Mariana Muñoz-Araya

Profile photo of Mariana Munoz-Araya

Position Title
PhD student (Hort&Ag), Fulbright Fellow

  • Impacts of long-term management on soil and plant resilience
Bio

Education:

  • MS – Agricultural Sciences – Specialization in Crop Production (Universidad de Chile, 2015)
    Agronomic Engineering (Universidad de Chile, 2015)
  • BSc – Natural and Exact Sciences (Universidad de Chile, 2008)

Research interests: In general, I am interested in a systemic point of view of agroecosystems, trying to understand the relationships between different components in the context of agroecology studies, and try to move the barrier toward sustainability. Currently, I am studying the effects of deficit irrigation in conservation and conventional tillage in tomato cultivated in Central Valley, California. My research focus in the understanding of the variables needed to build crop resilience in plants and soil, and how these variables are coupled and change among the tillage systems. I will include field and lab measurements, besides social factors to recognize the experience of farmers and comprehend the context of their practices. My goal is to contribute to the development of food sovereignty and sustainability in long term.