Research Publications

SELECTED RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS IN FOOD SECURITY, MICROBIOMES, PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS, RESTORATION, AND NATURAL PRODUCT CHEMISTRY

Food security

Lucero ME, DeBolt S, Unc A, Ruiz-Font A, Reyes LR, McCulley R, Alderman SC, Dinkins RD, Barrow JR, Samac DA 2014.  Using Microbial Community Interactions within Plant Microbiomes to Advance an Evergreen Agricultural Revolution.  In:  M. Oelbermann ed.  Sustainable agroecosystems in climate change mitigation, Wageningen Academic Publishers, 2014, p. 183-202

Microbiomes and Plant-Microbe Interactions

Tahtamouni ME, Khresat S, Lucero ME, Sigala J, Unc A, 2023.  Soil community catabolic profiles for a semiarid reclaimed surface coalmine. International Journal of Mining, Reclamation, and Environment.  DOI: 10.1080/17480930.2023.2185438

Tahtamouni ME, Khresat S, Lucero ME, Sigala J, Unc A, 2016.  Diversity of endophytes across the soil-plant continuum for Atriplex spp. in arid environments. Journal of Arid Land 8:241-253.

Osuna-Avila P, Barrow J, Lucero M, Aaltonen RE. 2012. Relationship between plant lipid bodies and fungal endophytes. Revista Terra Latinoamericana 30: 39-45.

Lucero ME, Unc A, Cooke P, Dowd S, Sun S. 2011. Endophyte microbiome diversity in micropropagated Atriplex canescens and Atriplex torreyi var griffithsii. PLoS ONE 6: e17693.

Barrow, J.R., and Lucero, M.E. (2011) Transfer and incorporation of heritable symbiotic fungi into non-host plants. Patent # 7901927, The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture (Washington, DC, US).  Notice:  This patent was not maintained.   As metagenomic capabilities improved, the inventors detected so many different species of transferred endophytes that both Lucero and Barrow agreed it would be unethical to “claim” so many life forms under a patent.  It is our hope that by filing and allowing the patent to expire, we have established a prior art, and can prevent others from filing endophyte transfer patents that have such  potential to regulate entire ecosystems. 

Lucero M 2011. Detection of uncultured seed-borne endophytes in Atriplex canesens. In: S. Sorvari and A. M. Pirttilä eds. Prospects and applications for plant-associated microbes. A laboratory manual part b: Fungi

Lucero M 2011. Examination of seed-borne endophyte microbiomes. In: S. Sorvari and A. M. Pirttilä eds. Prospects and applications for plant-associated microbes.  A laboratory manual part a: Fungi

Lucero M, Barrow JR, Osuna P, Reyes I. 2008. A cryptic microbial community persists within micropropagated Bouteloua eriopoda (Torr.) Torr. Cultures. Plant Science 174: 570-575.

Barrow JR, Lucero ME, Reyes-Vera I, Havstad KM. 2008. Do symbiotic microbes have a role in plant evolution, performance and response to stress? Communicative and Integrative Biology 1: 69-93.

Barrow J, Lucero M, Reyes-Vera I, Havstad K. 2007. Endosymbiotic fungi structurally integrated with leaves reveals a lichenous condition of C4 grasses. In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology – Plant 43: 65-70.

Restoration

Nelson C, Unc A, Lombard K, Lucero M, Perkins, S2014. Impact of seed exposure to plant material on plant growth and development on remediated arid lands. American  Society of Mining and Reclamation  Journal. 3(1):41-69.

Hao G-Y, Lucero ME, Sanderson SC, Zacharias EH, Holbrook NM. 2013. Polyploidy enhances the occupation of heterogeneous environments through hydraulic related trade-offs in Atriplex canescens (Chenopodiaceae). New Phytologist.

Reyes-Vera I, Lucero M, Barrow J. 2010. An improved protocol for micropropagation of saltbush (Atriplex) species. Native Plants Journal 11: 53-56.

Lucero ME, Dreesen DR, VanLeeuwen DM. 2010. Using hydrogel filled, embedded tubes to sustain grass transplants for arid land restoration. Journal of Arid Environments 74: 987-990.

Lucero ME, Barrow JR, Osuna P, Reyes I, Duke SE. 2008. Enhancing native grass productivity by cocultivating with endophyte-laden calli. Rangeland Ecology and Management 61: 124-130.

Lucero ME, Barrow JR, Osuna P, Reyes I. 2006. Plant-fungal interactions in arid and semi-arid ecosystems: Large-scale impacts from microscale processes. Journal of Arid Environments 65: 276-284.

Lucero ME, Mueller W, Hubstenberger J, Phillips GC, O’Connell MA. 1999. Tolerance to nitrogenous explosives and metabolism of TNT by cell suspensions of Datura innoxia. In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biology-Plant 35: 480-486.

Natural Product Chemistry

Lucero ME, Estell RE, Fredrickson E. 2010. Composition of Ceanothus gregii oil as determined by steam distillation and solid-phase microextraction. Journal of Essential Oil Research 22: 140-142.

Lucero M, Estell R, Tellez M, Fredrickson E. 2009. A retention index calculator simplifies identification of plant volatile organic compounds. Phytochemical Analysis 20: 378-384. Calculator spreadsheet

Lucero ME, Fredrickson EL, Estell RE, Morrison AA, Richman DB. 2006. Volatile composition of Gutierrezia sarothrae (broom snakeweed) as determined by steam distillation and solid phase microextraction. Journal of Essential Oil Research 18: 121-125.

Hyder PW, Fredrickson EL, Estell RE, Lucero ME, Remmenga MD. 2005. Loss of phenolic compounds from leaf litter of creosotebush [Larrea tridentata (sess. & moc. Ex dc.) cov.] and tarbush (Flourensia cernua dc.). Journal of Arid Environments 61: 79-91.

Lucero ME, Estell RE, Sedillo RL. 2005. The composition of Dalea formosa oil determined by steam distillation and solid-phase microextraction. Journal of Essential Oil Research 17: 645-647. (preprint only)

Medina AL, Lucero ME, Holguin FO, Estell RE, Posakony JJ, Simon J, O’Connell MA. 2005. Composition and antimicrobial activity of Anemopsis californica leaf oil. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 53: 8694-8698.

Lucero ME, Estell RE, Fredrickson EL. 2003. The essential oil composition of Psorothamnus scoparius (a. Gray) Rydb. Journal of Essential Oil Research 15: 108-111.

Hyder PW, Fredrickson EL, Estell RE, Lucero ME. 2002. Transport of phenolic compounds from leaf surface of creosotebush and tarbush to soil surface by precipitation. Journal of Chemical Ecology 28: 2475-2482.