Maria Carlota Vaz Patto Lab

	At the PlantX Lab we unveil the genetic and genomic basis of plant Complex traits, such as nutritional or organoleptic quality or biotic/abiotic stress resistance, using different statistical genetic and genomic approaches.
	Maria Carlota Vaz Patto PhD 2001, Wagenigen University, The Netherlands Phone (+351) 214469631 | Extension 1631 cpatto@itqb.unl.pt

Research Interests

The Genetics and Genomics of Plant Complex Traits (PlantX) Laboratory develops research on molecular quantitative genetics applied to plant breeding. We want to identify genes controlling complex interesting traits, such as end-user quality (nutritional/health beneficial, organoleptic, processing), resistance to biotic (fungal diseases) and abiotic (drought) stresses on cereals and legumes (maize, common bean and grass pea) of national interest. This will allow us to develop control models, scientific methods and molecular tools to assist quality and resistance precision breeding programs.

We make use of different statistical genomics approaches, such as Linkage analysis, Genome-Wide Association and Genetical-Genomics, based on extensive DNA marker fingerprinting, transcriptional profiling and quantitative traits phenotyping.
Overall we are interested in exploiting the potential of national underused plant germplasm as source of interesting breeding traits and contribute indirectly to enhance its cultivation, increasing national food security and sustainability of agricultural systems.

Group Members

• Carmen Santos, Post-Doc

• Susana Leitão, Post-Doc

• Telma Fernandes, Post-Doc

• Mara Alves, Invited Researcher

• Letice Gonçalves, PhD Student

• Matilde Sanches, PhD Student

• Rita Maravilha Marques, PhD Student

• Francisco Mendes, PhD Student

• Catarina Mendes, Research Fellow

• Guilherme Leitão, Research Fellow

• Maria Mina, Field Research Technician

Selected Publications

1. Gonçalves L, Rubiales D, Vaz Patto MC (2024) Exploring grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) breeding potential in Mediterranean changing climate conditions. European Journal of Agronomy 156: 127142. DOI:10.1016/j.eja.2024.127142

2. Sanches M, Sampaio AM, Araújjo S, van Eeuwijk F, Van Breusegem F, Vaz Patto MC (2024) Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) interesting panoply of mechanisms to cope with contrasting water stress conditions – a study of worldwide diversity and sub populational differences. Agricultural Water Management 292: 108664. DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108664.

3. Sales H, Alves ML, Sampaio AM, Nunes J, Vaz Patto MC (2024) Understanding the environmental plasticity of the genetically diverse olive ‘Galega vulgar’ fruits and oil related traits. Scientia Horticulturae 326: 112738. DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2023.112738.

4. Leitão ST, Rubiales D, Vaz Patto MC (2023) Identification of novel sources of partial and incomplete hypersensitive resistance to rust and associated genomic regions in common bean. BMC Plant Biology 23: 610. DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04619-8.

5. Santos C, Martins, DC, González-Bernal MJ, Rubiales D, Vaz Patto MC (2022) Integrating phenotypic and gene expression linkage mapping to dissect rust resistance in chickling pea. Frontiers in Plant Science 13: 837613. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.837613.

Laboratory's Website

For further information visit the laboratory's website.

Genética e Genómica das Características Complexas de Plantas (PT)

No grupo de Genética e Genómica das Características Complexas de Plantas (PlantX) desenvolvemos investigação na área da genética quantitativa molecular aplicada ao melhoramento de plantas. O nosso principal interesse é a identificação dos genes que controlam características complexas relevantes como a qualidade para o consumidor (nutricional, organolética, de processamento) e a resistência a estresses bióticos (doenças causadas por fungos) e abióticos (tolerância à seca) em cereais e leguminosas de interesse nacional (milho, feijão e chícharo). Com base nesta informação, desenvolvemos modelos de controlo, métodos científicos e ferramentas moleculares para apoiar programas de melhoramento de plantas de precisão.

Utilizamos diferentes abordagens de genómica estatística como ligamento genético, Genome-Wide Association e Genetical-Genomics, baseados numa extensiva genotipagem por marcadores moleculares, análise de perfis transcriptómicos e fenotipagem de características quantitativas.

No cômputo geral, estamos interessados em explorar o potencial do germoplasma nacional como fonte de características interessantes para o melhoramento de plantas e contribuir indiretamente para aumentar o seu cultivo, a segurança alimentar e a sustentabilidade dos sistemas agrícolas nacionais.

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