[Plsfaculty] Reminder: Erica Cortez MS Thesis Defense, 29 July, 9 AM ENR2 S215

[Romens, David - (dromens)]

Reminder for Erica Cortez's MS defense. You may also join remotely at https://arizona.zoom.us/s/4619575532.
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Mark A Beilstein <mbeilstein at arizona.edu<mailto:mbeilstein at arizona.edu>>
Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Subject: Erica Cortez MS Thesis Defense, 29 July, 9 AM ENR2 S215
To: <plsgs at list.cals.arizona.edu<mailto:plsgs at list.cals.arizona.edu>>, <plsfaculty at list.cals.arizona.edu<mailto:plsfaculty at list.cals.arizona.edu>>

Please join us on Tuesday, July 29th in ENR2 room S215 when Erica Cortez will defend her MS thesis entitled "ENDOPHYTIC BACTERIA FROM ROOTS OF HIGH-PERFORMING TEPARY BEAN (PHASEOLUS ACUTIFOLIUS A. GRAY): FUNCTIONAL TRAITS, GENOMICS, AND INFLUENCE ON SEEDLING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT"

Abstract:

Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are globally consumed legumes that are vulnerable to climate change. An alternative protein source is the closely related tepary bean (P. acutifolius), which offers high protein content as well as genetic traits that confer resilience to the increased drought and heat affecting agriculture under our changing climate. Tepary beans are native to the southwestern US, Mexico, and Central America, especially in settings too hot and dry for common beans to flourish. Like other species in arid and semi-arid environments, tepary beans likely flourish in part due to their symbiosis with beneficial endophytes. In this thesis, I characterize selected bacteria isolated as endophytes from roots of high-performing, field‑grown tepary beans in Arizona. I examine their plant‑growth promoting traits in vitro, characterize their genomes and biosynthetic potential, and – through seed treatments and a subsequent field experiment at the Maricopa Agriculture Center – assess their effects on the early phenotypes and root microbiomes of tepary bean seedlings. I show that the Bacillus species commonly associated with roots of high-performing tepary bean consistently demonstrate plant growth promoting traits, thermotolerance, and seed adhesion in vitro. Their genomes reveal rich secondary metabolite repertoires. Seed biopriming did not result in changes in early seedling phenotypes or root microbiomes, but it is predicted that beneficial impacts might be seen in seedlings or over the full season under more severe water limitation and heat than that during the field experiment. Together, the lines of inquiry presented in this work advance our understanding of the root microbiomes of plants and how they may aid us in addressing global food security as we seek sustainable approaches for producing nutritious foods in a changing world.

___________________
Mark Beilstein, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Director of Graduate Studies
Bart Cardon Fellow
School of Plant Sciences
P.O. Box 210036
Forbes Building, Room 303
Tucson, AZ 85721-0036
mab-lab.org<http://mab-lab.org/>
____________________
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://list.cals.arizona.edu/pipermail/plsfaculty/attachments/20250728/b00484ad/attachment-0001.htm>