Sharon Zytynska
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szytynska.bsky.social
Sharon Zytynska
@szytynska.bsky.social
Ecology | Plant-insect-microbiome interactions | Multi-omics | Crop health
BBSRC David Phillips Fellow, Senior Lecturer, The University of Manchester, UK she/her
🌟New PhD opportunity: 🌱🦠Predicting functional plant–microbiome networks for soil remediation 🌾🧫

The University of Manchester FSE Bicentenary PhD
Competition funded (worldwide)

Deadline 31st Jan, see info at bit.ly/4qn74qH

@manchester.ac.uk @rothamsted.bsky.social @liverpooluni.bsky.social
October 23, 2025 at 2:55 PM
📢 Our meta-analysis examining effects of experimental inoculation of plants with soil rhizobacteria on insect herbivores is now online.
📜Inoculated plants reduce insect fitness and alter host-choice behaviours, promising effects also on recruiting natural enemies.
✔️ Open access at bit.ly/49cMX8v
October 21, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Reposted by Sharon Zytynska
Check-out the programme for Roots to Regenerative Agriculture!
👉 cvent.me/0Zo9ae

Ft. a fantastic line-up of talks, panel discussions, poster presentations & networking opportunities.

This synthesis of science & agriculture is not to be missed!

📍York & Online, 18-20th Nov

#plantscience #regenag
October 15, 2025 at 10:35 AM
On our way back from Sainte-Croix, France after a very successful field course for our third year Zoology students. Beautiful landscapes, plenty of inverts, snakes, and birds, and great food to fuel the science 😁 @liverpooluni.bsky.social
September 7, 2025 at 7:15 AM
📜New paper: using sodium alginate beads for bacterial inoculation of plant roots. Best time to inoculate is at root emergence for plant benefits.

Data collated from MRes, BSc and summer student projects - proud supervisor!🎓

resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Method and timing of rhizobacteria inoculation to plant roots alters success and strength of aphid suppression
Inoculating plants with beneficial rhizobacteria using sodium alginate encapsulation to create ‘bacterial beads’ offers a targeted method for pest control for crop plants. Delivering rhizobacteria t...
resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
August 8, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Reposted by Sharon Zytynska
Register now for "Roots to Regenerative Agriculture" 🌱

📆 18 - 20th November
📍 York, UK & Online

🚜 🌍 Join us as we connect science & farming to explore the future of #regenag

Find out more 🔗 buff.ly/jDltSdu

#sustainableagriculture #plantscience
July 22, 2025 at 10:12 AM
New lab paper: Mbaluto & Zytynska (2025) New Phytologist 🦠🌾🦗 with @crispus-mbaluto.bsky.social
Rhizobacteria inoculation primes barley defences against aphids — microbes fine-tune plant resistance over time.

#PlantMicrobiome #InsectResistance
🔗 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Rhizobacteria prime the activation of plant defense and nutritional responses to suppress aphid populations on barley over time
Interactions between plants and soil microbes are widespread and are documented to modulate plant–insect herbivore interactions. Still, it remains unclear how these shape the overall plant defense r...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
June 27, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Enjoying another EU Cost Action meeting! It's in Germany, so some early starts 😅😴 but tomorrow I get to present some new data 😁 www.root-benefit.eu
Root-Benefit – Beneficial root-associated microorganisms for sustainable agriculture
www.root-benefit.eu
May 21, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Reposted by Sharon Zytynska
Hello agri ecologists! We have a new BES SIG account! Do drop it a follow at @bes-aeg.bsky.social to hear all about events, current research, workshops, networking opportunities and more! 🌱🫛
May 19, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Sharon Zytynska
Check out these exciting opportunities for a dual award PhD in plant and soil sciences 🤩 at @sheffieldpps.bsky.social and @westsyduhie.bsky.social: www.sheffield.ac.uk/biosciences/... each PhD project will involve at least 1 year spent at each institution - pls repost 🙏
World class training - International dual award PhDs in Plant & Soil Science now open
These new studentships offer a unique opportunity to join a vibrant and collaborative research community spanning two world-class institutions in Sheffield, UK and Sydney, Australia.
www.sheffield.ac.uk
May 8, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Had a lovely time last week for Oriana's PhD defence (well done!!), it was great to visit Freising and see so many people again 😄
Today, Oriana, a PhD candidate I co-supervised with @szytynska.bsky.social, defended her dissertation. Unfortunately, I could not attend myself, but that doesn't make me any less proud. Congratulations Dr. Sánchez-Mahecha! And thanks for all the valuable lessons you taught me as a first time mentor!
April 28, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Unfortunately I can't make this one, but really enjoyed it last year! One to go to if you like plants and microbes 🌱
🌱Announcing 3 More Keynote Speakers for #PMS2025! 🌱

🔬 Manuel Delgado Baquerizo – IRNAS-CSIC
🌱 María J. Pozo – Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC)
🌍 Lucas William Mendes – University of Sao Paulo

Join us at #PMS2025 in Malaga in November. Register now: 6thplantmicrobiomesymposium2025.com
March 17, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Reposted by Sharon Zytynska
3/3
Postdoc in "Integrating Plant Microbiome Omics Data for Causal Inference" with Prof. Aalt-Jan van Dijk
werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies...
Vacancy — Postdoc Position in Integrating Plant Microbiome Omics Data for Causal Inference
Do you enjoy using computational approaches to study biological problems? Are you interested in developing and applying methodology to investigate plant-microbiome-interactions? We invite enthusiastic...
werkenbij.uva.nl
February 24, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Just registered and submitted my abstract for this #agriculture #ecology #climate meeting on 11th March in London @britishecologicalsociety.org
Abstract deadline Mon 17th Feb, for talks and posters
Join the #BES Agricultural Special Interest Group to explore research at the intersection of Agriculture, Ecology and Climate Change and contribute to rejuvenating the SIG!
Tuesday 11th March at British Ecological Society, London
www.britishecologicalsociety.org/content/inte...
Intersections of Agriculture, Ecology & Climate Change - British Ecological Society
Step into spring with this dual-purpose one-day meeting hosted in London by the Agricultural SIG.
www.britishecologicalsociety.org
February 13, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Join the #BES Agricultural Special Interest Group to explore research at the intersection of Agriculture, Ecology and Climate Change and contribute to rejuvenating the SIG!
Tuesday 11th March at British Ecological Society, London
www.britishecologicalsociety.org/content/inte...
Intersections of Agriculture, Ecology & Climate Change - British Ecological Society
Step into spring with this dual-purpose one-day meeting hosted in London by the Agricultural SIG.
www.britishecologicalsociety.org
January 29, 2025 at 9:27 AM
BBSRC NWD Funded PhD Opportunity (UK and International) on #plant #microbiomes, this project will examine and predict microbial networks of plants for stress resilience. @liverpooluni.bsky.social All info at bit.ly/3BAmYtm
December 18, 2024 at 2:21 PM
Reposted by Sharon Zytynska
I just published: How to hire the best people

Steve Jobs was obsessed with hiring “the best people.” You should be too.

link.medium.com/SAqkMnHlnPb
link.medium.com
December 16, 2024 at 1:41 PM
At #BES2024 Andrew Beckerman starting the session on networks. Let's find solutions to global challenges instead of just documenting and modelling the doom!
December 13, 2024 at 10:15 AM
Reminder for #PhD opportunity on #plant #microbiomes tinyurl.com/35kx6n7y
UK and International funding - info session online Wed 11th Dec, register at docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
December 10, 2024 at 9:25 AM
New PhD opportunity in my lab at Liverpool, UK. Competition funded, info session online Wed 11th Dec 10-11am UK time. #grass #microbiomes #climate-resilience
all info at tinyurl.com/35kx6n7y application deadline 8th Jan
November 29, 2024 at 11:38 AM
Reposted by Sharon Zytynska
Science takes time - a lot of time. Time that is more and more difficult to make available because of increased workloads. Time that exceeds the temporary contracts of postdocs and PhDs.

I'll illustrate this using our paper published in Nature yesterday. 🧵 (1/x)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events - Nature
Soils from 30 grasslands across Europe were subjected to 4 contrasting extreme climatic events under drought, flood, freezing and heat conditions, with the results suggesting that soil microbiomes fro...
www.nature.com
November 28, 2024 at 11:32 AM
Reposted by Sharon Zytynska
🌾🌱🧪🦠🌍 New study out today! Please share! Meta-analysis of 302 globally sourced AMF inoculant trials. Only 12% of commercial products both boosted crop growth and had effective root colonization by mycorrhizal fungi. #soilscience #PlantScience #mycosky

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Meta‐analysis reveals globally sourced commercial mycorrhizal inoculants fall short
Click on the article title to read more.
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 21, 2024 at 4:04 PM
Reposted by Sharon Zytynska
The Faculty of Science at Stockholm University is recruiting up to three Assistant Professors in Biodiversity to tackle the critical global issue of biodiversity loss caused by human-driven factors such as climate change, habitat alteration and pollution.

www.su.se/department-o...
Faculty of Science is recruiting Assistant Professors in Biodiversity - Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences
Faculty of Science is recruiting Assistant Professors in Biodiversity - Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences
www.su.se
November 22, 2024 at 4:33 PM