Rodrigo Faleiros
Visiting PhD student from UNICAMP (Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil). Primary advisor: Juliana Mayer.

In his project, Rodrigo aims to anatomically investigate cambial and procambial activity in stem portions treated with IAA encapsulated in lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) as well as in free form, via foliar spraying over 50 days, using three different model species (wheat, eucalyptus, and tomato). We will examine histological sections and quantitative parameters to identify patterns between the application timing of the different solutions and the response time in xylem development. Additionally, we aim to determine whether the process of encapsulating auxin in LNPs promotes meristematic activity more efficiently. Fluorochrome-labeled lignin nanoparticles will also be analyzed under a confocal microscope to identify the presence and translocation of nanoparticles in stem portions.The results of this study promise to pave the way for the application of various growth regulators with greater precision in different agricultural crops, in the context of climate change and a growing population.