Research laboratories

The objectives of LEPSE are to analyze and model the genetic variability of plant responses to contrasting environmental conditions, particularly drought and high temperatures. The main answers studied are growth, vegetative and reproductive development as well as CO2 and H2O gas exchanges.
We test our hypotheses using broad genetic (natural accessions, selected lines, mutants, transformants) and environmental (combining culture chamber, greenhouse and field) ranges as well as biochemical, molecular or biophysical measurements of organ or tissue condition. High throughput analysis is enabled by the development and use of high throughput phenotyping platforms for which we are world pioneers. We combine our analyses in models embodying genetic and environmental variability to predict the behaviour of genotypes and species in current or future climates.

We work mainly on 3 species: maize, one of the major cultivated plants of the world diet, the vine, economically very important in the Mediterranean basin as well as on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, whose vast natural range makes it an ideal tool for studying adaptation to stress. Our work has generic ambitions that are illustrated in ongoing programs on other species such as wheat, rice, rapeseed...

LEPSE is divided into three scientific teams :

• ETAP group: "Transpiration efficiency and adaptation of plants to dry climates".
• MAGE group: " Modeling and Analysis of Genotype Environment Interaction ".
• SPIC group: "Environmental Stresses and Integrated Processes".