Genetics and genomics of the attractiveness of sunflowers to pollinators

Back to campaign's jobs listing

INRAE presentation

INRAE, the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment, is a public research organization bringing together 12,000 employees across 272 units in 18 centers across France. As the world’s leading institute specializing in agriculture, food, and the environment, INRAE plays a key role in supporting the necessary transitions to address global challenges.

Faced with population growth, food security challenges, climate change, resource depletion, and biodiversity loss, INRAE is committed to developing scientific solutions and supporting the evolution of agricultural, food, and environmental practices.

Work environment, missions and activities

Nature and purpose of the research project to be developed and related activities
In agricultural ecosystems, the sunflower is a major nutritional resource for pollinators, particularly honeybees, and helps reduce their pathogens (LoCascio et al. 2019, Schmitt et al. 2021). However, the attractiveness of varieties and their melliferous capacity varies significantly (Pham-Delègue et al. 1984, Vear et al. 1990), and the genetic bases of these are almost totally unknown. It is therefore important, in addition to productivity which remains a major issue, to develop from the resistance profile of environmental pests and tolerance to abiotic stress, a concept of extended sunflower phenotype including the attractiveness and nutritional value of nectars and pollen (in particular sugar and proteins) for pollinators and to produce the genetic, physiological, and phenomic knowledge required to improve this extended phenotype. To achieve this, you will exploit and develop the resources present at the Sunflower-Soy Biological Resources Centre to study the genetic control of attractiveness to pollinators. A wide genetic diversity enabling GWAS approaches is available in the public sunflower core collection (Mandel et al., 2011). This includes variations in sugar and nectar content, colour of ligules or depth of corolla. This collection is currently expanding thanks to the PEPR AgroDiv project and will be used to study the metabolomic composition of nectar, the depth of the florets (Prasifka et al., 2017), the colour of the ligules (Todesco et al., 2022), and the number of visits from hymenoptera, diptera and lepidoptera, main pollinators of sunflowers. Furthermore, in addition to the attractiveness, the nutritional quality of the pollen/nectar is of paramount importance. The protein content is a determining factor in the quality of the bee colony. Thus, the variability in protein content of the genetic resources will be analysed. It is known that there is high variation between species. However, the intra-specific genetic variability has not yet been assessed.
Using a functional genetics and genomics approach, you will develop the genetic material to validate the causal polymorphisms for these components of attractiveness and nutrition (if variability exists). Regarding the methodological aspects, you will participate in the development of methods of phenotyping the attractiveness traits such as the duration of flowering, pollen production, recognition by pollinators and their behaviour from images and videos in conjunction with the Phenotoul platform and in collaboration with bee specialists in Toulouse (INRAE GenPhySE, DYNAFOR, CNRS CRCA) and at national level (INRAE APIS, Environnement et Abeilles). Finally, as an extension to this work, you will participate in establishing criteria for the development of an extended sunflower phenotype including the service to pollinators within the framework of the CTPS.

Nature and purpose of the teaching project The teaching project, established in partnership with Toulouse INP-ENSAT, will help improve the integration of the LIPME in the web of higher education in Toulouse in accordance with INRAE’s General Policy Priority 2. You will teach a total of 64h/year at various levels in the curriculum of agricultural engineering students. In the core curriculum, the professor may join the “Genetic Resources and Biodiversity” Teaching Unit (1st year) or the “Agricultural science in a context of Transition” teaching unit (2nd year). In the second term of the 2nd year, they will help establish a teaching unit on the specific theme of genetics and genotype-phenotype-environment interactions or participate in teaching for the teaching unit themes “Plant in its environment” or “Biodiversity and Agriculture”. In the 3rd year, the person recruited will reinforce the teaching team on genetics and plant breeding within the framework of the option “Plant Agrobiosciences”. With its international outlook, specialised lessons at ENSAT in the 2nd and 3rd years could be proposed in English. The teaching could be supplemented by occasional lessons for the Master’s in Plant Biology (Plant biology and related microorganisms course) and Functional Biology and Ecology (TULIP GS course).

Funding and related resources
ANR Package : €200 000
INRAE Package : €220 000
Total : €440 000

You will participate in experimental networks and collaborations requiring regular trips in France, Europe and internationally (USA, Canada, Argentina, India)

Training and skills

Training: • PhD in quantitative and population genetics and genomics, basic knowledge of plant biology. 
Skills: 
• Implement and participate in the development of statistical models for quantitative plant genetics and genomics 
• Lead a work group, coordinate a project, and work in a team 
• Supervise and train engineers and students 
• Teaching qualities, use of teaching tools and oral communication in French and English 
• Write articles, carry out literature monitoring 
• Knowledge of R language or python 
• Fluent written and spoken English 
 

INRAE's life quality

By joining our teams, you benefit from:

- 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.

International scientists, please visit your guide to facilitate your arrival and stay at INRAE.

Type of contract

Tenure-Track Junior Professor Chair enables recruitment of scientists based on a research and teaching project that lasts three years. At the end of this period, and following an assessment of your scientific achievements and professional capabilities, you may obtain a full-tenure position as Research Director (DR2).

A research and teaching agreement will specify the path you will follow towards full-tenure and enable you to acquire the qualifications necessary to become a full-tenure Research Director in your field.

You have until April 12, 2024 to submit your application. Only candidates previously selected on file by the selection committee will be invited to the hearing.