Dr Elsa BALLINI

My research activities focus on the impact of farming practices (nitrogen fertilization, water condition, biocontrol spraying, varietal mixture, biostimulant) on cereal resistance to fungal diseases. I am particularly interested in the molecular interactions between the plant and the pathogen during the early stages of infection and the modulations of this interaction by the agronomic environment. I am particularly working on one of the major diseases in the world economy: rice blast. Recently, within my host team, we have also developed projects on durum wheat and its main fungal diseases: the two septoria, brown rust and wheat blast (an emerging disease). My expertise in the field of interactions between agronomic practices and plant resistance has allowed me to interact more strongly with researchers involved in the field of biocontrol and the impact of agricultural practices on field efficiency of this products.

The aim of my future research will be to understand the impact of the agronomic environment on the interactions between the plant and the micro-organisms associated with it, including pathogens, and to see how the plant’s resistance is modified by this environment.