College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences

Research Description:

My research is focused on understanding how rhizosphere bacteria can affect plant development during nutrient stress, specifically under phosphorus deficiency. I use a synthetic community of microorganisms isolated from plant tissues to replicate interactions we’d expect to see in the wild. I’m also interested in how this community can affect root structure by the catabolism or anabolism of auxin, and how this might tie together into a plant’s responses to phosphorus deficiency.
This could have potential applications to how plants are fertilized. Phosphorus fertilizers have low efficiency rates due to rapid precipitation and immobilization. Coupling fertilizer with bacterial communities capable of mineralizing phosphorus could increase fertilizer efficiency and reduce the need for their application.