Consultant – Plant Phenotyping for Accelerated Breeding Applications

Organizational Setting

The Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications implements the IAEA’s Major Programme 2, “Nuclear Techniques for Development and Environmental Protection”. This Major Programme comprises individual programmes on food and agriculture, human health, water resources, environment and radiation technologies. These programmes are supported by laboratories in Seibersdorf, Monaco and Vienna. The Major Programme’s objective is to enhance the capacity of Member States to meet basic human needs and to assess and manage the marine and terrestrial environments through the use of nuclear and isotopic techniques in sustainable development programmes.

The Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications implements the IAEA’s Major Programme 2, “Nuclear Techniques for Development and Environmental Protection”. This Major Programme comprises individual programmes on food and agriculture, human health, water resources, environment and radiation technologies. These programmes are supported by laboratories in Seibersdorf, Monaco and Vienna. The Major Programme’s objective is to enhance the capacity of Member States to meet basic human needs and to assess and manage the marine and terrestrial environments through the use of nuclear and isotopic techniques in sustainable development programmes.
The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture assists Member States of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the IAEA in using nuclear techniques and related technologies to improve food security, alleviate poverty and promote sustainable agriculture. The Joint Centre consists of five Sections, each with an associated laboratory (located in Seibersdorf, 45 km south-east of Vienna), in the areas of: animal production and health; plant breeding and genetics; insect pest control; soil and water management and crop nutrition; and food safety and control.
The Plant Breeding and Genetics Section and Laboratory assist Member States with the development of mutation induction methodologies and integrated applications of mutation breeding techniques for crop improvement and biodiversity, contributing to the sustainable intensification of crop production systems.

The Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications implements the IAEA’s Major Programme 2, “Nuclear Techniques for Development and Environmental Protection”. This Major Programme comprises individual programmes on food and agriculture, human health, water resources, environment and radiation technologies. These programmes are supported by laboratories in Seibersdorf, Monaco and Vienna. The Major Programme’s objective is to enhance the capacity of Member States to meet basic human needs and to assess and manage the marine and terrestrial environments through the use of nuclear and isotopic techniques in sustainable development programmes.
The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture assists Member States of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the IAEA in using nuclear techniques and related technologies to improve food security, alleviate poverty and promote sustainable agriculture. The Joint Centre consists of five Sections, each with an associated laboratory (located in Seibersdorf, 45 km south-east of Vienna), in the areas of: animal production and health; plant breeding and genetics; insect pest control; soil and water management and crop nutrition; and food safety and control.
The Plant Breeding and Genetics Section and Laboratory assist Member States with the development of mutation induction methodologies and integrated applications of mutation breeding techniques for crop improvement and biodiversity, contributing to the sustainable intensification of crop production systems.

Main Purpose

The consultancy involves providing research and development expertise for development of mutation breeding pipelines to create new mutant germ plasm and cultivars that address improved yield, response to biotic and abiotic stresses, appropriate pre- and postharvest characteristics, or overall fitness of legume and cereal crops. The consultant will actively work within the IAEA mandate conducting laboratory and field activities for establishing newer mutagen sources and their biological effects on crop species using novel breeding technologies. This includes screening mutants induced by space environment, exploring new alleles from mutant offsprings, innovating excellent germ plasm. The consultant will assume responsibility for high-throughput phenotyping and devise strategies for in vivo and in vitro phenotype characterization assays for traits of interest. Contribute to population developed for MutMap analysis and bulk segregant analysis to determine the genetic associations and carry out marker-assisted breeding to study the genetic basis for the observed resistance.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Provide technical expertise in producing research methods and techniques for improving mutation breeding.
• Analyse and scientifically assess plant breeding in laboratory and field trials and select the best variants to cross plants to produce new breeding material for field and glasshouse trials.
• Screen mutants induced by space environment, exploring new alleles from mutant offspring, innovating excellent germplasm, and cultivating parents with multiple excellent alleles.
• Provide technical expertise in quantitative and qualitative assessment of traits (such as growth rate, yield, disease resistance, and nutrition to link observable plant characteristics) to the genetic and genomic background for breeding applications.
• Collaborate with the molecular geneticist to identify and develop marker-trait associations, innovative traits.
• Write and present work to other scientists and publish scientific findings.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Required –

Skills and Expertise

•    Plant Breeding and Genetics

•    Plant Diseases Control

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s Degree – Advanced University Degree in Plant Breeding and/ or Plant Genetics
• Minimum of five years of relevant experience
• Sound knowledge of phenotyping strategies for biotic and abiotic stresses for line selection, trial scoring
• Expertise in breeding operations viz. sowing, scoring, harvesting, integrating data and reporting
• Expertise in screening large populations in GH and/ or field for identifying traits that could be improved
  for crops using mutation breeding approaches
• Experience in non-invasive technologies to analyse experimental and breeding populations
• Knowledge of experimental designs and statistical methods are essential.

Remuneration

The remuneration for this consultancy is a daily fee of up to a maximum of € 250, based on qualifications and experience. In case duty travel is required within the assignment, a daily subsistence allowance (DSA) and travel costs are provided. Health coverage and pension fund are the responsibility of the incumbent.