Chiara Di Pietro
Dottorando
Dottorato in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science - XXXIX CicloTutor: Simona Consoli
Sezione di appartenenza: Idraulica e Territorio
- During her academic journey, Chiara spent 8 months conducting research at the University of California, Davis (CA, USA). Through her experience at leading Italian and international research institutions, she developed strong interdisciplinary expertise in agricultural engineering and plant pathology. During this period, she also presented a poster at the international Plant Health 2025 conference held in Hawaii.
- 01/08/2023: Ongoing PhD course in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania. Research project: ''Development of smart sensors for water stress detection in precision agriculture" NRRP - SAMOTHRACE 1 - SPOKE 1. Supervisor: prof. Simona Consoli simona.consoli@unict.it
- 26/01/2023 - 31/07/2023: Research Grant, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania. Research grant title: "Valutazione degli effetti potenziali dei composti e metaboliti bioattivi nei confronti dei funghi fitopatogeni del pomodoro" (D.R. 4111 del 16.11.2022) activated within the research program ''PRIN 2020: “Bio-inspired Plant Protection - BiPP”. Supervisor: prof. Alessandro Vitale alevital@unict.it.
- 29/01/2022 - 29/07/2022: Research Grant, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania. Research grant title: ''Caratterizzazione di agenti fungini responsabili di malattie del mango ed elaborazione di protocolli di difesa integrata" (D.R. 3907 del 05.11.2021) activated within the research program ''Innovazioni genetiche, colturali e post-raccolta per la filiera del mango in Sicila - INNOMAN” – PSR Sicilia 2014/2020 “INNOMAN''. Supervisor: prof. Giancarlo Polizzi gpolizzi@unict.it.
- 2021: Qualification to the profession of Doctor of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Catania.
- 11/06/2021: Master Degree in Agricultural Science and Technology (LM-69), University of Catania. Degree thesis: "Attività antagonista di Bacillus spp. nei confronti di Plenodomus tracheiphilus. Supervisor: prof. Giancarlo Polizzi gpolizzi@unict.it. Graduated with a first-class honour's degree (110/110 cum laude).
- 30/04/2019: Bechelor Degree in Agricultural Science and Technology (L-25), University of Catania. Bachelor thesis: "Stato attuale delle conoscenze sul fenomeno del cracking su uva da tavola''. Supervisor: prof. Giancarlo Polizzi gpolizzi@unict.it. Graduated with a first-class honour's degree (110/110 cum laude).
- 2015 High School Graduation Liceo Scientifico Giosuè Carducci, Comiso (RG), Italy.
- Mattia D., Mavica S., Di Pietro C., Efstathiou S., Makris G., Kanetis L. I., Aiello D (2025). Fungi associated with table grape propagation material, with emphasis on Neoscytalidium dimidiatum and Quambalaria cyanescens in Italy. DOI: 10.36253/phyto-16099
- Di Pietro C., Rutigliano C.A.C., Randis F.N., Iacono G., Toscano G., Castello I., Spartà S., La Bella Emanuele., Muratore G., Vitale A (2025). Exploiting UV-C postharvest effects on brown rot management and shelf life of apricot fruit. DOI:10.1016/j.jafr.2025.102458
- Vecchio L., Vitale A., Aiello D., Di Pietro C., Parafati L., Polizzi G (2025). Prevalence of Neofusicoccum parvum Associated with Fruit Rot of Mango in South Italy and Its Biological Control Under Postharvest Conditions. DOI: 10.3390/jof11050384
- Leonardi G.R., Aiello D., Di Pietro C., Gugliuzzo A., Tropea G.G., Polizzi G., Voglmayr H (2024) Thyridium lauri sp. nov. (Thyridiaceae, Thyridiales): a new pathogenic fungal species of bay laurel from Italy. DOI: 10.3897/mycokeys.110.129228
- Gusella G.; Di Pietro C.; Leonardi G.; Aiello D.; Polizzi G. (2023) Canker and dieback of camphor tree (Cinnamonum camphora) caused by Botryosphaeriaceae in Italy. DOI: 10.1007/s42161-023-01517-8
- Gusella G.; Di Pietro C.; Vecchio L.; Campo G.; Giancarlo P. (2023). Branch canker and dieback of Meryta denhamii caused by Neofusicoccum parvum and Neoscytalidium dimidiatum in Italy. Australasian Plant Disease Notes, 18(1). 31. DOI: 10.1007/s13314-023-00515-0
- Polizzi, G.; Di Pietro C.; Gusella G.; Ismail A.; Aiello, D. (2022). First report of seedling blight of mango caused by Neofusicoccum parvum in Italy. Plant Disease, 107 (5), 1630. DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-07-22-1652-PDN
- Aiello, D.; Leonardi, G.R.; Di Pietro, C.; Vitale, A.; Polizzi, G. (2022). A New Strategy to Improve Management of Citrus Mal Secco Disease Using Bioformulates Based on Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Strains, Plants 2022,11, 446. DOI: 10.3390/plants11030446