Monique Ellie Smith

I have always been interested in how soil microbiota can help plants grow stronger and overcome stress. 

During my PhD at the University of Adelaide, I developed expertise in restoration management, weed ecology and plant-soil interactions, asking the question of how soil microbiota can help native plants become more competative against weeds. As a postdoctoral researcher at SLU, I utilized long-term experimental data to investigate how diversifying crop rotations can enhance yields. During that time, my research portfolio expanded to include many projects that use agroecological principals to improve crop performance, including topics such as, nutrient cycling, pest control, and climate resilience of crop production. Which made me shift my perspective to try and understand how microbiota can contribute to sustainable agricultural practices. An independent researcher I started looking into how wheat breeding impacted their relationship with soil microbiota and what consequences that might have for overcoming stress. And now I am exploring the role of eco-evolution between plants and their microbiota have for overcoming environmental stress. 

Overall, I am interested in continuing to develop my knowledge in soil and plant ecology to find alternatives to some of the many challenges that food production currently faces. Contact me if this sounds interesting to you! 

Current projects:

Eco-evolution of rye and its microbial allies (VR Starting grant, 4.8 mSEK, PI) - 2026-2029

When rivers meet roots: Flood-driven microbial community mixing and its consequences for One Health (SLU Future One Health: Seed Funding, 200 kSEK, Co-applicant) – 2026-2027

Previous projects:

Microbes as biocontrols: The function and utility of root microbiomes for inducing herbivore defence in wheat of different origin under a changing climate (Formas Mobility grant, 4.5 mSEK, PI) - 2022-2025

Microbe-plant-herbivore-predator interactions in barley fields under different management (KSLA project grant, 300 kSEK, PI) - 2023

I am the course coordinator and principal teacher for the PhD course in Scientific Writing and Peer Review (5 ECTS).

I also lecture in soil biology and microbial ecology in many courses at SLU at both bachelor and masters levels.  

I have had many interns visiting from overseas for several months and I am also always looking for eager masters and bachelor students to work with me.

Supervised PhD students who have received a PhD degree. 

• Janina Heinen, defended 2023, Multi-level trophic interactions in diversified cropping systems (co-supervisor)
• Alessio Costa, defended 2024, Diversifying crop rotations for sustainable calorie and macronutrient production and climate change adaptation (co-supervisor)
• Sara Capitan, defended 2025, Insect- and plant-based circular systems (co-supervisor)

Current PhD supervision

• Louisa-Marlen Tägtmeyer, expected to defend 2028, The dynamics of plant-microbe interactions (co-supervisor)