Lorenzo Cotrozzi

Lorenzo COTROZZI, PhD
Pisa, Italy, 14/11/1985
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa
Associate Professor – Plant Pathology (lorenzo.cotrozzi@unipi.it)

EDUCATION AND ACADEMIC POSITIONS (Highlights)
2013: M.S., Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Italy (cum laude)
2015: Visiting Scholar (six months), Dept. of Forestry and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin (Madison, WI USA)
2017: PhD, Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Italy
2017: Post-Doctoral Research Associate (16 months), Depts. of Entomology, and Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN USA)
2018: Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Italy
2019: Visiting Scientist (one month), Depts. of Entomology, and Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University (USA)
2020: National Scientific Qualification (ASN) for Associate Professor (SSD AGR/12, sector 07/D1)
2021: Research Assistant (RTD-B), Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Italy
2023: National Scientific Qualification (ASN) for Full Professor (SSD AGR/12, sector 07/D1)
2024: Associate Professor, Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Italy

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Major research interests:
- Advancing vegetation spectroscopy and the concept of hyperspectral phenotyping of plant stress
- Ecophysiological and biochemical responses of plants to oxidative stress induced by biotic/abiotic factors (with a special attraction to oak responses to ozone/drought/salinity in the context of climate change)
- Verticillium as a biocontrol agent against Ailanthus altissima invasion
- Biomonitoring of air quality with vascular plants
- Tree stability in urban environment
The scientific activity is documented by around 100 papers, of which more than 80 are published in international peer-reviewed journals (H-index 25; Scopus, Oct 2024), as well as more than 30 presentations delivered at national and international conferences (also as invited-speaker and/or chair-person), and the involvement in national and international research projects.
Associate Editor of New Forests (Springer); Guest Editor of a special issue of Agronomy (MDPI); Reviewer of many peer-reviewed journals.

TEACHING AND MENTORING EXPERIENCES
Lecturer in Urban Forest Pathology, M.S. course in Urban Green Areas and Landscape Planning and Management, Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa
Lecturer in Pests Management according to the Legislation, B.S. course in Agricultural Sciences, Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa
Teaching Assistant in courses dealing with Plant Pathology at the Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa (e.g. Crop Protection, Tree Stability and Diagnostic Imaging).
Thesis Supervisor and/or Mentor of undergraduate and graduate students at the Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, and at the Dept. of Entomology, Purdue University (USA).
PhD Evaluating Committee Member at the Dept. of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University (USA).

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Cotrozzi et al. 2016. Variations in physiological and biochemical traits of oak seedlings grown under drought and ozone stress. Physiol Plant 157: 69-84.
Cotrozzi et al. 2020. Spectral phenotyping of physiological and anatomical leaf traits related with maize water status. Plant Physiol 184: 1363-1377.
Cotrozzi 2021. The effects of tropospheric ozone on oaks: A global meta-analysis. Sci Total Environ 756: 143795.
Cotrozzi 2022. Spectroscopic detection of forest diseases: A review (1970-2020). J For Res 33: 21-38.