About
Mariana Herrera-Corzo is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on understanding cacao resistance to Phytophthora pathogens, the causal agents of Black Pod disease, using disease resistance screening, effector biology, capture sequencing, and RNA-seq approaches. She integrates, controlled inoculations, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and population genomics to uncover pathogen diversity and guide the development of resistant cacao germplasm. Mariana also has extensive research experience in cassava and oil palm systems, with more than a decade of work in tropical crop–pathogen interactions. In addition to her research, she is deeply engaged in teaching, outreach, and leadership, including K–12 science education, international conference presentations, and active roles in Graduate Student organizations: Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)- Florida Chapter, Plant Science Council (PSC), Graduate Student Council (GSC), UF. Plant Pathology Representative, Plant Pathology Graduate Student Organization (PPGSO), UF. Also, she is part of the societies, Florida Phytopathological Society (FPS) and American Phytopathological Society (APS).
Mariana has been recognized with multiple awards for academic excellence and research impact. She received the UF/IFAS CALS Scholarship (2025) and the Grinter Graduate Fellowship (2021), one of UF’s most prestigious graduate honors. As a leader in the UF SACNAS Chapter, she contributed to winning the Outstanding Chapter Award for Innovative Science (2024). She has also earned over $7,600 in competitive travel grants from APS, IS-MPMI, Gordon Research Conferences, and UF, supporting the presentation of her research at national and international conferences.
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Education
Ph.D. Plant Pathology (2021–Present) – University of Florida
M.Sc. Biological Sciences (2012–2015) – Universidad Nacional de Colombia
B.Sc. Biology (2003–2009) – Universidad Nacional de Colombia -
Research
Mariana’s research investigates how Phytophthora species cause black pod disease in cacao and how cacao clones respond to infection. She conducts screening through controlled pod inoculation assays using material from CATIE’s International Cacao Collection in Turrialba, Costa Rica, challenging cacao clones with a wide range of Phytophthora species and isolates. This approach captures variation in both pathogen virulence and host resistance. To link these observations with pathogen biology, she applies targeted capture sequencing to study effector and virulence gene diversity and uses RNA-seq to analyze gene expression during infection. She also incorporates population genomics to describe isolate variation across regions. Together, these methods provide insight into the molecular strategies Phytophthora uses to infect cacao and support the identification of resistant clones. Her research is carried out in close collaboration with Mars, Incorporated and the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE), bridging academic discovery with applied outcomes that directly support sustainable cacao production. In addition, she contributes to the broader partnership “Genomic Selection Toolbox for Accelerated Preventive Breeding”, where her pathogen-centered work represents an essential piece of a multidisciplinary initiative linking academia and industry.
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Publications
Mejia-Alvarado, F. S., Botero-Rozo, D., Araque, L., Bayona, C., Herrera-Corzo, M., Montoya, C., … Romero, H. M. (2023). Molecular network of the oil palm root response to aluminum stress. BMC Plant Biology, 23(1), 346.
Gil, J., Herrera, M., Duitama, J., Sarria, G., Restrepo, S., & Romero, H. M. (2020). Genomic variability of Phytophthora palmivora isolates from different oil palm cultivation regions in Colombia. Phytopathology, 110(9), 1553–1564.
Ochoa, J. C., Herrera, M., Navia, M., & Romero, H. M. (2019). Visualization of Phytophthora palmivora infection in oil palm leaflets with fluorescent proteins and cell viability markers. Plant Pathology Journal, 35(1), 19–28.
Ávila-Méndez, K., Ávila-Diazgranados, R., Pardo, A., Herrera, M., & Romero, H. M. (2019). Response of oil palm and interspecific OxG hybrids to inoculation with Phytophthora palmivora. Forest Pathology, 49(2), e12486.
Díaz Tatis, P. A., Herrera Corzo, M., Ochoa Cabezas, J. C., … López Carrascal, C. E. (2018). Overexpression of RXam1, a cassava gene coding for an RLK, confers resistance to Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis. Planta, 247(4), 1031–1042. -
Other Information
- UF/IFAS Plant Pathology Instagram Reel about Mariana's research
- UF/IFAS researchers work to prevent a disease threatening your favorite chocolate. UF/IFAS Blog.
- Scientists race to protect chocolate supply from devastating disease. WUFTR Audio.