Marisol Quintanilla

Marisol Quintanilla

marisol@msu.edu

Department of Entomology

Assistant Professor

Telephone: 517-884-2058

Natural Science
288 Farm Ln Room 26b
East Lansing, MI 48824

Area of Expertise:

Applied nematology

Lab website: Applied Nematology, Ecology and Acoustical Signatures

 

 

Bio

Overview

Dr. Marisol Quintanilla is an Applied Nematologist at Michigan State University.   Marisol grew up in a family farm in Chile that produces table grapes and diverse other crops.  Marisol received her master’s and doctoral degrees at MSU with nematologist Dr. George Bird. After leaving MSU, she spent two years at Northern Marianas College and then moved to the University of Hawaii.  Her work included nematode identification and analysis of trials with Dr. Koon-Hui Wang and gained extensive experience in working with specialty crop growers. Most recently, she has studied nematode community structure, soil health and pest management in edible crops as part of her research and extension work.

Marisol collaborates with faculty in finding applied solutions to plant parasitic nematode problems in the state’s key crops. Nematodes are microscopic and worm-like. While some are beneficial, others are plant parasites and are causing significant losses for Michigan’s field, vegetable, fruit and ornamental crops. The developed management practices aim to increase soil health and beneficial organism populations. Additionally, Quintanilla will research biorational and conventional products for nematode control and possibly test resistant varieties. She shares the research-based results with growers and agricultural professionals through multiple extension methods.

Current assignment | Teaching 0% | Research 50% | Extension 50% | Administration 0% |

Program Description

Research

Marisol’s research interest will be finding applied solutions to plant parasitic nematodes in Michigan’s field, vegetable, fruit, and ornamental crops.  Existing and potential nematode control products and strategies will be tested, and their effect on soil health will also be considered. 

Extension

Nematode research produced by faculty will be communicated to farmers and agricultural professionals. Knowledge gained regarding sustainable management practices evaluated by our research efforts in cooperation with department faculty and statewide team will be passed on to the growers.

Dissemination of research information regarding nematode exclusion, sustainable management, control, and host resistance will be done through extension meetings, personal farm visits, talks, videos, website, extension publications, and scholarly publications.  Nematode education programs will be organized in collaboration with other faculty and extension agents. 

Concentrations

  • Nematodes
  • Plant Parasitic Nematodes
  • Soil Health

Education

  • Doctorate – Michigan State University, 2009
  • Master of Science - Michigan State University, 2004
  • Bachelor of Agriculture – Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan, 2001

Professional Experience

  • 2017 - Present | Applied Nematologist, Department of Entomology, Michigan State University
  • 2016 | Extension Agent, Tropical Plant and Soil Science Department, University of Hawaii
  • 2015 | Entomologist and Trainer at Sandwich Isles Pest Solutions, Hawaii
  • 2014-2015 | Junior Researcher at Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences Department, University of Hawaii
  • 2011-2014 | Administrator of a table grape production and export operation in Chile, Agricola Renta Frut S.A.
  • 2009-2011 | Plant Protection Leader, nematologist and entomologist for Northern Marianas College Cooperative Research Extension and Education Service (NMC-CREES), Northern Mariana Islands
  • 2002-2009 | Research and teaching assistant., Department of Entomology, Michigan State University

Selected Publications

  • Quintanilla, M.  2017.  Soil Acoustics.  In: A. Farina and S.H. Gage (Eds.).  Ecoacoustics: The ecological role of sounds.  Wiley Press.
  • Quintanilla, M., Wang, K. H., Tavares, J., & Hooks, C. R.  2016.  Effects of mulching on above and below ground pests and beneficials in a green onion agroecosystem. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 224: 75-85.  Journal impact factor: 3.564
  • Schlub, R. L., Moore, A., Marx, B. D., Schlub, K. A., Kinnaway L. F., Quintanilla, M., Putnam, M. L., and Mersha, Z.  2011. Decline of Casuarina equisetifolia (ironwood) trees on Guam: symptomatology and explanatory variables. Phytopathology 101: S216.  Journal impact factor: 3.011
  • Quintanilla, M., Bird, G., and Gage, S.  2010.  Impact of microwaves and water on acoustical signatures of a compost.  Compost Science and Utilization Journal 18: 3.  Journal impact factor: 0.564
  • Quintanilla, M.  2009.  Acoustical and nematode community assessment for ecosystem characterization.  Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University.
  • Quintanilla, M.  2004.  Effect of rotation crops, soil storage temperature and incubation period on n-mineralization and nematodes.  M.S. Thesis, Michigan State University. 

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