Stefanie Lutz
Senior Scientist
University of Zürich
Stefanie Lutz is a senior scientist at the University of Zurich working at the interface of agroecology, soil microbial ecology and plant–microbiome interactions.
Her research investigates how soil and root-associated microbial communities, particularly beneficial symbionts such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, contribute to sustainable agricultural systems. She combines field and greenhouse experiments with molecular and microbial ecology approaches to understand how agricultural management and soil biodiversity influence plant growth and ecosystem functioning.
In her work she focuses on the context dependency and predictability of microbiome-based agricultural interventions, including the use of beneficial microorganisms to support sustainable crop production and the effects of agricultural practices, such as pesticide use, on soil biodiversity.
Within AEGIS, she investigates whether ancient plant–microbe interactions can improve heat and drought tolerance and nutrient-use efficiency in low-input agriculture. Using ancient microbiome data, she reconstructs ancient and novel microbial communities to test their effects on plant growth, stress resilience and ecosystem performance.
Her research investigates how soil and root-associated microbial communities, particularly beneficial symbionts such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, contribute to sustainable agricultural systems. She combines field and greenhouse experiments with molecular and microbial ecology approaches to understand how agricultural management and soil biodiversity influence plant growth and ecosystem functioning.
In her work she focuses on the context dependency and predictability of microbiome-based agricultural interventions, including the use of beneficial microorganisms to support sustainable crop production and the effects of agricultural practices, such as pesticide use, on soil biodiversity.
Within AEGIS, she investigates whether ancient plant–microbe interactions can improve heat and drought tolerance and nutrient-use efficiency in low-input agriculture. Using ancient microbiome data, she reconstructs ancient and novel microbial communities to test their effects on plant growth, stress resilience and ecosystem performance.