Mario Riolo

Mario Riolo is a Research Fellow at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A) of the University of Catania, Italy. His work focuses on plant diseases caused by fungi and oomycetes, with an emphasis on sustainable management through biocontrol agents and molecular diagnostics. He is affiliated with the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria and collaborates internationally, including roles at the University of Valencia, Spain.

• Ph.D. in Agricultural, Food and Forestry Sciences (XXXV Cycle), Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria (2023)
• Master's in Land, Environment, and Landscape Protection (LM75), University of Catania (2018)
• Bachelor's in Land and Landscape Planning (L21), University of Catania (2016)

His research spans several disciplines:

• Plant Pathology: studying fungal and oomycete pathogens in olive and citrus crops.
• Biological Control: developing bioformulates from plant waste to combat diseases.
• Food Safety: analyzing mycotoxins using advanced techniques like UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS.
• Transcriptomics: investigating plant-pathogen-antagonist interactions.
• Taxonomy: identifying and characterizing pathogenic microorganisms.
• Sustainable Agriculture: promoting eco-friendly disease management strategies.

As a member of the Young Editorial Board of the Journal of Plant Pathology and Associate Editor for Plant Disease (APS Journals), he contributes to peer review and scientific dissemination. He has also participated in international workshops and summer schools related to mycotoxin analysis and control.

• Premio di Dottorato (AIPP), 2023
• COST-Action FP1406 PINESTRENGTH grant, 2019
• SIPaV financial support for conferences, 2019 and 2022

Mario Riolo co-supervises Bachelor’s and Master’s theses at the University of Catania and the University of Insubria (LM-8 program). His involvement in projects like BiOrangePack and OCEANIDE highlights his expertise in postharvest disease management and natural polymer applications. He has also contributed to the organization of international scientific events, such as the Spanish network’s Mycotoxins Workshop and specialized summer schools.