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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">Reminder for Erica Cortez's MS defense. You may also join remotely at <a href="https://arizona.zoom.us/s/4619575532" target="_blank">https://arizona.zoom.us/s/4619575532</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>
From: <strong><span style="font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Mark A Beilstein</span></strong> <<a href="mailto:mbeilstein@arizona.edu">mbeilstein@arizona.edu</a>><br>
Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2025 at 11:11<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span>AM<br>
Subject: Erica Cortez MS Thesis Defense, 29 July, 9 AM ENR2 S215<br>
To: <<a href="mailto:plsgs@list.cals.arizona.edu">plsgs@list.cals.arizona.edu</a>>, <<a href="mailto:plsfaculty@list.cals.arizona.edu">plsfaculty@list.cals.arizona.edu</a>><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Please join us on Tuesday, July 29th in ENR2 room S215 when Erica Cortez will defend her MS thesis entitled "<span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif">ENDOPHYTIC BACTERIA FROM ROOTS OF HIGH-PERFORMING TEPARY BEAN
(PHASEOLUS ACUTIFOLIUS A. GRAY): FUNCTIONAL TRAITS, GENOMICS, AND INFLUENCE ON SEEDLING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT"</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Abstract:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">___________________<br>
<span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Mark Beilstein, Ph.D.<br>
Associate Professor</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Director of Graduate Studies</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Bart Cardon Fellow</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">School of Plant Sciences</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">P.O. Box 210036<br>
Forbes Building, Room 303<br>
Tucson, AZ 85721-0036</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"><a href="http://mab-lab.org/" target="_blank">mab-lab.org</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">____________________<o:p></o:p></p>
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