Plant pathology and soil biology have been my research areas since 30 years. My key interests are disease suppression, soil management, and plant pathogen ecology – the topics I worked on for 20 years at Wageningen University, and for 10 years at BLGG/Eurofins and SoilCares Research.

To me, the field is fascinating: at first sight all plant pathogens seem similar, but at closer look they’re spectacularly different. As a result, you need quite specific approaches to manage them. I’m also intrigued by how everything in soil systems is interconnected, and how agricultural practices such as crop residue management, soil tillage, crop rotation and organic matter management have overlapping effects on soil functioning. I like working in a team with experts from other disciplines, such as economists and crop specialists, and enjoy discussing the facts and fables about soil quality. My ultimate goal is to help growers increase the sustainability of their crop production systems.

Publications: see my CV (pdf).