Assistant Professor, University of Huelva, Spain
Dr. Antonio Santos Rufo is an accomplished Assistant Professor at the University of Huelva, Spain 🇪🇸, specializing in plant pathology, bioformulations, and precision agriculture. With over a decade of academic and research experience, he has contributed significantly to the mitigation of Verticillium stress in olive trees 🌿. He combines fieldwork with cutting-edge data mining and machine learning tools to explore stress dynamics in crops like olives and strawberries 🍓. Dr. Rufo is actively involved in national and international projects and remains committed to advancing Mediterranean crop health through digital innovation 🌐📊.
Profile
Orcid
🎓 Education
Antonio holds a Ph.D. in Biosciences and Agri-Food Sciences (2017) from the University of Córdoba, Spain 🎓. His educational journey includes a Master’s in Digital Transformation of the Agri-Food and Forestry Sector (2020), a Master in Plant Production and Protection (2011), and a degree in Agricultural Engineering (2010), all from the same university 🌾. He also completed a predoctoral research stay at the University of Athens in 2014 🇬🇷. His solid academic background forms the foundation of his multidisciplinary expertise in sustainable agriculture and crop stress management 📘🌱.
🧑🏫 Experience
Dr. Rufo began his career in 2009 as a scholarship student at the University of Córdoba’s Rural Engineering Department 🛠️. Over the years, he has held research and teaching positions across top Spanish institutions, including IFAPA and UCO 📍. He served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at IFAPA (2017–2020) and UCO (2020–2022), followed by a role as Adjunct Professor at the University of Huelva (2021–2024). In 2024, he was appointed Assistant Professor at UHU, where he now leads projects, supervises theses, and collaborates on agri-food research 🧪🍇.
🔬 Research Interest
Dr. Rufo’s research is centered on plant pathology, with special focus on Verticillium dahliae 🦠, biotic stress, and digital agricultural practices. He is passionate about integrating machine learning, PLS modeling, and data mining into crop health monitoring and irrigation strategies 💧🌿. His current work investigates the effects of drought on red fruits and explores eco-friendly bioformulates for pathogen control. He is also advancing digital tools in precision farming and teaching crop protection digitalization 📈🤖.
🏆 Awards & Distinctions
Antonio has been a principal investigator in university-funded projects and a key contributor to several national contracts and European programs 🇪🇺. He has received multiple fellowships, directed numerous final degree projects and theses, and co-founded the AISMEV non-profit to support digital innovation in Mediterranean crops 🌍. He is also a reviewer for 40 indexed journals and guest editor in two academic publications 📚, reflecting his respected status in the scientific community.
📚 Publications
Machine learning unveils phenolic action in olive rooting – Scientia Horticulturae, 2024, 🔗 DOI, Cited by: 0
Blueberry cultivar phenolic analysis – Scientia Horticulturae, 2024, 🔗 DOI, Cited by: 6
Predicting Verticillium risk in olive – Agriculture-Basel, 2023, 🔗 DOI, Cited by: 2
Soil properties and V. dahliae – Journal of Fungi, 2022, WOS Citations: 4
Irrigation & cultivar susceptibility – Plant Pathology, 2021, 🔗 DOI, Cited by: 6
Hyperspectral UAVs in olive farming – Remote Sensing, 2020, WOS Citations: 28
Irrigation & Verticillium wilt response – Plant Pathology, 2018, 🔗 DOI, Cited by: 9
Irrigation and pathogen persistence – Plant Pathology, 2017, Cited by: 15
Disinfestants in irrigation water – Crop Protection, 2016, Cited by: 14
Beta-amylase gene roles in resistance – Plant Pathology, 2015, Cited by: 18
Conclusion
Dr. Antonio Santos Rufo is a highly qualified candidate for the Best Researcher Award. His extensive research, strong academic contributions, leadership in projects, and focus on addressing critical challenges in agricultural sustainability are noteworthy. While there is room to expand his influence through broader collaborations and practical applications of his research, his achievements to date make him a deserving candidate for this prestigious award.