Danilo is a molecular biologist specializing in the growth of crops and their coping mechanisms to biotic and abiotic stress. His work ranges from nitrogen deficiency to pest and disease resistance, with research spanning various plant, animal and bacterial species such as common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), Yellow Sigatoka (Mycosphaerella musicola) and whitefly (Aleurotrachelus socialis).

He has worked extensively with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and has presented his work in several conferences including to the Colombian Association for Biological Sciences (ACCB). Danilo’s fellowship with Bioversity focused on identifying Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI) activity in rice. Nitrogen plays an important part in healthy crop growth and is often a primary ingredient in chemical fertilizers. However, nitrification through nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide emissions can cause significant losses to soil and as a result, significant losses to crop health. As some plant species are able to inhibit nitrification by releasing inhibitors from their roots, characterizing BNI could help reduce the indiscriminate use of polluting nitrogen fertilizers, as well as assist in the development of varieties of rice with higher Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE). Danilo’s research focused on screening rice germplasm in genebanks in order to determine strains with the highest BNI activity.

His work was conducted in cooperation with CIAT in Cali, Colombia, and was presented at the 7th ISRR Symposium ‘Root Research and Applications’ (RootRAP) in Austria in 2009. Danilo is currently working as an International Consultant for CIAT, and is expected to start a PhD in Plant Breeding & Genetics at Cornell University in New York later this year.