Supervisors: Prof. Cristina Nali and Dr. Lorenzo Cotrozzi
Research field: Plant Pathology
Research interests: Fusarium Head Blight, metabolomics, vegetation spectroscopy, biological control
Plant Pathology Lab, University of Pisa, Via Vecchia di Marina 20, 56122, San Piero a Grado (PI)
samuele.risoli@phd.unipi.it
Samuele is a PhD Student of the National PhD Programme in Sustainable Development and Climate Change, with a Master’s degree in Plant and Microbial Biotechnologies at the University of Pisa. He has experience in the investigation of physiochemical responses of plants grown under unfavourable conditions, the analysis of the expression of genes involved in plant defence mechanisms, the molecular identification of fungal species of phytopathological interest, and the use of hyperspectral and metabolomic phenotyping approaches for the early detection and monitoring of plant diseases and abiotic stress. His PhD research project aims to develop novel strategies for the early diagnosis and control of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) in wheat. Specifically, at the diagnostic level, the project is focused on the use of vegetation spectroscopy for a rapid, non-destructive, and inexpensive detection and monitoring of FHB, as well as of a metabolomic approach for the identification of metabolites involved in early stages of FHB infection. At the FHB-control level, the project is focused on the use of biocontrol agents or consortia of beneficial isolates (e.g., Trichoderma spp.), and innovative molecules (e.g., melatonin).
