Metabolomics and trascriptomics: novel approaches to understand resistance in grape against Plasmopara viticola.

Supervisor : Urska Vrhovsek (FEM) Gabriele Di Gaspero (Università di Udine)

Downy mildew is a significant limitation for grape production in the absence of chemical protection of traditional varieties. To reduce sprayings, resistant varieties were historically selected, but the mechanisms underlying the resistant phenotypes are not entirely understood. Beyond a few major genes responsible for the onset of hypersensitive responses, traditional phenotyping failed so far to disclose other pathways and metabolites that could provide practical relevance for grapevine breeding. The project is aimed at deciphering the mechanisms responsible for resistance in vine plants. The metabolomics and transcriptomics approaches will focus on identification of respective bio-markers.

Biography and contacts

Giulia Chitarrini was born in 1987 in Rome, Italy. She studied Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Roma Tor Vergata, where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree.She studied Health and Nutrition biology at the University of L’Aquila where she got her Master’s degree in October 2013. She worked on a thesis project “Relationship between Aspergillus flavus and antioxidant profile of Fagopyrum spp., potential ingredient for functional foods production” in collaboration with ENEA Casaccia laboratories. 

From November 2013 she has started her FIRST fellowship in the Metabolomic group within the Food and Quality Nutrition Departement Under supervision of Urska Vrhovsek. Since 2014 she is also a PhD student of the school in Agriculture Science and Biotecnology at the Udine University.

giulia.chitarrini@fmach.it

[Phone 0461615-568/670]