PhD F/M in quantitative genetics and plant breeding, working on the potential of root anatomy for the selection of grapevine rootstocks adapted to drought

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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

You will join the Joint Research Unit “Ecophysiology and Functional Genomics of Grapevine” (UMR 1287 EGFV), based at the Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences (ISVV) near Bordeaux. This research unit brings together a multidisciplinary team specializing in ecophysiology, plant physiology, molecular biology, and genetics. Its research focuses on understanding the functioning of grafted grapevines and the factors determining grape berry quality in the context of climate change, with the aim of identifying adaptation strategies. The unit offers an outstanding scientific and technical environment, bringing together researchers from INRAE, faculty members and students from University of Bordeaux and Bordeaux Sciences Agro.

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to contribute to a doctoral research project funded by INRAE. The main objective of the project is to evaluate the potential of root anatomy as a criterion for selecting grapevine rootstocks that are adapted to drought conditions.

Roots play a crucial role in maintaining plant water status and nutrient uptake. As a result, they have been identified as important targets for genetic improvement aimed at developing crops that are better adapted to climate change and agroecological production systems. In the context of climate change, grape growers are expressing a growing need for grapevine rootstocks that are better adapted to drought conditions.

To effectively incorporate root adaptation to drought into breeding programs, it is essential to identify root ideotypes that optimize water uptake, decipher their genetic bases, and assess their potential for improvement within breeding populations. The main objective of this PhD project is to evaluate the potential of root anatomical traits for integration into breeding programs aimed at improving water acquisition in grapevines under drought conditions.

To achieve this, we will combine modeling, high-throughput phenotyping, and genomics approaches to :

1. Identify root anatomical traits related to water uptake capacity in grapevines.
2. Identify genomic regions controlling the expression of key root anatomical traits.
3. Assess the contribution of root anatomy to drought adaptation in a diverse panel of wild grapevine species (Vitis spp.). Vitis

The position involves work in the laboratory as well as in greenhouse and vineyard settings. Opportunities for scientific visits abroad may also be available

Training and skills

• Modeling root hydraulic properties: Simulating root hydraulic conductivities (radial and axial) based on anatomical characteristics using different models, including GRANAR (Heymans et al., 2021) and MECHA (*Couvreur et al., 2018).
• Microscopy image analysis: Analyzing microscopy images obtained through various techniques to estimate anatomical traits from root cross-sections. Machine learning approaches will be implemented for image segmentation and trait extraction.
• Quantitative genetics analysis: Identifying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in a biparental mapping population and analyzing genetic diversity within a panel of wild Vitis species.

• Scientific dissemination of research results: Presenting findings at scientific conferences and preparing publications and technical reports.

  *Couvreur, V., Faget, M., Lobet, G., Javaux, M., Chaumont, F., & Draye, X. (2018). Going with the Flow : Multiscale Insights into the Composite Nature of Water Transport in Roots. Plant Physiology, 178(4), 1689-1703. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.18.01006 Heymans, A., Couvreur, V., & Lobet, G. (2021). Combining cross-section images and modeling tools to create high-resolution root system hydraulic atlases in Zea mays. Plant Direct, 5(7), e00290. https://doi.org/10.1002/pld3.334

• Recommended education: Master's degree or engineering degree in quantitative genetics and/or plant breeding and/or evolutionary biology.
  • Desired knowledge: Plant physiology, genomic data processing. Previous experience in microscopy, modeling, and/or image analysis would be an asset. An interest in applying Artificial Intelligence (machine learning) to high-throughput phenotyping (particularly for image segmentation) would be a significant advantage. Proficiency in the R software environment is essential, and basic knowledge of Python is recommended.
  • Desired skills: Teamwork and the ability to communicate results effectively in both written and oral forms.

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