Bernardini Chiara
Title: Analysis of phytoplasmas-plant interaction with the mutant lines study of Arabidopsis thaliana
Supervisor: Prof.ssa Rita Musetti
Among plant pathogens, phytoplasmas are recently discovered: the first study about Phytoplasmas, was published in 1967 by Doi et al. (1967, Ann. Phytopath. Soc. Japan, 33: 259) who named them Mycoplasma-like organisms (MLOs) as they were similar to the mycoplasmas, causal agents of human and animal diseases. Phytoplasmas affect economically-important crops, provoking symptoms related to hormone unbalance such as virescence, phyllody, big bud, flower sterility or abnormalities, witches brooms, rosetting, internode elongation and off-seasoning growth. As phytoplasmas are localized in the phloem, mainly in the sieve elements, infected plants also show symptoms related to the mass flow impairment: leaf yellowing, reddening and leaf roll, phloem necrosis.
My project is focused on the study of phytoplasma and phloem relationship. In particular, the fine interaction occurring between the phytoplasma and the sieve element will be investigated, using Arabidopsis thaliana mutant lines lacking of proteins involved in the mass flow blockage and in other plant-defense responses.
Biography and Contacts
Chiara Bernardini was born in San Vito al Tagliamento (PN) in 1992. She obtained her bachelor degree in Agricultural Science in 2014 (score 109/110), and, in 2016, the master degree in Agricultural Science and Technology ( score 110/110 cum laude), both at the University of Udine. The master thesis was on “Grapevine trunk desease”. In 2016-2017 she worked six months at VCR, in Rauscedo, as phytopathology lab technician. Since June 2017 she is member of the Italian Organization of Agronomists (CONAF). In november 2017, she has started the PhD school in “Agriculture Science and Biotechnology” at the University of Udine.