Education

Ph.D. in Biological Science, Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (CSIC-UPV), University of Valencia, Spain, 1996

Current position

Scientific Researcher, Group of Postharvest Physiology, Biotechnology and Pathology, Department of Food Science, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain

Publications (since 2004)

1. Lado, J., Cronje, P., Rodrigo, M. J. and Zacarías, L. (2015). Involvement of lycopene in the induction of tolerance to chilling injury in grapefruits. Postharvest Biol Tec 100: 176-186.
   
2. Lado, J., Alos, E., Rodrigo, M. J. and Zacarias, L. (2015). Light avoidance reduces ascorbic acid accumulation in the peel of Citrus fruit. Plant Sci 231: 138-147.
3. Pons, E., Alquezar, B., Rodriguez, A., Martorell, P., Genoves, S., Ramon, D., Rodrigo, M. J., Zacarias, L. and Pena, L. (2014). Metabolic engineering of beta-carotene in orange fruit increases its in vivo antioxidant properties. Plant Biotechnol J 12(1): 17-27.
   
4. Rodriguez, A., Shimada, T., Cervera, M., Alquezar, B., Gadea, J., Gomez-Cadenas, A., De Ollas, C. J., Rodrigo, M. J., Zacarias, L. and Pena, L. (2014). Terpene down-regulation triggers defense responses in transgenic orange leading to resistance against fungal pathogens. Plant Physiol 164(1): 321-339.
   
5. Alos, E., Distefano, G., Rodrigo, M. J., Gentile, A. and Zacarias, L. (2014). Altered sensitivity to ethylene in 'Tardivo', a late-ripening mutant of Clementine mandarin. Physiol Plant 151(4): 507-521.
   
6. Alos, E., Rodrigo, M. J. and Zacarias, L. (2014). Differential transcriptional regulation of L-ascorbic acid content in peel and pulp of citrus fruits during development and maturation. Planta 239(5): 1113-1128.
   
7. Lado, J., Rodrigo, M. J. and Zacarias, L. (2014). Analysis of ethylene biosynthesis and perception during postharvest cold storage of Marsh and Star Ruby grapefruits. Food Sci Technol Int. (Epub ahead of print)
   
8. Lado, J., Rodrigo, M. J. and Zacarías, L. (2014). Maturity indicators and citrus fruit quality. Stewart Postharvest Review 2:3.
   
9. Romero, P., Rodrigo, M. J. and Lafuente, M. T. (2013). Differential expression of the Citrus sinensis ABA perception system genes during postharvest fruit dehydration. Postharvest Biol Tec 76: 65-73.
   
10. Alos, E., Rodrigo, M. J. and Zacarias, L. (2013). Transcriptomic analysis of genes involved in the biosynthesis, recycling and degradation of L-ascorbic acid in pepper fruits (Capsicum annuum L.). Plant Sci 207: 2-11.
    
11. Alquézar, B., Rodrigo, M. J., Lado, J. and Zacarías, L. (2013). A comparative physiological and transcriptional study of carotenoid biosynthesis in white and red grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf.). Tree Genet Genomes 9 (5): 1257-1269.
    
12. Rodrigo, M. J., Alquezar, B., Alos, E., Medina, V., Carmona, L., Bruno, M., Al-Babili, S. and Zacarias, L. (2013). A novel carotenoid cleavage activity involved in the biosynthesis of Citrus fruit-specific apocarotenoid pigments. J Exp Bot 64(14): 4461-4478.
13. Rodrigo, M. J., Alquezar, B., Alós, E., Lado, J. and Zacarias, L. (2013). Biochemical bases and molecular regulation of pigmentation in the peel of Citrus fruit. Sci Horticulturae 163(SI): 46-62.
    
14. Romero, P., Rodrigo, M. J., Alferez, F., Ballester, A. R., Gonzalez-Candelas, L., Zacarias, L. and Lafuente, M. T. (2012). Unravelling molecular responses to moderate dehydration in harvested fruit of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) using a fruit-specific ABA-deficient mutant. J Exp Bot 63(7): 2753-2767.
    
15. Romero, P., Lafuente, M. T. and Rodrigo, M. J. (2012). The Citrus ABA signalosome: identification and transcriptional regulation during sweet orange fruit ripening and leaf dehydration. J Exp Bot 63(13): 4931-4945.
    
16. Carmona, L., Zacarías, L., Rodrigo, M. J. (2012). Stimulation of coloration and carotenoid biosynthesis during postharvest storage of `Navelina´orange fruit at 12 ºC. Postharvest Biol Tec 74: 108-117.
    
17. Rodrigo, M. J., Alquezar, B., Alferez, F., Zacarías, L. (2012). Biochemistry of fruits and fruit products. (Chapter 2). In: Hiu, Y. H. (ed). Handbook of fruits processing and technology. Blackwell Publishing 13-50.
    
18. Rivas, F., Fornes, F., Rodrigo, M. J., Zacarías, L., Agustí, M. (2011). Changes in carotenoids and ABA content in Citrus leaves in response to girdling. Sci Horticulturae 127: 482-487.
    
19. Rodriguez, A., San Andres, V., Cervera, M., Redondo, A., Alquezar, B., Shimada, T., Gadea, J., Rodrigo, M. J., Zacarias, L., Palou, L., Lopez, M. M., Castanera, P. and Pena, L. (2011). Terpene down-regulation in orange reveals the role of fruit aromas in mediating interactions with insect herbivores and pathogens. Plant Physiol 156(2): 793-802.
    
20. Rodriguez, A., San Andres, V., Cervera, M., Redondo, A., Alquezar, B., Shimada, T., Gadea, J., Rodrigo, M., Zacarias, L., Palou, L., Lopez, M. M., Castanera, P. and Pena, L. (2011). The monoterpene limonene in orange peels attracts pests and microorganisms. Plant Signal Behav 6(11): 1820-1823.   
    
21. Rios, G., Naranjo, M. A., Rodrigo, M. J., Alos, E., Zacarias, L., Cercos, M. and Talon, M. (2010). Identification of a GCC transcription factor responding to fruit colour change events in citrus through the transcriptomic analyses of two mutants. BMC Plant Biol 10: 276.
    
22. Alquezar, B., Zacarias, L. and Rodrigo, M. J. (2009). Molecular and functional characterization of a novel chromoplast-specific lycopene beta-cyclase from Citrus and its relation to lycopene accumulation. J Exp Bot 60(6): 1783-1797.
    
23. Caprioli, I., Lafuente, M. T., Rodrigo, M. J. and Mencarelli, F. (2009). Influence of postharvest treatments on quality, carotenoids, and abscisic acid content of stored "spring belle" peach (prunus persica) fruit. J Agric Food Chem 57(15): 7056-7063.
    
24. Alquezar, B., Rodrigo, M. J. and Zacarias, L. (2008). Regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis during fruit maturation in the red-fleshed orange mutant Cara Cara. Phytochemistry 69(10): 1997-2007.
    
25. Alquezar B, Rodrigo, M. J., Zacarías L. (2008). Carotenoid biosynthesis and their regulation in Citrus Fruit. In: Teixeira da Silva, J. A, Tennant, P. (eds). Tree and Forestry Science and Biotechnology. Volume 2 Citrus Special Issue 1.  Global Science Books, 23-35.
    
26. Rodrigo, M. J., Zacarías, L. (2007). Effect of postharvest ethylene application on carotenoid accumulation and the expression of carotenoid biosynthetic genes in the flavedo of orange (Citrus sinensis L.Osbeck) fruit. Postharvest Biol and Tec 43: 14-22.
    
27. Rodrigo, M. J. and Zacarías, L. (2006). Horticultural and quality aspects of Citrus fruits (Chapter 18). In: Hiu, Y. H. (ed). Handbook of fruits processing and technology.  Blackwell Publishing, 293-308.
    
28. Rodrigo, M. J., Alquezar, B. and Zacarias, L. (2006). Cloning and characterization of two 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase genes, differentially regulated during fruit maturation and under stress conditions, from orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck). J Exp Bot 57(3): 633-643.
    
29. Sanchez-Ballesta, M. T., Gosalbes, M. J., Rodrigo, M. J., Granell, A. Zacarias, L. and Lafuente, M. T. (2006). Characterization of a beta-1,3-glucanase from citrus fruit as related to chilling-induced injury and ethylene production. Postharvest Biol Tec 40: 133-140.
    
30. Alos, E., Cercos, M., Rodrigo, M. J., Zacarias, L. and Talon, M. (2006). Regulation of color break in citrus fruits. Changes in pigment profiling and gene expression induced by gibberellins and nitrate, two ripening retardants. J Agric Food Chem 54(13): 4888-4895.
    
31. Reyes, J. L., Rodrigo, M. J., Colmenero-Flores, J. M., Gil, J. V., Garay-Arroyo, A., Campos, F., Salamini, F., Bartels, D. and Covarrubias, A. (2005). Hydrophilins from distant organisms can protect enzymatic activities from water limitation in vitro. Plant Cell and Environment 28: 709-718.
    
32. Rodrigo, M. J., Bockel, C., Blervacq, A. S. and Bartels, D. (2004). The novel gene CpEdi-9 from the resurrection plant C. plantagineum encodes a hydrophilic protein and is expressed in mature seeds as well as in response to dehydration in leaf phloem tissues. Planta 219(4): 579-589.
    
33. Sanchez-Ballesta, M. T., Rodrigo, M. J., Lafuente, M. T., Granell, A. and Zacarias, L. (2004). Dehydrin from citrus, which confers in vitro dehydration and freezing protection activity, is constitutive and highly expressed in the flavedo of fruit but responsive to cold and water stress in leaves. J Agric Food Chem 52(7): 1950-1957.
    
34. Rodrigo, M. J., Marcos, J. F. and Zacarias, L. (2004). Biochemical and molecular analysis of carotenoid biosynthesis in flavedo of orange (Citrus sinensis L.) during fruit development and maturation. J Agric Food Chem 52(22): 6724-6731.