Michela Centinari, Ph.D.

Michela Centinari, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor of Viticulture
218 Tyson Building
University Park, PA 16802

Areas of Expertise

  • Wine grape production
  • Grapevine physiology
  • Sustainable viticulture
  • cold temperature stress

Education

  • Post-doctoral Research, Cornell University, Department of Horticulture, 2010-2013.
  • Ph.D., Viticulture, 2008, University of Bologna (Italy)
  • B.S., Horticulture, 2003, University of Bologna (Italy)

Selected publications

  • King WL, Yates CF, Cao L, O'Rourke-Ibach S, Fleishman SM, Richards S., Centinari M, Hafner B, Goebel M, Bauerle T, Kim Y, Nicora C, Anderton C, Eissenstat D, and Bell T. (In press). Functionally discrete fine roots differ in microbial assembly, microbial functional potential, and produced metabolites. Plant, Cell & Environment.
  • Leach H, Mariani T, Centinari M, and Urban J. (2023). Evaluating integrated pest management tactics for spotted lanternfly management in vineyards. Pest Management Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.7528
  • Persico M, Smith DE, Smith MS, Hopfer H, and Centinari M. (2023). Delaying grapevine budbreak to prevent spring freeze damage impacts Lemberger wine flavour compounds under variable weather conditions. OENO One, 57(2), 331–343. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20870/oeno-one.2023.57.2.7437
  • Persico M, Fleishman SM, Eissenstat D, Bell T, and Centinari M. (2023). The age of absorptive roots impacts root-adjacent microbial composition in grapevines. Phytobiomes. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PBIOMES-11-22-0078-SC
  • Fleishman SM, Bell T, Centinari M, and Eissenstat D. (2023). Assessing microbial communities across the fine root landscape. Journal of Experimental Botany. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erad019
  • Fleishman SM, Eissenstat D, Hoffer G, and Centinari M. (2023). Cover crops and a devigorating rootstock can impart substantial agroecosystem services to high-resource vineyards: a multi-year study. Agriculture, Ecosystems and the Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2022.108
  • Fleishman SM, Eissenstat D, Bell TH, and Centinari M. (2022). Functionally-explicit sampling can answer key questions about the specificity of plant–microbe -interactions. Environmental Microbiome 17, 51. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-022-00445-x
  • Harner AD, Leach HL, Briggs L, and Centinari M (2022). Prolonged phloem feeding by the spotted lanternfly, an invasive planthopper, alters resource allocation and inhibits gas exchange in grapevines. Plant Direct 6, e452.https://doi.org/10.1002/pld3.452
  • Islam T, Kudla-Williams C, Kar S, Londo JP, Centinari M, Rosa C (2022) Deciphering genome-wide transcriptomic changes in grapevines heavily infested by spotted lanternflies. Frontiers in Insect Science, 2:971221. doi: 10.3389/finsc.2022.97122
  • Kelley KM, Todd M, Hopfer H, and Centinari, M. (2022). Identifying wine consumers interested in environmentally sustainable production practices. International Journal of Wine Business Research. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWBR-01-2021-0003.
  • Vanden Heuvel J and Centinari M (2021). Under-vine vegetation mitigates the impacts of excessive precipitation in vineyards. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12:713135. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.713135
  • Persico MJ, Smith DE, and Centinari M. (2021). Delaying budbreak to reduce freeze damage: Seasonal vine performance and wine composition in two V. vinifera cultivars. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture. DOI: 10.5344/ajev.2021.21008.
  • Keller ST, Harner AD, Centinari M, Elias RJ, and Hopfer H. (2021). Influence of Region on Sensory and Chemical Profiles of Pennsylvania Grüner Veltliner Wines. Foods 10(4): 825. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10040825
  • King WL, Yates CF, Guo J, Fleishman SM, Trexler RV, Centinari M, Bell TH, and Eissenstat DM. (2021). The hierarchy of root branching order determines bacterial composition, microbial carrying capacity and microbial filtering. Communications Biology 4:483. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-01988-4
  • Fleishman SM, Bock HW, Eissenstat DM, and Centinari M. (2021). Undervine groundcover substantially increases shallow but not deep soil carbon in a temperate vineyard. Agriculture, Ecosystem, & Environment 313, 107362. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2021.107362
  • Yates CF, Guo J, Bell TH, Fleishman SM, Bock HW, Trexler RV, Eissenstat DM, and Centinari M. (2021). Tree-induced alterations to soil properties and rhizoplane-associated bacteria following 23 years in a common garden. Plant and Soil 461(1), 591-602. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-04846-8
  • Hed B and Centinari M. (2021) Gibberellin application improved bunch rot control of Vignoles grapes, but response to  mechanical defoliation varied between training systems. Plant Disease 105 (2), 339–345. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-06-20-1184-RE
  • Harner AD, Vanden Heuvel JE, Marini R, Elias RJ, and Centinari M. (2019). Modeling the impacts of weather and cultural factors on rotundone concentration in cool-climate Noiret wine grapes. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10:1255. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01255
  • Smith MS and Centinari M. (2019). Young grapevines exhibit interspecific differences in hydraulic response to freeze stress but not in recovery. Planta  250, 495-505.doi: 10.1007/s00425-019-03183-6
  • Fleishman SM, Eissenstat DM, and Centinari M. (2019). Rootstock vigor shifts aboveground response to groundcover competition in young grapevines. Plant and Soil, 440, 151-165.
  • Smith MS and Centinari M. (2019). Impacts of early leaf removal and cluster thinning on Grüner Veltliner production, fruit composition, and vine health. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, 70, 308-317.
  • Hed B and Centinari M. (2018). Hand and mechanical fruit-zone leaf removal at prebloom and fruit set was more effective in reducing crop yield than reducing bunch rot in 'Riesling' grapevines. HortTechnolgy 28, 296–303.
  • Centinari M, Gardner DM, Smith DE, Smith MS. (2018). Impact of Amigo oil and KDL on grapevine post-bud burst freeze damage, yield components, fruit and wine composition. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture 69, 77-88. 
  • Homich L.J., Elias R.J, Vanden Heuvel JE, Centinari M. (2017). The impact of fruit-zone leaf removal on rotundone concentration in Noiret. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture 68, 447–457.
  • Centinari M, Smith MS, Londo JP. (2016). Assessment of freeze injury of grapevine green tissues in response to cultivars and a cryoprotectant product. HortScience 51, 856-860.
  • Centinari M, Kelley K., Hed B., Miller A, Patel-Campillo A. (2016). Assessing Pennsylvania wine grape growers' challenges and needs. Journal of Extension 54, 1-7.
  • Klodd A, Eissenstat  DM, Wolf TK, Centinari M. (2016). Coping with cover crop competition in mature grapevines. Plant and Soil 1, 391-400.
  • Centinari M, Vanden Heuvel JE, Goebel M, Smith M and Bauerle TL. (2016). Root-zone management practices impact above and belowground growth in Cabernet Franc grapevines . Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 1, 137-148.
  • Bauerle TL, Centinari M. (2014). Assessment of root system development among four ornamental tree species through time via x-ray computed tomography. HortScience 49, 44-50.
  • Centinari M, Filippetti I, Bauerle TL, Allegro G, Valentini G, Poni S. (2013). Cover Crop water use in relation to vineyard floor management practices. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture 64, 522-526.
  • Centinari M, Poni S, Intrigliolo DS, Dragoni D, Lakso AN. (2012). Cover crop evapotranspiration in a northeastern US Concord (Vitis labruscana) vineyard. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 18, 73-79.
  • Bauerle TL, Centinari M, Bauerle WL. (2011). Shifts in xylem vessel diameter and embolisms in grafted apple trees of differing rootstock growth potential in response to drought. Planta 234, 1045-1054.
  • Centinari M, Poni S, Filippetti I, Magnanini E, Intrieri C. (2009). Evaluation of an open portable chamber system for measuring cover crop water use in a vineyard and comparison with a mini-lysimeter approach. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 149, 1975-1982.
  • Intrigliolo DS, Lakso AN, Centinari M. (2009). Testing the shoot autonomy theory in Vitis labruscana cv. Concord. Vitis 48 (1), 1-5.
  • Intrieri C., Filippetti I., Allegro G., Centinari M. and Poni S. (2008). Early defoliation (hand versus mechanical) for improved crop control and grape composition in Sangiovese (Vitis vinifera L.). Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 14 (1), 25-32.
  • Filippetti I., Intrieri C., Centinari M., Bucchetti B. and Pastore C. (2005). Molecular characterization of officially registered Sangiovese clones and of other Sangiovese-like biotypes in Tuscany, Corsica and Emilia-Romagna. Vitis 44 (4),167-172.