Source and sink Metabolism and Stress responses

SMS addresses major challenges of plant metabolic physiology associated with agroecological transition and crop performance. SMS involves multidisciplinary and multiscale approaches (from ecophysiology and isotopes to functional genomics) to disentangle metabolic mechanisms underpinning plant primary production, from germination to seed generation. Our three major research themes are: the control of source metabolism (photosynthesis, nutrient utilisation, phloem function), metabolic determinants of yield (including seed quality and seedling establishment), and whole-plant metabolic coordination (allocation, metabolic cycles, protein synthesis and remobilisation). Overall, the ultimate objective is to prepare next-generation crop monitoring and breeding via the identification of key metabolic pathways and biomarkers that may be implemented in the future.