Siela Maximova's research involves discovering new knowledge and technologies useful for the improvement of crops, with a long-term vision to contribute to poverty and hunger alleviation, development of sustainable agricultural systems, and the reduction of the impacts of agriculture on climate change.
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Recent Publications
Reduced Susceptibility to Phytophthora in Non-Transgenic Cacao Progeny Through CRISPR–Cas9 Mediated TcNPR3 Mutagenesis
Guiltinan, M. J., Landherr, L., Maximova, S. N., DelVecchio, D., Sebastian, A. & Albert, I., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Plant Biotechnology Journal.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Correction to: The Effect of Maternal and Paternal Genotype on Seed Lipid Content, Composition, and Thermal Traits in Theobroma cacao (Tropical Plant Biology, (2025), 18, 1, (33), 10.1007/s12042-025-09400-9)
Kulesza, E., Hopfer, H., Ziegler, G. R., Calle‑Bellido, J., Roberts, C., Umaharan, P., Maximova, S. & Guiltinan, M., Dec 2025, In: Tropical Plant Biology. 18, 1, 49.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review
The Effect of Maternal and Paternal Genotype on seed Lipid Content, Composition, and Thermal Traits in in Clone Cacao Crossings Sca6 x Pa150, in St. Augustine
Kulesza, E., Hopfer, H., Ziegler, G. R., Calle-Bellido, J., Roberts, C., Umaharan, P., Maximova, S. N. & Guiltinan, M. J., Dec 2025, In: Tropical Plant Biology. 18, 1, 33.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Developing a core collection for the conservation of Theobroma cacao’s genetic diversity
Todd, E. T., Arigoni, F., Holzwarth, J. A., Bellanger, L., Descombes, P., Beche, E., Lass, T., Guiltinan, M. J., Maximova, S. N., Leandro, M., Mérot, V., Lepelley, M. & Fillodeau, A., Dec 2025, In: BMC genomics. 26, 1, 896.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Local gene duplications drive extensive NLR copy number variation across multiple genotypes of Theobroma cacao
Winters, N. P., Wafula, E. K., Timilsena, P. R., Ralph, P. E., Maximova, S. N., De Pamphilis, C. W., Guiltinan, M. J. & Marden, J. H., Sep 2025, In: G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics. 15, 9, jkaf147.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Accumulation of cadmium in soils, litter and leaves in cacao farms in the North Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia
Guarín, D., Martín-López, J. M., Libohova, Z., Benavides-Bolaños, J., Maximova, S. N., Guiltinan, M. J., Spargo, J., da Silva, M., Fernandez, A. & Drohan, P., Mar 2024, In: Geoderma Regional. 36, e00762.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
The cacao gene atlas: a transcriptome developmental atlas reveals highly tissue-specific and dynamically-regulated gene networks in Theobroma cacao L
Kulesza, E., Thomas, P., Prewitt, S. F., Shalit-Kaneh, A., Wafula, E., Knollenberg, B., Winters, N., Esteban, E., Pasha, A., Provart, N., Praul, C., Landherr, L., dePamphilis, C., Maximova, S. N. & Guiltinan, M. J., Dec 2024, In: BMC plant biology. 24, 1, 601.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
A combination of conserved and diverged responses underlies Theobroma cacao’s defense response to Phytophthora palmivora
Winters, N. P., Wafula, E. K., Knollenberg, B. J., Hämälä, T., Timilsena, P. R., Perryman, M., Zhang, D., Sheaffer, L. L., Praul, C. A., Ralph, P. E., Prewitt, S., Leandro-Muñoz, M. E., Delgadillo-Duran, D. A., Altman, N. S., Tiffin, P., Maximova, S. N., dePamphilis, C. W., Marden, J. H. & Guiltinan, M. J., Dec 2024, In: BMC Biology. 22, 1, 38.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Evaluation of cacao projects in Colombia: The case of the rural Productive Partnerships Project (PAAP)
Gil, A., Brennan, M., Chaudhary, A. K. & Maximova, S. N., Apr 2023, In: Evaluation and Program Planning. 97, 102230.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Cadmium contamination in cacao farms of Piura, North Peru: A comprehensive assessment of geogenic and anthropogenic sources and implications for future production
Guarín, D., Hamamura, N. R., Cortez, J. B., Benavides, J., Spargo, J., Guiltinan, M., Maximova, S., de la Cruz, O. A. & Drohan, P. J., Dec 2023, In: Environmental Challenges. 13, 100765.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Cadmium phytoextraction by Helianthus annuus (sunflower), Brassica napus cv Wichita (rapeseed), and Chyrsopogon zizanioides (vetiver)
Benavides, B. J., Drohan, P. J., Spargo, J. T., Maximova, S. N., Guiltinan, M. J. & Miller, D. A., Feb 2021, In: Chemosphere. 265, 129086.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Transcriptomic analyses of cacao flavonoids produced in photobioreactors
Gallego, A. M., Rojas, L. F., Valencia, W. G., Atehortúa, L., Urrea, A. I., Fister, A. S., Guiltinan, M. J., Maximova, S. N. & Pabón-Mora, N., Dec 2021, In: BMC genomics. 22, 1, 551.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Inter-species functional compatibility of the Theobroma cacao and Arabidopsis FT orthologs: 90 million years of functional conservation of meristem identity genes
Prewitt, S. F., Shalit-Kaneh, A., Maximova, S. N. & Guiltinan, M. J., Dec 2021, In: BMC plant biology. 21, 1, 218.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Widely distributed variation in tolerance to Phytophthora palmivora in four genetic groups of cacao
Fister, A. S., Leandro-Muñoz, M. E., Zhang, D., Marden, J. H., Tiffin, P., dePamphilis, C., Maximova, S. & Guiltinan, M. J., Feb 1 2020, In: Tree Genetics and Genomes. 16, 1, 1.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Gene Expression Modularity Reveals Footprints of Polygenic Adaptation in Theobroma cacao
Hämälä, T., Guiltinan, M. J., Marden, J. H., Maximova, S. N., Depamphilis, C. W. & Tiffin, P., Jan 1 2020, In: Molecular biology and evolution. 37, 1, p. 110-123 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review