Leveraging belowground plant-microbe interactions to improve host stress tolerance and alter ecosystem processes

February 5, 2024 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

Melissa Cregger, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

108 Wartik Laboratory
University Park

Co-sponsored by the Schatz Center in Tree Molecular Genetics

Abstract:
Over the past two decades, it has become increasingly clear that symbiotic host–microbe interactions alter the way in which plants grow and respond to abiotic and biotic stress. Harnessing diversity within these plant–microbe associations in managed ecosystems, provides an opportunity to create sustainable, multipurpose bioeconomies whereby globally important plant feedstocks can be produced while simultaneously maximizing soil health and mitigating adverse impacts to climate. Therefore, to increase sustainability within Department of Energy relevant biofeedstock plantations, I am leveraging genetic variation in the plant host to select for plants that are tolerant to abiotic stress and pairing these plants with belowground microbial partners to alter plant performance and ecosystem processes. Specifically, my research leverages a suite of molecular, physiological, and ecosystem level techniques and experiments to identify natural variation within diverse genotypes of Populus and characterize associated microbial communities under varied environmental conditions. As I identify these complex associations, I aim to build Populus-microbial associations within ecosystems that alter plant growth, plant tolerance to drought, and ecosystem carbon cycling.

About the Speaker:
Melissa Cregger is an ecologist and research scientist in the Biosciences Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Broadly, her work is focused to understand how belowground plant-microbe interactions influence host physiology and ecosystem level processes. Her research spans scales from the molecule to the ecosystem level, taking advantage of modern techniques to fully understand microbial interactions. Dr. Cregger received her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in 2012 at the University of Tennessee under the guidance of Dr. Aimee Classen. After her Ph.D. she proceeded directly to a prestigious post-doctoral fellowship at the Carl Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at the University of Illinois in the Biocomplexity theme. In 2014, she left the University of Illinois to begin a post-doctoral appointment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In 2015, she received a staff appointment at ORNL when she was awarded a Liane Russell Distinguished Staff Fellowship. Dr. Cregger is an active member in the Ecological Society of America, and a subject matter editor for Ecological Monographs and Ecology.

Contact

Jill Hamilton
jvh6349@psu.edu