Fundamentally, I am intrigued by plants’ interactions with soil microorganisms and microfauna. In my research, I focus on disclosing how we can optimize these interactions to best support crop plant resilience towards drought stress as well as pathogens and pests, especially root parasitic nematodes.
We investigate how plant genetics and production of bioactive compounds regulate the root microbiome’s ability to protect the plant against pests and drought stress.