Seminar by Dr Chema Flores

Seminar abstract
Chloride (Cl^–) is an essential micronutrient that has traditionally been considered not only of little relevance for agriculture, but also a potentially toxic saline anion for important crops like citrus and grapevines. However, higher plants accumulate this nutrient at concentrations that are typical of a macronutrient, which requires a significant amount of metabolic energy. Our studies have identified biological functions played by Cl^– that allow the improvement of the plant efficiency in the use of water, nitrogen and carbon/energy, which are the fundamental components of plant nutrition. The seminar will address these aspects, of potential importance for the improvement of agricultural sustainability, as well as the environmental and development factors that regulate Cl^– transport in plants.

Bio Chema Flores
Graduated in Biology from the University of Seville, pursued a Master’s degree in Rhizobium-Leguminosae interaction at the International Center for Nitrogen Fixation, and completed a Doctorate in Plant Biotechnology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Subsequently, conducted postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Breeding Research in Cologne (Germany) and the Genomics Center of the Valencian Institute for Agricultural Research (Valencia, Spain). Since 2009, serving as a Research Scientist at the Spanish National Research Council’s IRNAS Institute in Seville, focusing on plant-environment interactions including water deficit, salt stress, and mineral nutrition, employing physiological, molecular, and genomic methodologies.