Staff

1. (Member)
2. Fusconi Anna (Member)
3. Mucciarelli Marco (Member)

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Activity

The topic focuses on different aspects of the environmental regulation of plant growth and on the strategies to improve plant development under stress conditions, through the association with fungal symbionts. In particular it deals with the root system, which, given its key role in absorption of water and nutrients, has a fundamental importance for the growth, health and productivity of the whole plant. Understanding the mechanisms of root response to stress and the use of selected symbionts are thus essential for numerous application purposes, such as the propagation and planting in polluted, flood or dry soils employing autoctonous and non-autoctonous species and improvement of sewage capacity of plants used for phytoremediation. 

The major research areas are: 

- The morphogenetic responses of the root system and the influence of arbuscular mycorrhization and endophytic fungi on plant growth and health, in normal conditions and under stress (metal pollution, alpine environments and wetlands

- The effects of environmental pollution on plant growth, from a cellular and organismal point of view

- The environmental factors which influences seed germination. This area of research is complemented by the development of tissue culture techniques to propagate endangered piedmont species with little viable seeds