Katherine Benza

Program: Plant and Microbial Biosciences

Current advisor: Ram Dixit, PhD

Undergraduate university: Clemson University, 2021

Enrollment year: 2021

Research summary
Investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying arbuscule mycorrhizal fungal colonization of Marchantia paleacea and Tomato cv. Micro-Tom

Due to its wide host range and multiple nutritional benefits to its host, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are promising candidates as a biofertilizer to augment sustainable agriculture without sacrificing yield. Under nutrient stress, 70-90% of land plants form a symbiotic relationship with soil-borne arbuscule mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) by exchanging up to 20% of their carbon for phosphate and nitrogen that is mined from the soil by the fungus. To facilitate this exchange, the the plant cell completely restructures itself to accommodate highly complex fungal structures called arbuscules. However, a major barrier has been the lack of understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in establishing this relationship. My project seeks to address this shortcoming by investigating the plant cell machinery, specifically the cytoskeleton, necessary to form this relationship upon demand. The knowledge obtained from this work could potentially be used to develop crops that robustly form relationships with AMF to reduce our reliance on harmful chemical fertilizers.

Graduate publications