Natalia Hurtado-Castano
Papers
1
Total Citations
39
H-Index
1
About
Natalia Hurtado-Castaño is a plant geneticist whose work centers on the development and application of molecular markers for crop improvement, with a particular focus on common bean (*Phaseolus vulgaris* L.) and other understudied species. Her major contribution lies in pioneering efficient, cost-effective methods for identifying microsatellite markers (SSRs) from non-enriched genomic libraries, a technique that bypasses the costly and time-consuming enrichment steps traditionally required. Her most cited work, "Development of microsatellite markers for common bean" (2009, 39 citations), demonstrates how screening small-insert libraries can rapidly yield valuable genetic tools, enabling detailed genomic analyses in crops with limited prior sequence data. This methodological innovation has facilitated studies in genetic diversity, population structure, and marker-assisted breeding, particularly for legumes vital to food security in developing regions. Hurtado-Castaño’s research bridges the gap between fundamental genomics and applied agriculture, providing resources that empower breeders and conservationists. Her work is notable for its practical impact, offering a reproducible framework that has been adopted by researchers working on orphan crops and non-model organisms, underscoring her role in democratizing access to genomic tools for sustainable agriculture.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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