Dr. María Florencia Martínez

Thе research of Dr. Martínez during her CropPrime secondment focused on investigation of the potential of Aqueous Rosemary Extract (ARE) as a biostimulant to enhance crop resilience against abiotic stress. Arabidopsis thaliana was used as a model system to assess the effects of ARE and its constituent, rosmarinic acid (RA), on plant growth, development, and stress tolerance. The obtained results demonstrated that ARE exhibited varying degrees of protection against different abiotic stresses. While its effects under drought and heat stress were limited, ARE provided significant protection against oxidative stress by inducing genes involved in ROS scavenging. Further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. However, these findings suggest that ARE has the potential to be a valuable tool for enhancing plant resilience against environmental stressors, particularly those involving oxidative stress. 

With a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology and a PhD in Biological Sciences from the National University of Rosario, Argentina, Ms. Martinez has a strong foundation in molecular biology techniques, particularly in agronomically important plants and their defense against viral pathogens like Potato Virus X (PVX) and Tobacco Necrosis Virus A (TNVA). During her studies, she focused on diagnosing phytoplasma and spiroplasma infections in maize crops, leading to the establishment of a molecular assay for pathogen detection. In her PhD, she investigated the molecular mechanisms of plant responses to PVX and TNVA, conducting transcriptomics analyses and characterizing immunity responses at a molecular level. She also explored the use of a rosemary-derived biostimulant to enhance plant defense responses against pathogens, employing histochemical and molecular analyses. Additionally, she gained expertise in omics technologies such as metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics, furthering her understanding of plant-pathogen interactions. Through her academic journey, she actively contributed to scientific events, pursued professional development, and mentored undergraduate students, demonstrating her commitment to innovative research in plant molecular biology.