Massimo Iorizzo
· ProfessorNorth Carolina State University · Horticultural Science
Active 1993–2026
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About
Dr. Massimo Iorizzo is a Professor in the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University, located at 600 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC. He holds a PhD and MS from the University of Naples 'Federico II' in Italy. His research focuses on genetics, genomics, germplasm improvement, and breeding of small fruits such as strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries, as well as vegetable crops. Dr. Iorizzo investigates the health-promoting phytoactive compounds inherent in fruits and vegetables, and explores strategies for selecting, concentrating, and preserving these phytochemicals. He is a member of the graduate faculty in breeding, genetics, genomics, and bioengineering, with a specific focus on fruit crops (pomology) and vegetable crops (olericulture). His work aims to advance plant breeding and germplasm development to improve crop quality and health benefits.
Research topics
- Biology
- Botany
- Genetics
- Horticulture
- Biotechnology
- Food science
- Computational biology
- Ecology
- Chemistry
- Agroforestry
Selected publications
Horticulture Research · 2022 · 77 citations
berry crops on topics that span taxonomy to genetics and genomics to breeding. We highlight the accomplishments made thus far for each of these crops, along their journey from the wild, and propose research areas and questions that will require investments by the community over the coming decades to guide future crop improvement efforts. New tools and resources are needed to underpin the development of superior cultivars that are not only more resilient to various environmental stresses and high…
Genes · 2020 · 62 citations
1st authorCorrespondingAlef) are characterized by their dark purple- to black-colored roots, owing their appearance to high anthocyanin concentrations. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the use of black carrot anthocyanins as natural food dyes. Black carrot roots contain large quantities of mono-acylated anthocyanins, which impart a measure of heat-, light- and pH-stability, enhancing the color-stability of food products over their shelf-life. The genetic pathway controlling anthocyanin biosynthes…
Nature Plants · 2023 · 60 citations
Senior authorCorrespondingHere an improved carrot reference genome and resequencing of 630 carrot accessions were used to investigate carrot domestication and improvement. The study demonstrated that carrot was domesticated during the Early Middle Ages in the region spanning western Asia to central Asia, and orange carrot was selected during the Renaissance period, probably in western Europe. A progressive reduction of genetic diversity accompanied this process. Genes controlling circadian clock/flowering and carotenoid…
Frontiers in Plant Science · 2021 · 46 citations
divergence occurred 4.5 Mya, following their divergence from blueberry 10.4 Mya, which agrees with morphological differences between these species and previously identified duplication events. Finally, we identified a cluster of subgroup-6 R2R3 MYB transcription factors within a genomic region spanning a large QTL for anthocyanin variation in cranberry fruit. Phylogenetic analysis suggested these genes likely act as anthocyanin biosynthesis regulators in cranberry. Undoubtedly, these new cranber…
The Plant Genome · 2021 · 34 citations
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is a member of the Caryophyllales family, a basal eudicot asterid that consists of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), and amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.). With the introduction of baby leaf types, spinach has become a staple food in many homes. Production issues focus on yield, nitrogen-use efficiency and resistance to downy mildew (Peronospora effusa). Although genomes are available for the above species, a…
Frequent coauthors
- 136 shared
Philipp W. Simon
- 94 shared
Pablo F. Cavagnaro
- 59 shared
Douglas Senalik
- 48 shared
Molla F. Mengist
North Carolina State University
- 42 shared
Nicholi Vorsa
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- 38 shared
Aamir Ali
University of Sargodha
- 37 shared
Philip A. Roberts
University of California, Riverside
- 37 shared
William Matthews
University of California, Riverside
Education
- 2009
PhD, Horticulture
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
- 2005
BS and MS, Horticulture
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
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