- info@solisagrosciences.com
Role at Solis Agrosciences
- Oversees all Solis operations and science in plant growth, plant phenotyping, and efficacy screening of novel mechanisms
- Leads select client projects with a focus on traits, herbicides, and other novel mechanisms of action in row crops and select specialty crops
Background
After completing her PhD and post-doctoral training, Marie spent six years as a principal investigator in academia before moving to industry, beginning with Monsanto as a Senior Scientist. Over the next 14 years at Monsanto, Marie took on positions of increasing responsibility, directing discovery and development of yield and stress traits, and broad scientific leadership as a Senior Research Fellow. At Bayer Crop Science, Marie’s most recent role was Head of Global Seed Production Quality Testing, leading over 30 genetics, seed physiology and seed health labs around the world. She joined Solis Agrosciences in 2024.
Outside of Work
Marie enjoys gardening, bicycling with her husband, and adventuring with her four adult children and two grandchildren. On a whim she bought a sailboat and is leading the family to water whenever she can.
Select Publications
Preuss, S. B., … & Petracek, M. E. (2012). Expression of the Arabidopsis thaliana BBX32 gene in soybean increases grain yield. PloS one, 7(2), e30717. (Link)
Petracek, M. E., … & Thompson, W. F. (1998). Ferredoxin-1 mRNA is destabilized by changes in photosynthetic electron transport. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 95(15), 9009–9013. (Link)
Petracek, M. E., …& Berman, J. (1990). Chlamydomonas telomere sequences are A+T-rich but contain three consecutive G-C base pairs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 87(21), 8222–8226. (Link)
Education & Training
University of North Carolina
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Minnesota
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Genetics
College of St. Teresa
Bachelor of Arts, Biology
My passion for improving agriculture began at our family farm in rural Minnesota and has carried with me throughout my professional career. Innovation is needed to improve farm economics and sustainability, while US consumers are increasingly seeking, and willing to pay for, higher quality food and ingredients. These market pressures bring great challenges, but also the opportunity for innovation to solve complex problems and create economic value. I was attracted to Solis because of the opportunity to impact a broad number of innovative and potentially high-impact client projects. Solis offers a new R&D model for AgTech innovators to work with experienced industry talent in a capitalefficient operating model.”
– Marie Petracek, PhD