Welcome to the Martins' Lab!
Our lab research focuses on investigating the structure and function of bacteria in the phytobiome and their impact on plant health. We are particularly interested in understanding the mechanisms underlying the microbe-microbe and host-microbe interactions leading to increased resilience plants against biotic and abiotic stresses.
From left to right: Sameerika, Jeremiah, Yuru, Toi, Samuel, Fabiano, Michelle, Vanessa
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Mudiyanselage SD (G), Lee M (U), Huguet-Tapia JC, Gazis R, Martins SJ. (2026). Genomic insights into a multispecies bacterial pathogen complex driving bacterial blotch in white button mushrooms. bioRxiv, doi:10.64898/2026.01.12.699132
Pasche J (G), Sawlani R (U), Buttros VH (V), Desaeger J, Garret K, Martins SJ. (2025). Underground Guardians: How Collagen and Chitin Amendments Shape Soil Microbiome Structure and Function for Meloidogyne enterolobii Control. Microbiome, 13:141. doi:10.1186/s40168-025-02132-8
Ketehouli T (G), Pasche J (G), Buttros V (G), Goss E, Martins SJ. (2024). The Underground World of Plant Disease: Rhizosphere Dysbiosis Reduces Aboveground Plant Resistance to Bacterial Leaf Spot and Alters Plant Transcriptome. Environmental Microbiology, 26(7), e16676. doi:10.1111/1462-2920.16676
Ketehouli T (G), Goss E, Ascunce M, Martins SJ. (2024). Metabolic and Physiological Effects of Antibiotic-Induced Dysbiosis in Citrus. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, v.287, p.1-10. doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.117325
Martins SJ, Pasche J (G), HAO Silva (G), Selten G, Savastano N, Abreu LM, Bais H, Garrett K, Kraisitudomsook N, CMJ Pieterse, Cernava T. (2023). The Use of Synthetic Microbial Communities (SynComs) to Improve Plant Health. Phytopathology. 113(8), 1369-1379. doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-01-23-0016-IA