Defensive Responses and Trophic Interactions in Crops
Research line: Biotechnology and Plant Breeding of Cultivated Species
- Research
- Staff
Research
The research group Defensive Responses and Trophic Interactions in Crops develops innovative strategies to enhance crop resilience against biotic and abiotic stresses in a context of climate change and reduced use of chemically based plant protection products. Our approach is based on understanding how secondary metabolism serves as an integrative hub in stress responses and can be precisely modulated to improve plant adaptation without compromising growth or productivity.
We adopt an integrative framework that combines molecular biology, plant physiology, chemical ecology, and multitrophic interactions to generate fundamental knowledge and translate it into sustainable strategies applicable to real agricultural systems.
Currently, our research activity is structured around four main lines:
- Induction and priming of plant defenses. We study the controlled activation of secondary metabolism through herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs), small bioactive molecules, antioxidants, and advanced nanoformulations. The goal is to induce primed metabolic states that enable faster, more efficient responses to subsequent stresses while minimizing the physiological costs of constitutive defense activation.
- Targeted modulation of key stress-response regulators. We identify and characterize regulatory genes involved in integrating hormonal signaling pathways (particularly those related to jasmonic, salicylic, and abscisic acids) and in balancing defense and growth. We use tools such as VIGS and CRISPR-Cas gene editing to evaluate gene function and optimize resilience under combined stress conditions.
- Post-translational regulation and plant immunity. We analyze the role of proteostasis and the ubiquitin–proteasome system in the fine control of defense activation. This line seeks to understand how the stability and degradation of regulatory proteins determine the intensity and duration of immune responses, opening new possibilities for the reversible modulation of plant defenses.
- Tritrophic interactions and sustainable pest management strategies. We integrate the study of plant–herbivore–natural enemy interactions to ensure compatibility between defense activation and biological control. We develop biorational tools, including natural-origin biopesticides, nanoemulsions, and RNAi-based strategies, for the specific control of insect pests.
Our interdisciplinary approach, supported by competitive national and international projects, contributes to the development of more resilient and productive agricultural systems aligned with European sustainability goals and the reduction of chemical inputs.
