Partner 2 : EVT Etablissement Vanille de Tahiti French Polynesia
Unit name: Département Recherche et Développement (DRD), Uturoa - Raiatea
Description of the research unit: The DRD of EVT is located in Raiatea, one of the Leeward Islands within the Society Archipelago, were most vanilla plantations are situated. The DRD (5 scientific and technical persons) works directly with the vanilla growers through the identification and management of vanilla diseases and develops research programmes aimed at improving the Tahitian vanilla cultivation.
Expertise and skills: The DRD has been working on the aromatic and genetic characterization of the Tahitian vanilla diversity and is currently focused on epidemiology of pathogenic fungi, identification of genetic markers linked to agronomical traits and disease resistance, and vanilla breeding. The implemented disciplines are: flavour compounds analysis, phytopathology, molecular biology, and genome mapping.
Name of staff involved in the project: Permanent staff: Sandra LEPERS-ANDRZEJEWSKI (Resarch department head, molecular geneticist) (Scientific Responsible), Timeri ATUAHIVA (phytopathologist), Chloé PELISSIER (technician, Civ), Roberto UFA (technician, shade houses).
Facilities (lab and ex situ collections description): The EVT DRD includes a sanitary control laboratory with pathogen identification equipment (ELISA, Microscope, and culture rooms), a molecular genetic lab (1 standard thermal cycler, manual sequencing system), a chemistry lab (HPLC) and 5130 m² of experimental insect- proof green houses. The EVT FRENCH POLYNESIA collection comprises 231 accessions, including 181 living specimens under insect – proof shade house (mainly V. ×tahitensis) and in vitro.
Characterisation, Protection, Sustainable use and Valorisation of Vanilla Biodiversity in Tropical EU
