Viola Kurm

Viola Kurm is a Researcher at Wageningen University & Research, affiliated with the Biointeractions and Plant Health faculty. Her work focuses on soil health, microbial ecology, and plant pathology, with a particular emphasis on long-term agricultural experiments and sustainable land management. She has contributed to projects addressing disease suppression in soils and the development of novel diagnostics for zoonotic diseases.

Education:

• PhD in Soil Microbiology (Wageningen University & Research, 2018)

Research Interests:

• Soil microbiome dynamics and their role in plant health
• Impact of soil management practices on disease resistance and biodiversity
• Integration of microbial communities in sustainable agriculture
• Xenosurveillance for zoonotic disease monitoring

Key Projects:

• Project Leader: Fytosanitair: Detectiemethode Ralstonia syzygii (2023–2025)
• Project Leader: Effect van de bodem op weerbaarheid van aardappelknollen (2018–2022)
• PhD Project: Rarity of Soil Bacteria (2014–2018)

Grants and Collaboration:

• Collaborations on soil health treatments, microbial community analysis, and disease suppression

Labs/Teams: Active in Wageningen Environmental Research and Wageningen Social & Economic Research teams, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to soil and environmental challenges.