Prof. dr. ir. C.M.J. (Corné) Pieterse

Prof. dr. ir. C.M.J. (Corné) Pieterse

Professor
Plant-Microbe Interactions
Academic Director
Environmental Biology
+31 30 253 6887
c.m.j.pieterse@uu.nl

 

“The revolution in plant microbiome research provides unique opportunities for sustainable agriculture.”

 

Corné Pieterse is a professor of Plant-Microbe Interactions and the scientific director of the Institute of Environmental Biology at the Faculty of Science. His research group explores the molecular mechanisms through which the plant immune system defends against microbial pathogens and insect herbivores, as well as how beneficial microbes in the plant root microbiome enhance plant growth and health. In 2022, Corné Pieterse and his team were honored with the Spinoza Prize

Globally, plant diseases and pests account for yield losses of up to 25% annually. Through their research, the Plant-Microbe Interactions group addresses critical societal challenges, including food security and sustainable agriculture. The Netherlands Plant Ecophenotyping Centre (NPEC), opened in 2023 and funded by the NWO Roadmap for Large-Scale Research Infrastructure, plays a central role in our research.

Links
Chair
Plant-Microbe Interactions - In nature, plants are attacked by a multitude of pathogens and pests. Beneficial associations with mutualistic microbes are abundant in nature as well, improving plant growth or aiding plants to overcome stress. The Plant-Microbe Interactions group aims to unravel how the plant immune system orchestrates interactions with beneficial microbes, pathogens and insects, and to provide a rational basis for developing sustainable strategies for disease resistance in crops.
Inaugural lecture date
18.10.2005