Biography
Food production is being increasingly challenged by salinization and degradation of land and water. Vanessa Melino's research aims to limit the environmental impact of agriculture by understanding plant adaptation to salinity and nutrient stresses. The aims of her research are to:
- Domesticate a wild, salt tolerant plant species (Salicornia spp.) as a future seed oil crop
- Identify genes and mechanisms enabling Na+ sequestration in halophytes
- Identify root phenes and radial transport pathways for nutrient acquisition under stress
- Improve nitrogen recycling and remobilization under stress to support plant growth
Research Interests Keywords
plant physiology
plant nutrition
salinity tolerance
root architecture
ion transport
nitrogen use efficiency
