Postdoctoral position OT-22124
Postdoctoral position 24 months in plant disease epidemiology for agroecology
33140 VILLENAVE-D'ORNON
INRAE presentation
The French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE) is a major player in research and innovation. It is a community of 12,000 people with 272 research, experimental research, and support units located in 18 regional centres throughout France. Internationally, INRAE is among the top research organisations in the agricultural and food sciences, plant and animal sciences, as well as in ecology and environmental science. It is the world’s leading research organisation specialising in agriculture, food and the environment. INRAE’s goal is to be a key player in the transitions necessary to address major global challenges. Faced with a growing world population, climate change, resource scarcity, and declining biodiversity, the Institute has a major role to play in building solutions and supporting the necessary acceleration of agricultural, food and environmental transitions.
Work environment, missions and activities
A post-doc position is open for 24 months at INRAE Bordeaux in plant disease epidemiology. We are looking for a highly motivated post-doctoral scientist to study the dynamics of adaptation of grapevine downy mildew to disease resistant grape varieties.
- You will work in a multidisciplinary team of phytopathologists, epidemiologists, geneticists and agronomists gathered within the project VITAE “Cultivating the grapevine without pesticides : towards agroecological wineproducing socio-ecosystems”. The team involves researchers located at INRAE Bordeaux at UMR Grpavine health and vineyard agroecology
- Pesticides-free agriculture requires integrating multiple management options, usually with partial effects, and a shift from a curative approach to an agro-ecological approach based on prevention and improved agrosystems resistance. VITAE investigates the development of biocontrol and the use of vine genetic resistance, an essential management option to wipe out pesticides from viticulture.
- Within the VITAE project[1], you will explore a large dataset gathered since 2017 on the the OSCAR Observatory that monitor vineyardsplanted with powdery and downy mildew resistant varieties. The number of plots monitored has increased every year from 34 plots in 12 locations in 2017 to 182 plots in 96 locations in 2024. In each plot, the epidemic dynamics of the pests and diseases targeted by the resistance (downy and powdery mildew) but also of black-rot, anthracnose, erineum mite and phylloxera are monitored. Five visual observations were carried out at key phenological stages. The occurrences of the various pests and diseases on leaves and bunches are assessed using a qualitative scoring grid. These field observations are supplemented by a laboratory monitoring of the aggressiveness of downy mildew populations collected on the network of plots. The aggressiveness has been so far measured with cross-inoculation bioassays. These phenotypic measures can now be complemented by genotyping strains at virulence locus which enable retrospective analysis of the collection of strains conserved in liquid nitrogen.
-By taking advantage of the data available and using a combination of quantitative approaches at the interface between epidemiology, population genetic and agronomy, you will assess the potential of resistant varieties to decrease pesticide use and develop strategies for the sustainable management of these varieties, taking into account the capacity of pathogens to breakdown resistance genes.
- Some references from the lab. [1] Paineau, M., Mazet, I. D., Wiedemann-Merdinoglu, S., Fabre, F., & Delmotte, F. (2022). Phytopathology, 112(11), 2329-2340. [2] Zaffaroni, M., Rimbaud, L., Rey, J. F., Papaïx, J., & Fabre, F. (2024). Evolutionary Applications, 17(1), e13627. [3] Miclot, A. S., Delmotte, F., Bourg, J., Mazet, I., Fabre, F., & Delière, L. (2022, July). International Workshop on Grapevine Downy and Powdery Mildews (GDPM 2022) (Vol. 50, p. 02008). [4] Paineau, M., Minio, A., Mestre, P., Fabre, F., Mazet, I. D., Couture, C., ... & Delmotte, F. (2024). New Phytologist, in press.
Training and skills
- Recommended training: PhD in epidemiology / population genetic / phytopathology.
- Knowledge required: Strong knowledge in epidemiology, population genetic and data analysis. The candidate should have programming skills (R, Rshiny) and knowledge of data processing. An interest for applied question in agronomy and the desire to confront theoretical approaches with the constraints of field actors will be appreciated.
- Skills sought: Proven skills in writing scientific publications, enthusiasm and team player attitude.
INRAE's life quality
By joining our teams, you benefit from (depending on the type of contract and its duration):
- up to 30 days of annual leave + 15 days "Reduction of Working Time" (for a full time);
- parenting support: CESU childcare, leisure services;
- skills development systems: training, career advise;
- social support: advice and listening, social assistance and loans;
- holiday and leisure services: holiday vouchers, accommodation at preferential rates;
- sports and cultural activities;
- collective catering.
How to apply
I send my CV and my motivation letter
All persons employed by or hosted at INRAE, a public research establishment, are subject to its internal regulations, particularly with regard to the obligation of neutrality and respect for the principle of secularism. In carrying out their functions, whether or not they are in contact with the public, they must not express their religious, philosophical or political convictions through their behaviour or by what they wear.