Research interests
Flora’s research focuses on aspects of root and soil biology in horticultural crop production. Her particular areas of interest include root and rhizosphere microbial interactions, adventitious rooting, and root traits associated with abiotic stress tolerance. Flora's current research topics include soil health, the influence of horticultural crops on the soil microbiome and soil carbon sequestration.
Current research projects
PhD project: Below ground carbon sequestration potential of apple trees
Duration: October 2019 – October 2023
Partners: University of Reading
Funders/funding: BBSRC, Fruit Crop Research CTP
Title: Carbon sequestration in modern apple dessert orchards
Duration: October 2020 - March 2021
Partners: Alicia Ledo (independent researcher)
Funders/funding: AHDB
Recent publications
O’Brien, FJM, Almaraz, M, Foster, M, Hill, A, Huber, D, King, E, Langford, H, Lowe, MA, Mickan, BS, Miller, V and Moore, O (2019). Soil salinity and pH drive soil bacterial community composition and diversity along a lateritic slope in the Avon River critical zone observatory, Western Australia. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10, p.1486
Tilston, EL, Deakin, G, Bennett, J, Passey, T, Harrison, N, O’Brien, F, Fernández-Fernández, F and Xu, X (2018). Candidate causal organisms for apple replant disease in the United Kingdom. Phytobiomes Journal, 2 (4), p.261-274
O’Brien, FJM, Dumont, MG, Webb, JS and Poppy, GM (2018). Rhizosphere bacterial communities differ according to fertilizer regimes and cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) harvest time, but not aphid herbivory. Frontiers in Microbiology, 9, p.1620
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