Leonardo Schena

With over 20 years of experience in the field, his current research mainly focuses on identifying plant associated microorganisms, to understand their structure, function and interaction with plants and pathogens. This line of research has helped in describing the microbiome of important crops including olive, citrus, strawberries, grape, wheat, and apples as well as soil, water, air, and insects. His researches contributed to determine the aetiology of important plant diseases and increased current knowledge on the impact of environmental conditions, management practices, host organs, and even tissues, on the microbiome of fruit crops, both before and after harvest. He also documented how external factors such as olive fruit fly infestations may cause imbalanced fungal communities, a phenomenon similar to dysbiosis in human. Despite the documented impact of these factors, researches confirmed the presence of a core microbiome that is determined by the host genetic identity. For instance, apple rootstocks influenced the microbiota of associated grafted scion. In agreement with these studies the composition of the endophytic microbiota is influenced by the host pedigree and vigorous rootstocks seem to possess a greater number of growth-promoting bacteria. Overall, his work in this field have increased knowledge on beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms, laying the bases for more effective control strategies against diseases of Mediterranean crops. He also has extensive experience in the evaluation and use of alternative control methods against diseases of fruit and vegetables, and prevention of mycotoxin contaminations. Relevant is the development of quantitative molecular detection methods for a number of species including bio-control agents and fungal and bacteria plant pathogens. Developed methods are widely recognized by the international scientific community and some of them are being used as the official diagnostic approach by European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). A special focus of his career has been given to study Oomycetes species. He contributed to resolve inter- and intra-specific phylogenetic correlations among Phytophthora species and discovered and characterized new Phytophthora hybrids and species as well as a related genus named Nothophytophthora. He also was a pioneer in the development and application of an amplicon metagenomic approach based on genus specific primers to detect Phytophthora species. In addition, investigation of the genus Colletotrichum has contributed to define the biology and aetiology of olive anthracnose and documented the population shift from C. godetiae to C. acutatum s.s, a more virulent species. The genomes of these species were sequenced and analysed.