Research skills
I am interested in the developmental and adaptive responses of horticultural plants (ornamental and vegetable) to their abiotic environment. In particular, I study the responses to light, water restriction and mechanical stimulation through phenotypic, physiological, molecular and epigenetic analyses. The study of memory, priming and desensitization of plants to these factors is central in my scientific questioning. Beyond the analysis of the mechanisms involved, the final objective of my work is to exploit the responses of these plants to increase their quality in terms of form (branching, compactness) and adaptation to constraining environments (urban environment, restriction of water resources). My work also contributes to the development of more sustainable production techniques and alternatives to chemical treatments (dwarfing, pesticides), by exploiting the responses to abiotic factors.
I am currently
- Head of the STREMHO team
- Member of the IRHS Steering Committee
- Member of the EGAAL (Ecology, Geosciences, Agronomy, Food) Doctoral School Council at the University of Bretagne Loire
- Director of the LabCom MATCH (Alternative Methods to Chemical Treatments of Hydrangea) ANR 2019-2022 in collaboration with the company Hortensia France Production
- Director of a thesis on photo- and thigmo-morphogenesis in Hydrangea: Responses and memory of plants to light and mechanical stimulation (Thesis of Béra Ley-NGardigal, 2020-202023)
- Director of a thesis on the role of miRNAs in the photocontrol of rose bud break (ROSAPEPS project, thesis of Julie Mallet 2018 - 2021, Collaboration with IRHS-Stragène)
- Co-supervision of a thesis on the role of duplicated genes in the genus Rosa (Project ROSADUPLI, thesis of Martin LEDUC, 2019 -2022, Collaboration with IRHS-Bidéfi)
Publications
Link to Scholar Google profile
https://scholar.google.fr/citations?hl=fr&view_op=list_works&gmla=AJsNF5qlpixn3UAqtXXriiA0ApfV7EURs2lqk02LhdtPfl5E1Gkg7eTHohmbaiOu5vWQZyGW2NxhuAD0ShlJ33girrdpX0R_z1EVHq7hEXlgbs&usr=eAG1sSEAAAAJ
Publications on current research topics
Ley-Ngardigal B, Roman H, Huché-Thélier L, Guerrero Zepeda I, Brouard N, Guérin V, Leduc N (2026) Blue and red light-enrichments induce dwarfism in Hydrangea macrophylla through molecular regulation of gibberellin pathway and of cell wall extensibility, without deleterious effects on photosynthetic parameters. Environmental and Experimental Botany. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106289
Hanaé Roman, Vincent Guérin, Béra Ley-Ngardigal, Nathalie Brouard, Lydie Huché-Thélier, Nathalie Leduc (2025) Identification of biochemical and molecular markers of blueability level in Hydrangea macrophylla. Scientia Horticulturae 351:114400. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2025.114400
Sabine Demotes-Mainard, Hervé Autret, Christophe Pradal, Julien Le Gall, Vincent Guérin, Nathalie Leduc, Didier Combes, Christophe Renaud, Jessica Bertheloot (2025) Simulating light quantity and quality over plant organs using a ray-tracing method to investigate plant responses in growth chambers. Biosystems Engineering 258: 104256. DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2025.104256
Pantin, F., Huché-Thélier, L., Brouard, N., Morel, P. and Leduc, N.(2025) Transgenerational decline through insidious effects of drought memory. New phytologist. DOI: 10.1111/nph.70458
Château C, Bastide F, Guillemette T, Hamon B, Longuemare M, Alexandre S, Buronfosse M, Roman H, Leduc N, Poupard P (2024) In vitro and in vivo biocontrol studies against Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of grey mould in Hydrangea macrophylla. Biocontrol Science and Technology. DOI: 10.1080/0983157.2024.2341302
LEY-NGARDIGAL B, ROMAN H, BROUARD N,HUCHE -THELIER L, GUERIN V AND LEDUC N. 2023. Recurrent symmetrical bendings cause dwarfing in Hydrangea through spatial molecular regulation of xylem cell walls. Frontiers in Plant Science (2023), doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1268272. I.F 6,63
LEY-NGARDIGAL B, PELLETIER S, GUERIN V, HUCHE-THELIER L, BROUARD N, ROMAN H, LEDUC N. Unraveling the dataset transcriptomic response of Hydrangea macrophylla stem to mechanical stimulation : De novo assembly and functionnal annotation. Data in Brief (2023) doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2023.109784. I.F 0,131
GUÉRIN V, ROMAN H, HUCHÉ-THÉLIER L, LEY-NGARDIGAL B, HERBOMMEZ E, EVELEENS T. LEDUC N. Impact of fertilization level during flowering phase on blueness of Hydrangea sepals and plant visual quality. Acta Hortic. 1375. ISHS 2023. DOI 10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1375.17
HUCHÉ-THÉLIER L, ROMAN H, BROUARD N, FEWOU R, EVELEENS T, GUÉRIN V, LEDUC N. No fertilization or reduced irrigation of hydrangea in autumn: an eco-friendly tool to favour leaf senescence without consequences on flowering quality Acta Hortic. 1375. ISHS 2023. DOI 10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1375.19
LEY-NGARDIGAL B, GUE RIN V, HUCHE -THE LIER L, BROUARD N, EVELEENS T, ROMAN H, LEDUC N. Impact of mechanical stimulation in Hydrangea macrophylla. Acta Hortic. 1372. ISHS 2023. DOI 10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1372.36
ROMAN H, GUÉRIN V, HUCHÉ-THÉLIER L, LEY-NGARDIGAL B, HERBOMMEZ E, EVELEENS T, LEDUC N. Effect of different Al supplies during vegetative phase on sepal blueing in hydrangea inflorescence. Acta Hortic. 1375. ISHS 2023. DOI 10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1375.41
MALLET J, LAUFS P, LEDUC N, LE GOURRIEREC J 2021. Photocontrol of Axillary Bud Outgrowth by MicroRNAs: Current State-of-the-Art and Novel Perspectives Gained From the Rosebush Model. Frontiers in Plant Science (2021) doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.770363. I.F 6,63
PORCHER A, GUERIN V, LEDUC N, LEBREC A, LOTHIER J, VIAN A. Ascorbate-glutathione pathways, mediated by cytokinin, regulate H2O2 level in light control in rose bud burst. Plant Physiology 186: 910–928 (2021) IF 6.90
ADRIEN COROT, HANAÉ ROMAN, ODILE DOUILLET, HERVÉ AUTRET, MARIA-DOLORES PEREZ-GARCIA, SYLVIE CITERNE, JESSICA BERTHELOOT, SOULAIMAN SAKR, NATHALIE LEDUC AND SABINE DEMOTES-MAINARD. 2017 Cytokinins and Abscisic Acid Act Antagonistically in the Regulation of the Bud Outgrowth Pattern by Light Intensity.Frontiers in Plant Science 8,1724.doi:10.3389/fpls.2017.01724. I.F 4.29
ROMAN H, GIRAULT T, LE GOURRIEREC J, LEDUC N. 2017 In silico analysis of 3 expansin gene promoters reveals 2 hubs controlling light and cytokinins response during bud outgrowth. Plant Signaling & Behavior 12: 2, e1284725,DOI:10.1080/15592324.2017.1284725. I.F 1.07
ROMAN H, GIRAULT T, BARBIER F, PÉRON T, BROUARD N, PĚNČÍK A, NOVÁK O, VIAN A, SAKR S, LOTHIER J, LE GOURRIEREC J, LEDUC N. 2016. Cytokinins Are Initial Targets of Light in the Control of Bud Outgrowth. Plant Physiology; 172(1):489-509. doi: 10.1104/pp.16.00530. I.F 6.45
HUCHÉ-THÉLIER L, CRESPEL L, LE GOURRIEREC J, MOREL PH, SAKR S, LEDUC N. 2016 Light Signaling and plant responses to blue and UV Radiations: Perspectives For applications in horticulture. Environmental and Experimental Botany 121: 22-38. doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2015.06.009. I.F 4.37
DEMOTES-MAINARD S, PÉRON T, COROT A, BERTHELOOT J, LE GOURRIEREC J, PELLESCHI-TRAVIER S, CRESPEL L, MOREL PH, HUCHÉ-THÉLIER L, BOUMAZA R, VIAN A, GUÉRIN V, LEDUC N, SAKR S. 2016 Plant Responses to red and far-red lights, applications in horticulture. Environmental and Experimental Botany 121: 421. doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2015.05.010. I.F 4.37
RAMEAU C, BERTHELOOT J, LEDUC N, ANDRIEU B, FOUCHER F, SAKR S. 2015 Multiple pathways regulate shoot branching. Frontiers in Plant Sciences 5: 1-15. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00741. I.F 4.52
BARBIER F, PÉRON T, LECERF M, PEREZ-GARCIA MD, BARRIÈRE Q, ROLČÍKJ, BOUTET-MERCEY S, CITERNE S, LEMOINE R, PORCHERON B, ROMAN H, LEDUC N, LE GOURRIEREC J, BERTHELOOT J, SAKR S. 2015 Sucrose is an early modulator of the key hormonal mechanisms controlling bud outgrowth in Rosa hybrid. Journal of Experimental Botany 66: 2569-2582. doi:10.1093/jxb/erv047. I.F 5.83
DJENNANE S, HIBRAND-SAINT OYANT L, KAWAMURA K, LALANNE D, LAFFAIRE M, THOUROUDE T, CHALAIN S, SAKR S, BOUMAZA R, FOUCHER F, LEDUC N 2014 Impacts of light and temperature on shoot branching gradient and expression of strigolactone synthesis and signalling genes in rose. Plant Cell and Environment 37, 742–757. doi: 10.1111/pce.12191. I.F 6.17
SANTAGOSTINI P., DEMOTES-MAINARD S; HUCHE-THELIER L.; LEDUC N; BERTHELOOT J.; GUÉRIN V.; BOURBEILLON J.; SAKR S.; BOUMAZA R. 2014 Assessment of the visual quality of ornamental plants: comparison of three methodologies in the case of the rosebush. Scientia Horticulturae 168: 17-26. doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2014.01.011. I.F 1.62
RABOT A, PORTEMER V, PERON T, MORTREAU E, LEDUC N, HAMAMA L, COUTOS-THEVENOT P, ATANASSOVA R, SAKR S, LE GOURRIEREC J. 2014. INTERPLAY OF Sugar, Light and Gibberellins in Expression of Rosa hybrida Vacuolar Invertase 1 Regulation.Plant Cell Physiol. 55(10): 1734–1748. doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcu106. I.F 4.76
LEDUC N, ROMAN H, BARBIER F, PERON T, HUCHE-THELIER L, LOTHIER J, DEMOTES-MAINARD S, SAKR S. 2014. Light Signaling in Bud Outgrowth and Branching in Plants. Plants: 3 (2):223-50. doi:10.3390/plants3020223.Non indexé. Cité 13 fois.
RABOT A, HENRY C, BEN BAAZIZ K, MORTREAU E, AZRI W, LOTHIER J, HAMAMA L, BOUMAZA R, LEDUC N, PELLESCHI-TRAVIER S, LE GOURRIEREC J, SAKR S. 2012 Insight into the role of sugars in bud burst under light in the rose. Plant and Cell Physiology 53:1068-1082. I.F=4.06
CHOUBANE D, RABOT A, MORTREAU E, LEGOURRIEREC J, PÉRON T, F, AHCÈNE Y, PELLESCHI-TRAVIER S, LEDUC N, HAMAMA L, SAKR S. (2012) Photocontrol of bud burst involves gibberellin biosynthesis in Rosa sp. J Plant Physiol 169:1271-1280; I.F =2.83
ABIDI F., GIRAULT T., DOUILLET O., GUILLEMAIN G., SINTES G.,LAFFAIRE M., BEN AHMED H., SMITI S., HUCHE-THELIER L., LEDUC N. (2012) Blue light effects on Rose photosynthesis and photomorphogenesis. Plant Biology 15: 67–7 doi.org/10.1111/j.1438-8677.2012.00603.x; I.F =2.15
PERON T, VERONESI C, MORTREAU E,, POUVREAU JB, THOIRON S, LEDUC N, DELAVAULT P, SIMIER P. (2012) Role of the sucrose synthase encoding PrSus1 gene in the development 1 of the parasitic plant Phelipanche ramosa L. (Pomel). Molecular plant- microbe interaction 25, 402–411. I.F =3.59
HENRY C., RABOT A., LALOI M., MORTREAU E., SIGOGNE M., LEDUC N., LEMOINE R., SAKR S., VIAN A., PELLESCHI-TRAVIER S., 2011. Regulation of RhSUC2, a sucrose transporter, is correlated with the light control of bud burst in Rosa sp. Plant, Cell and Environment 34: 1776-1789. I.F=5.41
GIRAULT T., ABIDI F., SIGOGNE M., PELLESCHI-TRAVIER S., BOUMAZA R., SAKR S., LEDUC N., 2010. Sugars are under light control during bud burst in Rosa sp. Plant, Cell and Environment, 33:1339-1350. I.F=5.41
BOUMAZA R., HUCHE-THELIER L., DEMOTES-MAINARD S., LE COZ E., LEDUC N.,PELLESCHI-TRAVIER S., QANNARI EM, SAKR S., SANTAGOSTINI P.,SYMONEAUX R., GUERIN V. 2010. Sensory profiles and preference analysis in ornamental horticulture: The case of the rosebush. Food Quality and Preference 21 : 987–997. I.F=3.65
GIMENO-GILLES C, LELIEVRE E, VIAU L, MALIKGHULAM M,GAMAS P, NIEBEL A, LEDUC N, LIMAMI A (2009) ABA Mediated Inhibition of Germination is related to the Inhibition of Genes Encoding Cell Wall Biosynthetic and Architecture Modifying Enzymes and Structural Proteins in Medicago truncatula Embryo Axis. Molecular Plant 2 (1): 108-119 . I.F=9.33
GIRAULT T, BERGOUGNOUX V, COMBES D, VIEMONT JD, LEDUC N, 2008. Light controls shoot meristem organogenic activity and leaf primordia growth during bud burst in Rosa sp. Plant Cell and Environment 31:1534-1544. I.F=5.41
