MSc Students

Fascinated by plant microbe interactions? – Then, conduct your thesis work with us for a MSc in Plant Sciences. For more information on the degree program: MSc in Plant Sciences

Currents MSc topics

Check out the following topics to have an idea for a possible MSc thesis work. For current opportunities, more information or to discuss your own idea please contact Pascale Flury or Klaus Schlaeppi.

Disease suppression by composts and plant-beneficial Pseudomonas

Soil-borne diseases are a major problem in agricultural production and are difficult to treat with chemical pesticides. An organic alternative is the use of compost or biocontrol microbes. However, their effectiveness is highly variable and it is not known why certain composts are able to protect plants while others are not. You will investigate what makes a compost disease suppressive.

Supervisor: Dr. Pascale Flury
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Benzoxazinoid metabolization by maize bacteria

Plant root exudates contain specialized metabolites that shape the root and rhizosphere microbiome. Benzoxazinoids are the main specialised metabolites of maize. Most bacteria isolated from the maize but not from the arabidopsis root environment are tolerant to antimicrobial benzoxazinoids. You investigate how bacteria cope with benzoxazinoids and potentially degrade them and how tolerance to benzoxazinoids affects colonization of the maize root and rhizosphere.

Supervisor(s): Dr. Christine Pestalozzi
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Variovorax bacteria

A Variovorax strain of a 9-member synthetic community (SynCom) is able to alleviate pattern-triggered immunity fitness costs in plants. You investigate the manipulation of plant immune responses by commensal Variovorax bacteria.

Supervisor(s): Charlotte Joller, Prof. Klaus Schlaeppi

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Microbiome dysbiosis

A synthetic community of 9 bacteria (SynCom 9) promotes growth in open pots at low humidity. The same SynCom 9 provokes ‘water soaked leaves’ in closed and humid conditions. You investigate what underlies such drastic phenotype switches.

Supervisor: Prof. Klaus Schläppi

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Plant responsiveness to microbial feedbacks

Arabidopsis plants with different genetic backgrounds show a diverse growth responses to different microbiomes. This phenotypic diversity allows to identify regions in the plant genome that explain the differential responsiveness to microbiomes. You will study the genes that allow plants to grow better on specific microbiomes.

Supervisor(s): Dr. Henry Janse van Rensburg

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Completed MSc theses

Benzoxazinoid-mediated Interactions between Zea mays and Sphingobium in a Gnotobiotic Growth System

MSc Nina Dubach
08/2026 more

Quantifying the Contribution of Native Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Maize Growth in Response to Fungal Community and Soil Variability

MSc Cora Küttel
08/2026 more

Dissecting drivers of context dependency in plant microbiome interactions

MSc Lewis Di Gallo
08/2026 more

Dynamics of pathogen communities in table beet under future climatic conditions

MSc Romina Kalbermatten
05/2026

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The influence of different bark amendments during composting on the suppressiveness and growth promotion of composts

MSc Irene Reimann-Ortega
05/2025
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Advancing the understanding and management of Neofabraea spp. in apples: Inoculation protocols, spore monitoring & crop protection strategies in organic farming

MSc Andreas Berlepsch-Valendas
02/2025
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Leveraging soil physiochemical and microbiome variables to predict growth response of maize after inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

MSc Loïc Thurre
05/2024
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Understanding disease suppression by compost microbes: quantifying pathogen reduction by compost and testing Sphingopyxis spp. associated with disease suppression

MSc Mònica Camareno Rodríguez
04/2024
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Understanding soil microbiome feedbacks on growth and defence of Arabidopsis thaliana

MSc Viola D’Adda
03/2024
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Exploring the role of Pseudomonas communities in the disease suppression by composts

MSc Eva Burgunder
02/2024
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Tolerance and Metabolization of Host-Specific Specialized Metabolites by Maize and Arabidopsis Bacteria

MSc Caitlin Giroud
01/2024
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Promise and predictability of a fungal inoculum for sustainable agriculture - Soil predictors for growth promotion of Cladosporium tenuissimum on Triticum aestivum

MSc Lena von Saldern
(Master in Sustainable Development)
01/2024
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Drought effects on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi functioning in the context of organic and conventional farming practices

MSc Nathalie Gräppi
12/2023
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Growth Regulating Transcription Factors and Massilia bacteria in Plant Microbiome Feedbacks

MSc Samuel Field
10/2023
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Microbial community dynamics and their impact on plant performance under phosphorous limiting conditions

Microbial community dynamics and their impact on plant performance under phosphorous limiting conditions

MSc Claudia Probst
04/2023

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