Doctorant en biologie Université de Tours M/F – Ecologie, comportement et gestion du forficule européen dans les vergers

Job Description

Thesis Subject

Apple and pear production in the Centre-Val de Loire region is a major agricultural sector currently facing increasing pressure from insect pests. In addition to historically established species such as the codling moth (Cydia pomonella) and the pear psylla (Cacopsylla pyri), emerging and invasive pests—including Drosophila suzukii and Contarinia pyrivora—are contributing to significant losses in both yield and fruit quality.
At the same time, the progressive reduction in the use of plant protection products, driven by regulatory restrictions and the emergence of resistance, is weakening existing crop protection strategies. In this context, developing sustainable alternative solutions has become a key priority for the fruit production sector.
This PhD project addresses these challenges by evaluating the potential of the European earwig (Forficula auricularia) as an augmentative biological control agent. This generalist predator, naturally present in orchards, may play an important role in regulating pest populations.
The objectives of the project are as follows:
1. Characterization of ecosystem services
This objective aims to quantify the contribution of earwigs to pest regulation by investigating their diet and trophic interactions. The study will combine field observations, morphological identification of arthropods, and molecular approaches (metabarcoding) to identify prey items and assess their spatial and temporal variability.
2. Study of the life cycle and optimization of rearing
This part of the project will focus on improving our understanding of the earwig life cycle, particularly under controlled conditions, in order to develop efficient rearing protocols. The goal is to produce individuals at appropriate developmental stages for predation and to control the synchronization—or intentional desynchronization—of life cycles to optimize release strategies in orchards.
3. Assessment of the impact of climatic conditions
The project will investigate how temperature variations affect key biological traits of earwigs (e.g. predation rate, activity levels, energetic demands), with the aim of evaluating the robustness of this biocontrol strategy under climate change scenarios.
Overall, the project will contribute to a better understanding of the functional role of beneficial organisms and support the development of biological control strategies adapted to current constraints in fruit production systems.

Your Work Environment

-The PhD will be conducted at the Institute for Research on Insect Biology (IRBI, CNRS UMR – University of Tours), within a research team specializing in evolutionary ecology and insect–environment interactions. The project will be jointly supervised by Charlotte Lécureuil (physiology) and Joël Meunier (behavioral ecology and earwig specialist).
The PhD is funded through the AUXIFORFI 2026–2029 project (APR-IR Région Centre-Val de Loire) and relies on close collaboration with technical and scientific partners, particularly the CTIFL (Technical Center for Fruit and Vegetables), which will provide access to experimental orchards and ensure agronomic monitoring. Additional collaborations with partners specializing in biodiversity assessment and molecular analyses are also planned.
The PhD candidate's work will include:
• field sampling campaigns in experimental orchards in the Centre-Val de Loire region,
• laboratory experiments (insect rearing, behavioral assays, trophic interactions),
• molecular (metabarcoding) and statistical analyses.
The project is embedded in a strongly interdisciplinary environment at the interface of ecology, applied entomology, and agronomy, with regular interactions with stakeholders from the fruit production sector.

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

2300 € gross monthly

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

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