About Maryeme
Maryeme Benounou is a Senior Research Assistant in Opuntia breeding, working on an innovative program focused on developing new cactus pear varieties with resistance to cactus cochineal (Dactylopius opuntiae), a major pest threatening this climate-smart crop across the Mediterranean region.
She has a background in Plant Breeding and holds an engineering degree from the Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II in Rabat, Morocco. She also completed a joint master’s degree in Conservation Ecology and Tropical Biodiversity across France, Malaysia, and Belgium. During this program, she developed strong expertise in ecological principles, genetic diversity, molecular biology, and bioinformatics.