Effets des plantes de services sur la diversité des champignons mycorhiziens à arbuscules indigènes et impact sur la santé des cultures

About the role

INRAE (Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement) is a public research institute with a workforce of 12,000 people across 272 research, service and experimental units in 18 centres throughout France. It is a world leader in agricultural and food sciences, plant and animal sciences. Its research aims to build solutions for multi-performant agriculture, quality food and sustainable management of resources and ecosystems.

The internship takes place within the research unit AgroSystèmes TROpicaux, based in Guadeloupe, which studies interactions between plants, bioaggressors and symbionts for the agroecological management of tropical cropping systems. The use of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) is promising for biosolutions that can be mobilised in the design of innovative low-input cropping systems. The use of service plants that multiply indigenous AMF is a promising alternative to inoculation (Chave et al. 2019). Demonstrating and better understanding the mechanisms of action of service plants for crop health is one of the objectives of the METASERV project (action 2).

Responsibilities

• Participate in setting up and monitoring experimental devices in greenhouse and field to compare the efficiency and feasibility of different methods for multiplying indigenous AMF from service plants.
• Evaluate the biocontrol effect in relation to AMF diversity.
• Conduct plant experiments in greenhouse and field (vegetable crops) on the Karusmart experimental microfarm.
• Perform microbiological, physiological and molecular biology analyses for the identification of mycorrhizal communities by metabarcoding (subcontracted).
• Carry out phytosanitary monitoring and assess crop performance.

Requirements

• Licence/Master (Bac+3/5) – minimum Bac+4.
• Knowledge in Agronomy and Crop Health.
• Analytical and synthesis skills, rigour, autonomy, ability to work in a team.
• Valid driving licence (Permis B).

Benefits

• Up to 30 days of annual leave + 15 RTT (reduced working time) days per year (for full-time).
• Skill development: training, career guidance counselling.
• 50% coverage of collective complementary health insurance contributions.
• Parenting support: CESU childcare, leisure benefits.
• Social support: counselling, social aid and loans.
• Vacation and leisure benefits: holiday vouchers, preferential-rate accommodation.
• Sports and cultural activities.
• Collective catering.