Isabel Herrera

PhD Nematology V building

Postal address Dept. of Plant Protection Biology  Box 102 SE-230 53 Alnarp Sweden Visiting address                         Delivery address Sundsvägen 14                           Växtskyddsvägen 3

Education

Master Scientiae,  PhD student (UNA-Nicaragua/SLU)  

Research projects

Nematodes and Coffee in Nicaragua: an ecological and molecular approach
Regarding the economic importance of coffee for the economy of Nicaragua and that the nematodes are very important pest in coffee systems; and that nematodes can also play an important ecological function in ecosystems, this project consists in the study of the effect of management systems (input level and shade) on the populations of plant parasitic nematodes in coffee. In addition to this, the species of Meloidogyne occurring in Nicaragua will be identified and the diversity of species will be studied by using molecular techniques and morphological issues. Species of trees used as shade in coffee systems will be studied as hosts of coffee parasitic nematodes and the stability of soils of coffee systems (organic versus conventional) will be compared by analyzing the communities of nematodes occurring in each system and finally a genetic diversity of different varieties of coffee (Coffea Arabica) from different coffee regions of Nicaragua will be done. The project will be carried out in a five years period (2006-2011).

General objectives

1. To identify and to quantify the population of Meloidogyne spp, associated to different coffee management and shade coffee system in, Nicaragua.
2. Assess the functional state of soil processes based on the analysis of the soil nematode community in different system of management.