Her research interests are:

• Plant-microbe interactions (plant proteomics, metabolomics and phenotyping).
• Influence of endophytes on plant molecular immune responses under environmental stresses such as drought or pathogen attack.
• Molecular metabolic exchange and plasticity in the leguminous plants - rhizobia bacteria symbiosis.

 

"Soil microorganisms have an immense influence on the immune system of plants. The 'beneficial' ones protect, for example, against extreme environmental influences, such as water shortage or soil salinization. Both phenomena can be observed worldwide due to rising temperatures and correspondingly high evaporation rates.

Thus, understanding these plant-microbe interactions opens up a fundamental understanding of the complex interactions in our habitats, and also remarkable opportunities for the agricultural economy" (Stefanie Wienkoop)