Mariella Matilde Finetti Sialer

Mariella Matilde Finetti Sialer is a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR) of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) in Bari. Her research focuses on plant molecular mechanisms under stress conditions, including both abiotic (drought, salt) and biotic (virus and nematode) stresses.

Dr. Finetti Sialer's research interests span several interconnected areas of plant science and pathology. She investigates basic molecular mechanisms in plants under stress conditions, with particular focus on virus and plant nematode diseases. Her work utilizes functional genomics tools to study plant-pathogen interactions and employs innovative technologies for plant biodiversity assessment, gene expression analysis, and disease detection. A significant portion of her research involves studying the fungal root endophyte Pochonia chlamydosporia and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), both for basic understanding and applied biological control purposes. She maintains an active international collaboration with researchers from La Molina University in Peru, reflecting her interest in Andean agricultural systems.

Her publication record demonstrates expertise across multiple domains of plant-microbe interactions. Analysis of her recent work shows a strong focus on molecular plant pathology, with particular emphasis on nematode control using biological agents like Pochonia chlamydosporia, viral disease mechanisms and detection, and the application of molecular tools for pathogen identification. Her research bridges fundamental science with practical agricultural applications, particularly in sustainable crop protection strategies.

Dr. Finetti Sialer has been involved in numerous collaborative projects including:

• BIodiverSO - focusing on horticultural biodiversity
• High-throughput Plant Phenotyping initiatives
• Settimana della Biodiversità Pugliese (Apulia Biodiversity Week)
• SaVeGraINPuglia project for safeguarding legume, cereal and forage landraces
• III IBEMPA Conference in Lima, Peru

Her technical expertise includes molecular detection methods, real-time PCR assays, and genomic approaches to study plant-pathogen interactions. She has contributed to the development of diagnostic tools for various plant pathogens including Phytophthora species, nematodes, and viral diseases.