Julio S. Bernal

This study identifies microbiome-mediated resistance to Western corn rootworm in maize, showing that domestication reduces plant-microbiome interactions critical for defense.

This study compares microbiomes of domesticated maize and its wild ancestor teosinte across plant compartments, finding reduced diversity and functional capacity in maize due to domestication.

The paper examines genetic load dynamics in two invasive insect species, finding mixed evidence for purging of deleterious mutations during invasion.

The paper characterizes genomic variation across 744 Zea genomes, identifies adaptive variants, and highlights their potential for breeding applications.

This study demonstrates RNAi efficacy in Dalbulus maidis by silencing key genes and inducing mortality, supporting its use in genetic pest control of phloem-feeding insects.