Scientific competence and research activity
My research activity is in the area of crop molecular genetics, mainly on the following species: maize, wheat and barley, on fruit trees (apple) and on biomass crops (Arundo donax). Obiectives include the identification of genes important for i) yield improvement, ii) increase tolerance to abiotic stresses, iii) root, flower and fruit development. Approaches and technologies in use
include: linkage mapping, gene and QTL mapping and cloning in
both cereals and fruit crop species; development of innovative
strategies and tools for mapping, including LD-based association
mapping, and marker-assisted selection; assembly and molecular
analysis of germplasm collections for breeding porpuses;
mutagenesis and TILLING.
