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This project is based on a widely accepted observation: climate change occurs at the worldwide scale. Far from dreams of growing olive trees or sunflowers in northern France, the researchers are primarily concerned with maintaining native species in their natural habitats. We have to keep in mind that the potential response from a species to climate change will not only depend on its direct interactions with the abiotic environment, but also on the environmental effects on its biotic interactions, including relationships between plant and microorganisms.

Why focusing on microorganisms?

The current climate change is likely to favor conditions for pathogen development and higher/faster migration and adaptation potentials in pathogens than in plants. Climate change scenarios predict an increase in epidemic severity and a northwards geographic expansion of pathogen distribution in Western Europe. Native natural plant populations will face with new pathogens from the South. Determining the diversity of resistance/defense genes in natural plant populations appears thus as an essential pre-requisite to estimate the adaptive potential of natural plant populations under potential changes in pathogen pressure due to climate change.

Identifying genes that shape natural communities of microorganisms

An objective of this project is to identify genes in A. thaliana that could shape the communities of microorganisms living within plants. The elucidation of such genes represents a unique opportunity to gain insight into the genetic basis of disease resistance and to reveal novel defense pathways that are effective against bacterial and fungal pathogens. It would also help researchers predict the adaptive potential of A. thaliana natural populations in presence of communities of microorganisms migrating from warmer areas. With the goal of predicting adaptive potential in natural plant populations under climate change, with natural communities of microorganisms in hand, investigation of microevolutionary and ecological dynamics is now feasible. In addition, because A. thaliana is closely related to Brassica crop species, identified genes that shape communities of microorganisms in A. thaliana may be good candidate genes for plant breeders.

CLIMARES project: Studying the adaptive potential of natural plant populations facing climate change: identifying the genetic basis of plant disease resistance.

Funding: LabEx TULIP / Région Midi-Pyrénées (Program « Accueil de nouvelles équipes d’excellence »)