On his visit to Michigan State University (MSU), Jean-François Soussana signed the formal agreement for a new LIA on the molecular mechanisms involved in plant mineral nutrient adaptation to climate change (IN-COMBI, Inclusive Nutrition: combinatorial nutritional signals drive plant responses to climate change). This delivers on the letter of intent agreed between MSU and INRAE in October 2022, which recognized the potential for collaboration. A framework cooperation agreement will be drawn up in Autumn 2023.

Coordinated by the Plant Biology and Breeding (BAP) Department at INRAE, the IN-COMBI LIA also brings Montpellier’s Institut Agro and the University of Montpellier on board. The impetus for the project came from Benoît Lacombe and Sandrine Ruffel (INRAE’s IPSiM Unit) and from Hatem Rouached at MSU, who share a long history of collaboration. Their intention is to use the LIA to study the interactions between the nutritional components of plants in response to climate change, spurred by the need to break down research silos where each nutrient were being studied individually.

[ More ]