Agriculture and Climate: Elisa Pellegrino keynote at the Quito Symposium focuses on the use of mycorrhizae against thermal stress
The researcher from the Plant Crop Science Institute delivered a keynote plenary lecture at the 4th International Symposium on Mycorrhizal Symbiosis, presenting the latest perspectives on the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to enhance crop resilience under adverse climatic conditions.
How can crops cope with increasingly variable climatic conditions and unpredictable thermal stresses? Research is turning to the study of mycorrhizal symbioses to find new solutions aimed at strengthening plant resilience and promoting more sustainable agricultural systems.
This was the focus of the presentation by Elisa Pellegrino, from the Plant Crop Research Centre of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, who delivered a Keynote Plenary Speech at the 4th International Symposium on Mycorrhizal Symbiosis: Diversity and Value of Mycorrhizal Symbiosis for Future Ecologies, held in Quito, Ecuador, from August 25 to 28, 2026. The Symposium brings together international experts to discuss the role of mycorrhizae in agricultural sustainability, ecosystem conservation, and the response to environmental change.
Elisa Pellegrino’s keynote address, “Application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi under climatic constraints”, centered on the application potential of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi under adverse climatic conditions. Her presentation was featured in the scientific program as one of the keynote plenaries dedicated to the latest research perspectives on plant-mycorrhizal-environment interactions.
Among the key topics addressed in Pellegrino’s research was the role of mycorrhizae in crop response to cold stress. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can help sustain plant growth and photosynthesis, protect cell membranes, and boost antioxidant defense systems, fostering greater coping capacity when thermal conditions become unfavorable.
These findings contribute to outlining new strategies for an agriculture capable of adapting to increasingly variable climatic conditions. From this perspective, the targeted use of mycorrhizal biostimulants represents a tool to be tailored to specific crops and environmental conditions, with the goal of supporting the productivity and resilience of agricultural systems.
Her participation in the Quito Symposium also provided an opportunity for international dialogue on the potential applications of mycorrhizae. Elisa Pellegrino took part in a panel discussion on the regulation of mycorrhizal inoculants across different countries, joining experts from international research institutions and universities.
The contribution of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna to the Symposium confirms the key role played by research into plant-microorganism interactions in developing innovative approaches for sustainable agriculture and responding to the challenges posed by climate change.
Photo credits:
- Rajarshi Rit (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3122-5926) | CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
