📢 PhD Proposal / Proposition de Thèse
Labos : UMR Eco&Sols & Institut des Sciences des Plantes de Montpellier - IPSiM, Montpellier, INRAE, INRAE Occitanie-Montpellier
Nous recrutons un(e) doctorant(e) pour explorer la diversité fonctionnelle des champignons mycorhiziens à arbuscules (Glomero- et focus sur les Mucoro- mycotina) et décrypter leur rôle dans la nutrition des céréales sous stress, en combinant écologie des communautés, physiologie végétale et biologie cellulaire, du champ jusqu'à la localisation subcellulaire des transporteurs impliqués dans les échanges de nutriments.
From Field to Cell: functional diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in cereal nutrition under salinity and elevated CO₂
Together with Doan Luu (IPSiM), we are proposing a PhD thesis to explore the functional diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomeromycotina, with a focus on Mucoromycotina) and to decipher their role in cereal nutrition under stress conditions. The project combines community ecology, plant physiology, and cell biology — spanning from the field to the subcellular localization of transporters involved in nutrient exchange.
Labs : UMR Eco&Sols & Institut des Sciences des Plantes de Montpellier - IPSiM, Montpellier, INRAE, INRAE Occitanie-Montpellier
Application before the 2nd of August
From Field to Cell: functional diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in cereal nutrition under salinity and Elevated CO₂
Registration: University of Montpellier – Doctoral school “GAIA - Biodiversité, Agriculture, Alimentation, Environnement, Terre, Eau”
Co-supervisors:
- Doan Trung LUU (IPSiM) /
- Elisa TASCHEN (Eco&Sols) /
Start of the thesis: October 2026
Deadline to apply:
August 2, 2026 – per email to both Doan & Elisa.
Keywords:
Agroecology, Mineral nutrition, Plant–microbe interactions, Microbial ecology, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Salinity, Elevated CO₂, Physiology, Cell biology, Molecular biology.
Project description:
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi play a key role in plant nutrition and agroecosystem functioning, yet their functional diversity remains largely unexplored, particularly within the Mucoromycotina. This PhD project aims to investigate how mycorrhizal fungal diversity influences cereal mineral nutrition and plant responses to environmental constraints, particularly salinity and elevated atmospheric CO₂. By combining approaches in community ecology, plant physiology, and cell and molecular biology, the project will establish links between mycorrhizal community composition, their functional roles, and the cellular mechanisms governing nutrient exchange at the plant–fungus interface. This integrated approach will bridge ecological processes and cellular mechanisms underlying nutrient exchange within mycorrhizal symbioses.
Context:
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are key drivers of plant mineral nutrition and agroecosystem functioning. However, our current understanding is based almost exclusively on the Glomeromycotina, whereas a second lineage, the Mucoromycotina, has only recently been recognized as forming mycorrhizal associations and remains largely unexplored. More broadly, our knowledge of the cellular and functional mechanisms underlying these symbioses relies on a limited number of model species, particularly Rhizophagus irregularis, leaving much of the functional diversity of mycorrhizal interactions unresolved. In the context of climate change and the agroecological transition, expanding this knowledge across a broader diversity
of mycorrhizal fungi is essential for developing more resilient and less input-dependent cropping systems.
Objective:
This PhD project aims to understand how the diversity of mycorrhizal fungi influences cereal nutrition and plant responses to environmental constraints, particularly salinity and elevated atmospheric CO₂. The successful candidate will develop an integrated research approach combining:
- community ecology, to identify the biotic and abiotic factors shaping mycorrhizal communities in agricultural systems;
- plant physiology, to assess the functional consequences of mycorrhizal diversity on nutrient acquisition (N, P and K) and plant performance;
- cell and molecular biology, to investigate the mechanisms of nutrient exchange at the plant–fungus interface. The overarching goal is to establish direct links between mycorrhizal community composition, their functional traits, and the cellular mechanisms governing nutrient transfer within the symbiosis.
A highly interdisciplinary project.
The project draws on complementary approaches ranging from:
- fieldwork to experiments under controlled conditions;
- microbial ecology to plant physiology;
- molecular biology to super-resolution cellular imaging;
- microbial community analysis to statistical modelling.
The doctoral student will benefit from a rich scientific environment that brings together expertise in agroecology, soil microbiology, plant physiology, cell biology, advanced microscopy, and bioinformatics.
Methods:
ex situ and in situ experimentation, histological analyses, confocal microscopy, molecular cloning, DNA and RNA extraction, metabarcoding, and RT-qPCR.
Expected results:
- Identification of the biotic and abiotic factors shaping mycorrhizal communities, with a particular focus on Mucoromycotina.
- Characterization of the contribution of different mycorrhizal communities to plant mineral nutrition and tolerance to multiple environmental stresses.
- Identification of the transport systems involved in nutrient exchange within the mycorrhizal symbiosis.
- Determination of the pH environment and super-resolved subcellular localization of transport systems in mycorrhizal root cells.
Bibliography references:
- Feddermann, N., Finlay, R., Boller, T. & Elfstrand, M. (2010). Functional diversity in arbuscular mycorrhiza – the role of gene expression, phosphorous nutrition and symbiotic efficiency. Fungal Ecology, 3, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funeco.2009.07.003
- Taschen, E., Guillot, E., Plassard, C., Kerbiriou, E., Dezette, D., Taudière, A., ... & Hinsinger, P. (2026). Contrasting biotic and abiotic drivers of Glomeromycotina and Mucoromycotina mycorrhizal associations in field-grown durum wheat. Mycorrhiza, 36(4), 47.
- Corratgé-Faillie, C., Chmaiss, L., Zhour, H., Lolivier, J. P., Audebert, P. A., Bui, X. T., ... & Luu, D. T. (2022). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis expresses an outwardly Shaker-like channel involved in potassium nutrition of rice (Oryza sativa L.). bioRxiv, 2022-11.
Details on the thesis supervision:
Thesis monitoring committees will be established annually to help the PhD student make progress in their research. The student will also benefit from the advice of other members of the host teams, as well as that of other members of the laboratories.
The thesis involves ex situ experiments (in agricultural plots) and in situ experiments (under controlled growing conditions for temperature, light, humidity, and CO2 levels). For experiments in physiology, cell biology, and molecular biology, the laboratories are equipped with the necessary analytical instruments (e.g., a confocal microscope).
The doctoral student will be enrolled in the GAIA Doctoral School at the University of Montpellier and will be co-supervised by Doan Luu (IPSiM) and Elisa Taschen (Eco&Sols). The thesis research will take place at both laboratories, which are located on the same campus, providing a working environment within two complementary scientific communities.
Profile and skills required:
- Strong interest in plant–microbe interactions, symbiotic biology, and interdisciplinary research.
- Strong motivation for experimental research, combining fieldwork, laboratory experiments, and data analysis.
- Scientific rigor, curiosity, autonomy, and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
- Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills, with proficiency in both written and spoken French and English.
- Strong skills in molecular biology and statistical analyses using R. Experience in microscopy, microbial ecology, and/or bioinformatics will be considered an asset.