To exploit the vast natural genetic variation in vegetable crops, using quantitative genetics and systems biology approaches, in order to understand plant responses to abiotic stresses and achieve crops with enhanced resilience to stresses as well as improved nutritional properties. The department leader will be the ERA Chair holder – the outstanding scientist Dr. Saleh Alseekh, who has notable publication track record and scientific achievements (more than 120 publications in international peer reviewed journals, including Nature Biotechnology, Nature Communications, Nature Genetics, Molecular Plant, Plant Cell, Trends in Plant Science etc.; and more than 3500 citations). Under his guidance, the research department will scale up the applied research on vegetable breeding in CPSBB and the region. Furthermore, the new CPSBB department will link with Bulgarian and international research organizations, companies, and farmer associations in the field of crop science, creating an ecosystem network that is highly attractive to talented researchers and brings the innovations to end users for the benefit of the society.
Angelov M., Ivanova V., Wittenberg M., Stoyanov P., Mladenov R., Mladenova T., Gyuzeleva D., Radoukova T., Todorov K., Gechev T. (2026)
Planta. 263: 115. • IF 3.8
Asad F., Zeb A., Shahid S., Ahmad S., Wittenberg M., Angelov M., Yaseen T., Ali A., Gechev T., Ali S. (2026)
Frontiers in Plant Science. 17: 1731231. • IF 4.8
Baccolini C., Ishihara H., Feil R., Perez de Souza L., Alseekh S., Walther D., Fernie A.R., Stitt M., Lunn J.E., Arrivault S. (2026)
Journal of Experimental Botany. erag116. • IF 5.7
Ilieva Y., Gupta S.,Wittenberg M., Ivanova V., Kazakov P., Alseekh S., Sujeeth N., Gechev T. (2026)
Plant Stress. 20: 101315. • IF 6.9
Kuhalskaya A., Li X., Lee J., Gonda I., von Steimker J., Bulut M., Karakas E., Fisher J., Krämer K., Rosental L., Wijesingha Ahchige M., Garbowicz K., Klemmer A., Ruß A.K., Donath A., Cuadros-Inostroza A., Boerjan W., Tieman D.M., Zamir D., Klee H.J., Alseekh S. (2026)
PNAS Nexus. 5(1): pgaf401. • IF 3.8
Martínez Rivas F.J., Smith M.A., Zangishei Z., Alseekh S., Usadel B., Plaxton W.C., Fernie A.R. (2026)
Plant Physiology. DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiag026. • IF 6.9
Sierra G.P., Orejuela A., Orozco C.I., Pérez-Mesa P.A., Alseekh S., Fernandez-Hilario R., Fernández-Alonso J.L., Smith S.D., Fernie A.R., Roda F. (2026)
Taxon. 75(2): e70130. • IF 3.4
von Steimker J., Bulut M., Pozhvanov G., Bergmann S., Wendenburg R., Sun Y., Zhu F., Pieri A., Frascarelli G., Nanni L., Bellucci E., Bitocchi E., Papa R., Fernie A.R., Alseekh S. (2026)
The Plant Journal. 126(3): e70909. • IF 5.7
Wittenberg M., Ilieva Y., Gechev T. (2026)
Metabolites. 16(2): 133. • IF 3.7
2025
Alseekh S., Klemmer A., Yan J., Guo T., Fernie A.R. (2025)
Nature Communications. 6(1): 461. • IF 14.7
Bouzid M., Balparda M., Kerim A., Fu Y., Alvarez C.E., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Maurino V.G. (2025)
BMC Plant Biology. 25(1): 1288. • IF 4.8
Dao O., Bertrand M., Alseekh S., Veillet F., Auroy P., Nguyen P.C., Légeret B., Epting V., Morin A., Cuiné S., Monteil C.L., Mackinder L.C.M., Burlacot A., Krieger-Liszkay A., Weber A.P.M., Fernie A.R., Peltier G., Li-Beisson Y. (2025)
Nature Communications. 16(1) :5296. • IF 14.7
- Ivanova A., Bogdanova S., Petrov V., Gechev T. (2025)
López C.M., Alseekh S., Martínez Rivas F.J., Fernie A.R., Prieto P., Alamillo J.M. (2025)
Journal of Experimental Botany. 76(2): 346–362. • IF 5.8
López-Tubau J.M., Laibach N., Burciaga-Monge A., Alseekh S., Deng C., Fernie A.R., Altabella T., Ferrer A. (2025)
Physiologia Plantarum. 177(1): e70022. • IF 3.6
Marks R.A., Ekwealor J.T.B., Artur M.A.S., Bondi L., Boothby T.C., Carmo O.M.S., Centeno D.C., Coe K.K., Dace H.J.W., Field S., Hutt A., Porembski S., Thalhammer A., Pas L., Wood A.J., Alpert P., Bartels D., Boeynaems S., Datar M.N., Giese T., Seidou W..I, Kirchner S.M., Köhler J., Kumara S., Kyung J. Lyall R., Mishler B.D., Ndongmo T., Otegui S., Reddy V., Rexroth J., Tebele SM, VanBuren R., Verdier J., Vothknecht U.C., Wittenberg M.F., Zokov E., Oliver M.J., Rhee S.Y. (2025)
Nature Communications. 16(1): 3284. • IF 14.7
Munir S., Shahzad A.N., Rai A., Petrov V., Gechev T., Shokat S., Qureshi M.K. (2025)
Plant Molecular Biology. 115(6): 113. • IF 3.8
Qureshi M.K., Rai A., Rasul F., Staykov N., Sujeeth N., Gechev T. (2025)
In: Plant Stress Physiology Days Scientific Booklet, Eds.: Seckin Dinler B., Gul V., Sefaoglu F. Iksad Publications, ISBN: 978-625-378-277-1.
Priego-Cubero S., Knoch E., Wang Z., Alseekh S., Braun K.H., Chapman P., Fernie A.R., Liu C., Becker C. (2025)
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 122(8): e2420164122. • IF 9.4
Sacharowski S.P., Kubala S., Cwiek P., Steciuk J., Gratkowska-Zmuda D., Oksinska P., Bucior E., Rolicka A.T., Ciesla M., Nowicka K., Alseekh S., Tohge T., Giavalisco P, Zugaj D.L., Stolze S.C., Harzen A., Franzen R., Huettel B., Grzesiuk E., Hajirezaei M.R., Nakagami H., Koncz C., Fernie A.R., Sarnowski T.J. (2025)
New Phytologist. DOI: 10.1111/nph.70182. • IF 8.3
Staykov N., Kanojia A., Lyall R., Ivanova V., Alseekh S., Petrov V., Gechev T. (2025)
Sustainable agriculture through seaweed biostimulants: A two-year study demonstrates yield enhancement in pepper and eggplant. Frontiers in Plant Science. (accepted) (IF 4.8)
Steimker J., Wendenburg R., Klemmer A., Rosaria M., Fernie A.R., Alseekh S., Tripodi P. (2025)
The Plant Journal. 122(6): e70300. • IF 5.7
Tiozon R.N., Pasion-Uy E., Alseekh S., Sartagoda K.J.D., Gempesaw S., Tolentino J.H.G., Fernie A.R., Sreenivasulu N. (2025)
Frontiers in Plant Science. 16: 1533442. • IF 4.1
Torralbo F., López C.M., Alseekh S., Martínez-Rivas F.J., Reyes M.R., Fernie A.R., Alamillo J.M. (2025)
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry. 228: 110264. • IF 5.7
Vatov E., Gechev T. (2025)
International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 26(17): 8360. • IF 5.6
Vatov E., Gechev T. (2025)
Plant Stress. DOI: 10.1016/j.stress.2025.100812. • IF 6.8
Zhang J., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Qian D., Huang L. (2025)
ACS Food Science and Technology. 5(2): 761–769. • IF 2.6
2024
Badoni S., Pasion‑Uy A., Kor S., Kim S.R., Tiozon R.N., Misra G., Buenafe R.Q., Labarga L.M., Ramos‑Castrosanto A.R., Pratap V., Slamet‑Loedin I., Steimker J.V., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Kohli A., Khush G.S., Sreenivasulu N. (2024)
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 121(36): e2410598121. • IF 9.4
Bortlik J., Lühle J., Alseekh S., Weiste C., Fernie A.R., Dröge‑Laser W., Börnke F. (2024)
Plant Physiology 194(3): 1853‑1869. • IF 8.0
Domer A., Jasinska W., Rosental L., Shochat E., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Brotman Y., Ovadia O. (2024)
Journal of Avian Biology 2024: e03331. • IF 1.5
Dziubek D., Poeker L., Siemiątkowska B., Graf A., Marino G., Alseekh S., Arrivault S., Fernie A.R., Armbruster U., Geigenberger P. (2024)
Plant Physiology 194(2): 982‑1005. • IF 6.6
Ebert A., Alseekh S., D’Andrea L., Roessner U., Bock R., Kopka J. (2024)
Metabolites 14(10): 562. • IF 3.4
Farag M.A., Baky M.H., Kühnhold H., Kriege E.A., Kunzmann A., Alseekh S., Al‑Hammady M.A., Ezz S., Fernie A.R., Westphal H., Stuhr M. (2024)
Marine Pollution Bulletin 208: 116983. • IF 5.3
Fontanet‑Manzaneque J.B., Laibach N., Herrero‑García I., Coleto‑Alcudia V., Blasco‑Escámez D., Zhang C., Orduña L., Alseekh S., Miller S., Bjarnholt N., Fernie A.R., Matus J.T., Caño‑Delgado A.I. (2024)
Plant Biotechnology Journal 22(12): 3227‑3535. • IF 11.2
Kanojia A., Lyall R., Sujeeth N., Alseekh S., Martínez-Rivas F., Fernie A.R., Gechev T., Petrov V. (2024)
Plant Stress. 14: 100692. • IF 6.8
Kazakov P., Alseekh S., Ivanova V., Gechev T. (2024)
Metabolites 14(11): 594. • IF 3.4
López-Tubau J.M., Laibach N., Burciaga-Monge A., Alseekh S., Deng C., Fernie A.R., Altabella T., Ferrer A. (2024)
177(1): e70022. Physiologia Plantarum. • IF 5.4
Naake T., Zhu F., Alseekh S., Scossa F., Perez de Souza L., Borghi M., Brotman Y., Mori T., Nakabayashi R., Tohge T., Fernie A.R. (2024)
Plant Physiology 194(3): 1705‑1721. • IF 6.5
Stavrakeva K., Metodieva K., Benina M., Bivolarska A., Dimov I., Choneva M., Kokova V., Alseekh S., Ivanova V., Vatov E., Gechev T., Mladenova T., Mladenov R., Todorov K., Stoyanov P., Gyuzeleva D., Popova M., Apostolova E. (2024)
International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 25(10): 5396. • IF 5.6
Steimker J., Tripodi P., Wendenburg R., Tringovska I., Nankar A., Stoeva V., Pasev G., Klemmer A., Todorova V., Bulut M., Tikunov Y., Bovy A., Gechev T., Kostova D., Fernie A.R., Alseekh S. (2024)
Current Biology 34(18): 4209‑4223.e3. • IF 8.1
Timm S., Klaas N., Niemann J., Jahnke K., Alseekh S., Zhang Y., Souza P.L., Hou L.Y., Cosse M., Selinski J., Geigenberger P., Daloso D.M., Fernie A.R., Hagemann M. (2024)
Plant, Cell & Environment. 47(7): 2542-2560. • IF 7.947
Tiozon R.J.N., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Bonto A.P., Yu J., Buenafe R.J.Q., Sreenivasulu N. (2024)
Food Chemistry 460(Pt 2): 140677. • IF 8.5
Wijesingha Ahchige M., Fisher J., Sokolowska E., Lyall R., Illing N., Skirycz A., Zamir D., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R. (2024)
Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal. 23: 3967-3988. • IF 4.5
Yu Y., Alseekh S., Zhu Z., Zhou K., Fernie A.R. (2024)
Plant Biotechnolgy Journal. 22: 2641-2659. • IF 13.8
Zhu F., Ahchige M.W., Wen W., Cheng Y., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R. (2024)
Scientific Data 11(1): 841. • IF 9.8
2023
Aarabi F., Ghigi A., Ahchige M.W., Bulut M., Geigenberger P., Neuhaus H.E., Sampathkumar A., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R. (2023)
Plant Physiology. 193(3): 2037-2054. • IF 8.005
Alamillo J.M, López C.M, Martínez Rivas F.J, Torralbo F., Bulut M., Alseekh S. (2023)
Current Opinion in Plant Biology. 79: 102876. • IF 9.396
Alseekh S., Karakas E., Zhu F., Wijesingha Ahchige M., Fernie A.R. (2023)
Journal of Experimental Botany. 74(15): 4293–4307. • IF 7.298
Alseekh S., Fernie A.R. (2023)
Current Opinion in Plant Biology. 73: 102335. • IF 9.396
Balparda M., Schmitz J., Duemmel M., Wuthenow I.C., Schmidt M., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Lercher M.J., Maurino V.G. (2023)
Plant Physiology. 191(2): 1214-1233. • IF 8.005
Bellucci E., Benazzo A., Xu C., Bitocchi E., Rodriguez M., Alseekh S., Di Vittori V., Gioia T., Neumann K., Cortinovis G., Frascarelli G., Murube E., Trucchi E., Nanni L., Ariani A., Logozzo G., Shin JH., Liu C., Jiang .L, Ferreira J.J., Campa A., Attene G., Morrell P.L., Bertorelle G., Graner A., Gepts P., Fernie A.R., Jackson S.A., Papa R. (2023)
Nature Communications. 14(1): 1908. • IF 17.694
Bulut M., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R. (2023)
Plant Physiology. 191(4): 2120-2132. • IF 8.005
Bulut M., Nunes-Nesi A., Fernie A.R., Alseekh S. (2023)
Horticulture Research. 10(12): uhad224. • IF 7.291
Bulut M., Wendenburg R., Bitocchi E., Bellucci E., Kroc M., Gioia T., Susek K., Papa R., Fernie A.R., Alseekh S. (2023)
The Plant Journal. 116(4): 1152-1171. • IF 7.091
Córdoba S.C., Tong H., Burgos A., Zhu F., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Nikoloski Z. (2023)
Nature Communications. 4(1): 4897. • IF 17.694
Dziubek D., Poeker L., Siemiątkowska B., Graf A., Marino G., Alseekh S., Arrivault S., Fernie A.R., Armbruster U., Geigenberger P. (2023)
Plant Physiology. 194(2): 982-1005. • IF 8.005
Fernie A.R., Alseekh S. (2023)
Molecular Plant. 16(7): 1103-1105. • IF 27.5
Gyuzeleva D., Benina M., Ivanova V., Vatov E., Alseekh S., Mladenova T., Mladenov R., Todorov K., Bivolarska A., Stoyanov P. (2023)
International Journal of Molecular Sciences. (24)23: 17035. • IF 6.208
Hayashi K., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R. (2023)
Proteomics. 13: e2200104. • IF 5.911
Julca I., Mutwil-Anderwald D., Manoj V., Khan Z., Lai S.K., Yang L.K., Beh IT., Dziekan J., Lim Y.P., Lim S.K., Low Y.W, Lam Y.I, Tjia S., Mu Y., Tan Q.W., Nuc P., Choo L.M., Khew G., Shining L., Kam A., Tam J.P., Bozdech Z., Schmidt M., Usadel B., Kanagasundaram Y.S, Alseekh S., Fernie A., Li H.Y., Mutwil M. (2023)
Journal of Integrative Plant Biology. 65(6): 1442-1466. • IF 9.106
Karakas E., Ferrante P., Schafleitner R., Giuliano G., Fernie A.R., Alseekh S. (2023)
Plant Sample Collection and Shipment for Multi-omic Analyses and Phytosanitary Evaluation. Current Protocols. (12): e952.
Li X., Tieman D., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Klee H.J. (2023)
The Plant Journal. 115(4): 1134-1150. • IF 7.091
López C.M., Alseekh S., Torralbo F., Martínez Rivas F.J., Fernie A.R., Amil-Ruiz F., Alamillo J.M. (2023)
Journal of Experimental Botany. 74(10): 3203–3219. • IF 7.298
Machens F., Ran G., Ruehmkorff C., Meyer Auf der Heyde J., Mueller-Roeber B., Hochrein L. (2023)
ACS Synthetic Biology. 12(4): 1046-1057. • IF 5.249
Martínez-Rivas F.J., Blanco-Portales R., Serratosa M.P., Ric-Varas P., Guerrero-Sánchez V., Medina-Puche L., Moyano L., Mercado J.A., Alseekh S., Caballero J.L., Fernie A.R., Muñoz-Blanco J., Molina-Hidalgo FJ. (2023)
The Plant Journal. 114(3): 683-698. • IF 7.091
Naake T., Zhu F., Alseekh S., Scossa .F, Perez de Souza L., Borghi M., Brotman Y., Mori T., Nakabayashi R., Tohge T, Fernie A.R. (2023)
Plant Physiology. DOI: doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiad511. • IF 8.005
Perez de Souza L, Fernie A.R. (2023)
Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal. DOI: 10.1042/EBC20230019. • IF 7.271
Poplawski P., Alseekh S., Jankowska U., Skupien-Rabian B., Iwanicka-Nowicka R., Kossowska H., Fogtman A., Rybicka B., Bogusławska J., Adamiok-Ostrowska A., Hanusek K., Hanusek J., Koblowska M., Fernie A.R., Piekiełko-Witkowska A. (2023)
Cancer Cell International. 23(1): 2. • IF 6.07
Salem M.A., Aborehab N.M., Abdelhafez M.M., Ismail S.H., Maurice N.W., Azzam M.A., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Salama M.M., Ezzat S.M. (2023)
Metabolites. 13(7): 871. • IF 5.581
Salem M.A., El-Shiekh R.A, Aborehab N.M., Al-Karmalawy A.A., Ezzat S.M., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R. (2023)
Food Chemistry. 398: 133906 • IF 9.231
Sarnowska E., Kubala S., Cwiek P., Sacharowski S., Oksinska P., Steciuk J., Zaborowska M., Szurmak J.M., Dubianski R., Maassen A., Stachowiak M., Huettel B., Ciesla M., Nowicka K., Rolicka A.T., Alseekh S., Bucior E., Franzen R., Skoneczna A., Domagalska M.A., Amar S., Hajirezaei M.R., Siedlecki J.A., Fernie A.R., Davis S.J., Sarnowski T.J. (2023)
The Plant Journal. 115(3): 788-802. • IF 7.091
Segarra-Medina C., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Rambla J.L., Pérez-Clemente R.M., Gómez-Cádenas A., Zandalinas S.I. (2023)
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry. 3: 108008. • IF 5.437
Sreenivasulu N., Alseekh S., Tiozon R.N Jr., Graner A., Martin C., Fernie A.R. (2023)
Annual Review of Food Science and Technology. 14: 183-202. • IF 14.714
Sun Y., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R. (2023)
Global Change Biology. 29(2): 477-504. • IF 13.211
Wijesingha Ahchige M, Fernie A.R, Alseekh S. (2023)
Plant Physiology.192(1): 442-468. • IF 8.005
Xie J.Q., Zhou X., Jia Z.C., Su C.F., Zhang Y., Fernie A.R., Zhang J., Du Z.Y., Chen M.X. (2023)
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 71(45): 16883–16901. • IF 6.1
Zemach I., Alseekh S., Tadmor-Levi R., Fisher J., Torgeman S., Trigerman S., Nauen J., Hayut S.F., Mann V., Rochsar E., Finkers R., Wendenburg R., Osorio S., Bergmann S., Lunn J.E., Semel Y., Hirschberg J., Fernie A.R., Zamir D. (2023)
The Plant Journal. 116(4): 1136-1151. • IF 7.091
Zhao H., He Y., Zhang K., Li S., Chen Y., He M., He F., Gao B., Yang D., Fan Y., Zhu X., Yan M., Giglioli-Guivarc’h N., Hano C., Fernie A.R., Georgiev M.I., Janovska D., Meglic V., Zhou M. (2023)
Plant Biotechnology Journal. 21(1): 150-164. • IF 13.263
Zhang Y., Jaime M.S., Bulut M., Graf A., Fernie A.R. (2023)
Plant Communications. 4(5): 100635. • IF 10.5
Zhang Y., Wiese L., Fang H., Alseekh S., Perez de Souza L., Scossa F., Molloy J., Christmann M., Fernie A.R. (2023)
Molecular Plant. 16(12): 1951-1961. • IF 27.5
Zayed A., Farag M.A., Mehring A., Salem M.A., Ibrahim R.M., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Ulber R. (2023)
Phytochemistry. 213: 113777. • IF 4.004
Zhu F., Bulut M., Cheng Y., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R. (2023)
Methods in Molecular Biology. 2642: 241-255.
Zhu F., Sun Y., Jadhav S.S., Cheng Y., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R. (2023)
Methods in Molecular Biology. 2642: 129-150.
Zhu F., Wen W., Cheng Y., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R. (2023)
aBIOTECH. 4(1): 47-56. • IF 3.6