María Serrano is a Professor of Plant Physiology at Miguel Her  nández University of Elche (UMH) and Deputy Director of the Institute of Agri-Food and Environmental Research and Innovation (CIAGRO-UMH). Her research focuses on plant physiology and biotechnology, with particular emphasis on postharvest quality, plant responses to environmental stress, and the sustainability of agricultural systems. She has led and participated in numerous national and international research projects and has an extensive record of publications in leading scientific journals. Dr. Serrano also works closely with the agri-food sector to promote innovation and knowledge transfer in sustainable agriculture.