Would you like to contribute to the improvement of the efficiency of our various global breeding programs, while continuing your studies? Join us!

We are looking for a student for a CIFRE PhD project (French public-private PhD scholarship system) on maize genetics, in collaboration with INRAE. You will oversee an innovative research project relying on the expertise of both public and private scientist, and using data generated by Limagrain’s breeding activities in european temperate dent-dent maize since the 1970s.

Limagrain Field Seeds Research (LFSR) is the global research organization for Field Seeds of the international agricultural cooperative group Limagrain. LFSR is focused on plant genetic progress and excellence in breeding technologies and techniques to produce the best field crop seeds to meet the needs of the world's farmers and the entire agro-food chain. Our jobs are not only useful, they are essential!

The research group UMR Génétique Quantitative et Évolution-Le Moulon is formed with scientists from several research and universities: INRAE, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech. GQE-Le Moulon is working on quantitative genetics and evolution in plants. It is a key center of training of young scientists in those areas. The team hosting the project (GQMS) is leading innovative work in quantitative genetics to develop new breeding methods in plants integrating recent technological advances (high-throughput phenotyping and genotyping).

CONTEXT:

Modern maize breeding has emerged by creating hybrids between inbred lines selected in complementary genetic groups (heterotic groups), created from a very diverse and not differentiated initial material. This split in complementary groups enable the production of inter-groups hybrids which leverage the heterosis phenomenon (advantage of the hybrid compared to the parents), critical in maize. The two main group worldwide and in France are the “stiff-stak” and the “non stiff-stalk” (Cooper et al. 2014, Coffman et al. 2019, Reif et al. 2005). Nevertheless, because of the selection history, some genetic fragments might have been transferred between those groups.

The available data today, coming from public research institute and internal data from Limagrain open the possibility to better understand the exact degree of separation of the genetic groups and to assess its importance for the heterosis phenomenon.

In other terms, the objective of the PhD project is to:

- Identify indicator of separation / « purity” of the maize genetic groups as a function of the shared genome fraction or of genetic fragments specific to each heterotic group

- Assess the impact of a “lack” of separation between genetic groups on hybrid performance. The goal is to identify the impact of genetic fragments common between heterotic groups to take it into account in the breeding process of inbred and hybrids.

- Understand the heterosis components involved and propose a strategy of validation and usage in breeding programs.

MAIN MISSIONS:

The project is designed with one year in the Limagrain Research Center, then two years in Saclay, in the Paris region in an INRAE team with the following work plan:

1) Study of the diversity patterns within the Stiff Stalk and Non-Stiff Stalk pools, based on internal Limagrain data and methods.

2) Study of hybrid intergroups residual inbreeding effect on hybrid performance and SCA.

Exploitation of the results of 1) with experimental data generated by Limagrain’s breeding programs.

3) Determinism of heterosis

Identification of genomic regions significantly associated with heterosis.

In this context, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with several teams located in many different countries.

You will be part of the maize breeding scientific support team and will benefit from a stimulating scientific environment and have access to the company ressources (expertise, algorithms, computing capacity).

You have a master’s degree or equivalent in Statistics, Quantitative Genetics, Animal or Plant Breeding.

You are comfortable with large data processing, scientific languages and software (R Software ecosystem knowledge is essential). You like to work in a multi-disciplinary team and you have good communication and relationship skills.

Creative and innovative, rigorous and organized, you have the ability to manage research projects from design to conclusion, including organizing and planning operations, conducting statistical analysis, interpreting research results and sharing conclusions.

You love teamworking in a multicultural and international environment. You are fluent in English. Some knowledge of French would be an asset. Knowledge of applied plant breeding practical aspects would be a plus.

Scientific references:

Cooper M., C. D. Messina, D. Podlich, L. R. Totir, A. Baumgarten, et al., 2014 Predicting the future of plant breeding: complementing empirical evaluation with genetic prediction. Crop Pasture Sci. 65: 311. https://doi.org/10.1071/CP14007

Coffman S. M., M. B. Hufford, C. M. Andorf, and T. Lübberstedt, 2019 Haplotype structure in commercial maize breeding programs in relation to key founder lines. 133:547-561 Theor. Appl. Genet. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-019-03486-y

Reif J. C., A. R. Hallauer, and A. E. Melchinger, 2005 Heterosis and heterotic patterns in maize. Maydica 50: 215–223.

Why joining us?

Joining our Limagrain Europe teams means benefiting from opportunities for growth and professional development within a dynamic and collaborative work environment. It means having the chance to contribute to cutting-edge research to help shape the agriculture of tomorrow. It means working in a diverse and inclusive environment where innovation, creativity and collaboration are encouraged and valued.

Limagrain Europe is committed to diversity and inclusion, which are sources of progress and wealth for the company and offers equal opportunities to all candidates.