens such as Dickeya, Pectobacterium, and Ralstonia
• Seed and crop disease control strategies
• Microbial ecology in agroecosystems
• Sustainable alternatives to peat in horticulture

Recent research highlights include:

• Pathogen dispersion mechanisms in strawberries
• Environmental impact of peat substitutes in mushroom cultivation
• Quantifying bacterial infection thresholds in potatoes

He leads projects on bacterial wilt resistance in potatoes (2024-2027), microbiological quality standards for growing media (2022-2026), and fytosanitary controls for Liberibacter (2021-2025). His team collaborates internationally on plant disease diagnostics and sustainable agricultural solutions.