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University of Montpellier

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PhD Position (36 months) – Role of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis in Sorghum Performance and Stress Tolerance University of Montpellier in France

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Environmental Science

Funding

Available

Deadline

Oct 7, 2026

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Country

France

University

University of Montpellier

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Keywords

Environmental Science
Agriculture
Biology
Plant Breeding
Soil Microbiology
Biotic Stress

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About this position

PhD opportunity for 36 months in Montpellier, France, hosted at the IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement) within UMR DIADE (UM/IRD/CIRAD) and linked to the CERES team. The project investigates the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis in sorghum performance and stress tolerance under field conditions, with a strong focus on crop resilience in future climates.

The research will quantify how AM symbiosis contributes to sorghum yield, grain quality, and tolerance to abiotic stress (terminal drought) and biotic stress (downy mildew, charcoal rot) in West Africa. The student will also study rhizosphere and root-associated microbiome dynamics using 16S and ITS amplicon sequencing, leveraging a unique set of sorghum mutants with altered AM symbiosis capacity.

The PhD is embedded in a multidisciplinary environment at DIADE, with access to bioinformatics support via the iTrop platform, greenhouse and phenotyping infrastructure, and functional genomics resources via the Genetrop platform. The student will also benefit from support from the GIV and Eco&Sols teams and interact with international collaborators in Senegal.

Supervision will be provided by Laurent Laplaze (IRD) and David Pot (CIRAD), with mentoring from other consortium members. Weekly meetings with supervisors and mentors are planned to support progress and project planning.

Funding information includes a gross monthly salary of €2,300. Some experimental work is supported through the ANR SorDrought project (2024–2027) and the PEPR FairCarbon RhizoSeqC project.

Eligibility highlights: candidates should hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in Biological Sciences, Biology, or Botany; demonstrate strong motivation for studying plant adaptation to environmental constraints; have solid knowledge of plant biology and genetics; and possess advanced statistical skills. Fieldwork in Senegal is part of the project.

Application deadline: 7 October 2026 at 23:59 (Europe/Paris). Applications should be sent by email to the listed supervisors/contact addresses.

Funding details

Available

What's required

Applicants must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in Biological Sciences, Biology, or Botany. Strong motivation to study plant adaptation mechanisms to environmental constraints is required, along with solid theoretical knowledge in plant biology and genetics and advanced statistical skills. The PhD involves fieldwork in Senegal.

How to apply

Email your application to [email protected] and [email protected]. Use the provided contact emails for submission and follow any instructions in the posting.

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