Plant & Food Research scientists are initiating seven new projects designed to improve international collaboration with scientific institutions in France.
Through the INRAE France-NZ Joint Linkage Agreement, signed in 2023 by Science New Zealand on behalf of Aotearoa New Zealand, scientists are encouraged through an exchange programme to develop collaboration in areas of mutual interest and benefit, according to a press release. The initiative capitalizes on the historical foundation of scientific exchange between France and New Zealand.
INRAE, the French National Institute for Agricultural Research, Food, and Environment, encompasses 14 divisions and 18 research centers spread across France. Its research scope aligns with that of New Zealand’s Crown Research Institutes, focusing on similar areas of study.
Plant & Food Research scientists are engaged in seven research collaborations aimed at advancing knowledge to bolster the organization’s research in climate change adaptation, crop modeling, fruit quality, and insect pest management. Nine scientists from New Zealand will visit one of INRAE’s research facilities in France to foster relationships and collaborate on research or acquire new techniques. Additionally, Plant & Food Research will reciprocate by hosting visits from French scientists to several of its 14 research centers across New Zealand.
Projects
Dr. Dafni Anastasiadi will visit the University of Bordeaux to improve her grasp of techniques aiding her research on epigenetics in environmental adaptation. She explores how non-DNA encoded epigenetic factors influence gene expression, aiming to enhance breeding for marine species’ resilience to climate change. In exchange, Plant & Food Research will host Nadia Ponts, an expert in fungal epigenetics.
Dr. Emily Koot will accompany Dafni to INRAE Bordeaux to explore the adaptive abilities of vital plant and fish species in coping with stressors like climate change. Their research seeks to improve genetic conservation, breeding, resilience, and sustainable management. In return, Plant & Food Research will host Santiago González-Martínez and PhD student Thomas Francisco, studying environmental stress responses in forest trees, for a reciprocal visit.
Dr. Emily Koot and Dafni will visit INRAE Bordeaux to explore how key plant and fish species adapt to stressors like climate change. Their insights will aid genetic conservation, breeding, resilience, and sustainable management. Plant & Food Research will host Santiago González-Martínez and PhD student Thomas Francisco, studying environmental stress responses in forest trees, in a reciprocal visit.
Laurie Favre will visit INRAE in Bordeaux to aid research on maintaining fruit quality post-harvest. INRAE specializes in modeling fruit biology across stages, aligning with Laurie’s focus on quality monitoring. This collaboration aims to develop advanced techniques for monitoring fruit quality from tree to consumer, enhancing fruit storage. Plant & Food Research will host Sylvain Prigent from the modeling team in return.
Hamish Brown and Jingjing Zhang will visit INRAE Montpellier to exchange crop modeling approaches, including AI utilization, to enhance their research on key crops in New Zealand. They focus on developing simulation models, particularly assessing how climate variability affects crop performance. Other members of the Agricultural Model Exchange Initiative will join to share insights. In return, Plant & Food Research will host Pierre Martre and Teiki Raihauti, involved in INRAE’s SiriusQuality modeling system development.
Dr. Melissa Jordan will visit iEES-Paris to share expertise on insect olfactory receptor protein evolution. Her research focuses on insect olfactory systems, aiming to explore molecular components of insect smell across species, including early evolved insects. This collaboration enhances understanding of how modern insects use olfaction, aiding the development of insect pest management tools. In return, Plant & Food Research will host research leader Camille Meslin and postdoctoral researcher Sridevi Bhamidipati, who obtained her PhD co-supervised by Melissa at the University of Auckland. Melissa, Camille, and Sridevi will also participate in the International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste in Iceland.
Xiumei Yang and Junqi Zhu will travel to INRAE Avignon to enhance their understanding of plant models for apple trees. They’re developing an apple digital twin to research new cultivars and production systems in New Zealand, tailored for changing climates. In exchange, Plant & Food Research will welcome Dario Constantinescu and Gilles Vercambre, who are developing similar apple tree models for France.
Dr. Mauren Jaudal will visit the Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB) in Paris to advance understanding of plant sugar transport and metabolism, focusing on kiwifruit plants and fruit. During her visit, she will learn novel imaging and analysis techniques for sugar movement and storage in specific cell types, developed by INRA scientists. In return, Plant & Food Research will host Rozeen Le Hir, who seeks to enhance her skills in visualizing sugars in Arabidopsis using MALDI imaging.
