Foto del docente

Francesco Spinelli

Professore associato

Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari

Settore scientifico disciplinare: AGR/03 ARBORICOLTURA GENERALE E COLTIVAZIONI ARBOREE

Temi di ricerca

Parole chiave: qualità della frutta composti organici volatili interazioni pianta microrganismi produzioni frutticole sostenibili iActinidia (kiwifruit) Bioregolatori in frutticoltura

L'attività di ricerca attuale si concentra sullo studio e ottimizzazione di metodi alternativi e non invasivi per l'identificazione dei microrganismi associate con le piante
e per la diagnosi precoce delle fitopatie. Tra queste metodologie, la ricerca si è focalizzata sulle tecniche basate sul vis-NIR e sul monitoraggio dei composti volatili
(VOC) tramite l'utilizzo del naso elettronico (e-nose). In particolare, lo studio dei VOC ha permesso di indagare anche il loro possibile ruolo biologico nelle
interazioni tra pianta e microrganismi. Tra i VOC maggiormente studiati ci sono stati alcune molecole segnale come l'etilene, il metil-salicilato e l'acido giasmonico
che possono influenzare i meccanismi di difesa della pianta. Dal 2009-2010, la ricerca si è anche estesa allo studio delle interazioni tra le specie di Actinidia (A.
deliciosa and A. chinensis) il batterio patogeno Pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae. Lo studio di tali interazioni è stato condotto principalmente in planta utilizzando
batteri marcati con proteine auto fluorescenti e monitorando le interazioni tra pianta e patogeno in tempo reale tramite microscopia confocale e stero microscopia
fluorescenza.



Development of novel e-nose based diagnostic system

Summary: the research deals with the development of alternative methods (electronic nose, near infrared spectroscopy NIRs) for the diagnosis of plant disease and the identification of plant-associated microorganisms. The most recent researches investigate also the possible biological role of VOCs and the airborne plant-to-pant or plant-microbe interactions.

Possible Thesis Duration: 6 months

Expertises/competences achieved during the research thesis:electronic nose use and data-processing, basic bacteriology, micropropagation, VOCs analysis and identification ability, nucleic acid extraction as well as PCR detection of bacterial species.

External collaborations:

Prof. S. Cristescu - Radboud University,  Life Science Trace Gas Facility, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Dr. J.L. Vanneste – Plant and Food, Ruakura Research Centre, East Street Private Bag 3123, Hamilton, New Zealand

Develop of new methods for the real-time monitoring of Pseuomona syringae pv. actinidiae directly in plant.

Summary: The research aims to develop a method allowing to monitor in vivo the plant-bacteria interactions during the infection process. These non-destructive methods will allow the direct visualization of the spatio-temporal interactions of P. syringae pv actnidia (PSA) in intact Actinidia chinensis and A. deliciosa tissues.

To reach this objective, a stable and broad host- range plasmid vector, pDSK-GFPuv, which expresses GFPuv (driven by a constitutive chloroplast promoter, psbA) at high levels will be inserted in competent PSA cells.

The GFPuv-labeled plant pathogenic bacteria not only can be easily visualized at the cellular level under a fluorescence microscope but also are clearly visible, as bacterial colonies, to the naked eye at the whole-plant level under longwavelength UV light.

The plant-pathogen interaction will be successively studied be means of fluorescent steromicroscope and by confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Once the protocols have been optimized for this pathosystem, they will allow to clarify crucial aspects of the infection process such as:

-              how the bacteria invade the plant tissues

-              how far the bacteria spread inside the plant tissues

-              how the plant defenses can contain the bacteria spread

The knowledge of this aspects will help in developing the most appropriate cultural strategies to contain the disease and to evaluate the most effective treatments to reduce the infection incidence and severity.

Finally, these methods may also be applied for Determination of temperature thresholds for PSA infection.

Possible Thesis Duration: according with the specific subject at least 3 days per week for 6 months.

Expertises/competences achieved during the research thesis:nucleic acid extraction, bacterial transformation, microscopy techniques, diagnostic methods

External collaborations: University of Siena, Department of BioPhysics-Univeresity of Bologna, Plant&Food Research (New Zealand).