Sandra Lucia Cortes - PhD student
Contact
sandra.cortes@nottingham.ac.uk
Research summary
Breeding for desirable agronomical traits has made crops more susceptible to weeds, pests and diseases. Herbivory alone can account for more than 20% of net plant productivity losses, making it a threat to food security. Current control of insect herbivory relies on the use of insecticides, but their increasing resistance to these products has shown that we need a better understanding of the factors affecting plant-insect interactions. Besides, the use of insecticides harms the environment.
My research project, based at Rothamsted Research, aims to understand the role of soil microbial communities in the plant-microbe interaction. Evidence suggests that when plants are attacked by insects we can observe a change in the profile of their root exudates. These exudates are the chemical language that plants use to control rhizosphere interactions: the diverse collection of metabolites shapes the composition of microbial communities in the rhizosphere. In this project, we will integrate tools from chemical ecology, plant biochemistry and soil microbiology to contribute to the knowledge of this herbivore-plant- soil microbes interaction
My Background
My I was born in Columbia, where agriculture is part of our identity. I graduated from Biotechnological engineering but was never really enthusiastic about the engineering part, so I was very lucky to find a job as a technician in the Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research - Agrosavia. There I spent 7 years working on projects related to plant-microbe interactions, trying to find bacteria that could improve the growth and nutritional quality of grasses and legumes. Whilst being a technician, I completed a Master of Science in Biology at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. My research project aimed at understanding how beneficial bacteria can alter plant physiology when plants are subjected to drought. I have always loved plant-microbe interactions, so this PhD project is a perfect fit for me!
Country of birth: Columbia
Hobbies: I love dancing, especially salsa, and going to live shows and festivals. I have a very eclectic taste in music, so I enjoy anything from classic rock, Britpop, punk, salsa, bachata, kizomba... You name it, I probably love it!
A weird fact: I have three dogs in Colombia named after Brazilian singers (Maria Rita, Elis Regina and Maria Bethania).
sandra.cortes@nottingham.ac.uk
Research summary
Breeding for desirable agronomical traits has made crops more susceptible to weeds, pests and diseases. Herbivory alone can account for more than 20% of net plant productivity losses, making it a threat to food security. Current control of insect herbivory relies on the use of insecticides, but their increasing resistance to these products has shown that we need a better understanding of the factors affecting plant-insect interactions. Besides, the use of insecticides harms the environment.
My research project, based at Rothamsted Research, aims to understand the role of soil microbial communities in the plant-microbe interaction. Evidence suggests that when plants are attacked by insects we can observe a change in the profile of their root exudates. These exudates are the chemical language that plants use to control rhizosphere interactions: the diverse collection of metabolites shapes the composition of microbial communities in the rhizosphere. In this project, we will integrate tools from chemical ecology, plant biochemistry and soil microbiology to contribute to the knowledge of this herbivore-plant- soil microbes interaction
My Background
My I was born in Columbia, where agriculture is part of our identity. I graduated from Biotechnological engineering but was never really enthusiastic about the engineering part, so I was very lucky to find a job as a technician in the Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research - Agrosavia. There I spent 7 years working on projects related to plant-microbe interactions, trying to find bacteria that could improve the growth and nutritional quality of grasses and legumes. Whilst being a technician, I completed a Master of Science in Biology at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. My research project aimed at understanding how beneficial bacteria can alter plant physiology when plants are subjected to drought. I have always loved plant-microbe interactions, so this PhD project is a perfect fit for me!
Country of birth: Columbia
Hobbies: I love dancing, especially salsa, and going to live shows and festivals. I have a very eclectic taste in music, so I enjoy anything from classic rock, Britpop, punk, salsa, bachata, kizomba... You name it, I probably love it!
A weird fact: I have three dogs in Colombia named after Brazilian singers (Maria Rita, Elis Regina and Maria Bethania).