Clément Larue


I am currently a postdoc at the University of Florida, in the Entomology and Nematology Department, joining the Pollinator Ecology and Conservation laboratory to work with Rachel Mallinger.

I am a geneticist ± entomologist. I study plant mating systems, pollinator ecology, and plant-pollinator interactions. I am interested in trees in natural forests, but also in various crops cultivated for fruit production, such as chestnut and blueberry.
I use field observations, experiments, molecular analyses, and statistical models to study pollination. My research includes the study of the origin of gynodioecy, sexual interference in plants, the evolutionary advantage of duodichogamous species, pollination efficiency, and the design of highly productive, environmentally friendly orchards.

For more information, feel free to browse around or contact me via clement.larue@ufl.edu.

Portrait

Estimating pollination success is essential when studying plant reproduction. To calculate this fruit set, i.e. the percentage of flowers that give fruit, we need to count the number of flowers in spring, and the number of fruits produced at harvest time.


Experience

Below are my positions ever since obtaining my PhD.

Postdoctoral Research Associate

During my second postdoc, I work on blueberry pollination in Florida. I study the effect of (I) the diversity of pollinating insects and the frequency of their visits to flowers on pollination success, (II) the diversity and spatial distribution of cultivars on fruit production, and (III) pollen exchanges in blueberry fields using paternity analyses.

Blueberry field

The diversity of pollinators and the frequency of their visits to female flowers have a major impact on blueberry production.

2024 – 2025

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

During my first postdoc, I worked on chestnut pollination in south-west France. I (I) identified effective insect pollinators of chestnut, (II) studied the effect of orchard structure and composition on tree pollination success, and (III) estimated the quality of the pollination service in production orchards.

Chestnut field

Chestnut pollination has long remained a mystery. Without wild pollinating insects, and without diversified cultivars, chestnut production will be very low.

2022 – 2023

Education

PhD in Evolutionary, Functional and Community Ecology

Subject: From pollination to seed set: chestnut as case study
at Biogeco, supervised by Rémy Petit.

2018 - 2021

Master in Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution

M2 Internship: Diversité et structure génétique spatiale d’une population de tilleuls : identification des espèces et des clones
at Biogeco, supervised by Rémy Petit.

M1 Internship: Les indices calculés à partir des données cynégétiques peuvent-ils être utiles à la gestion du lièvre d’Europe ?
at Office national de la chasse et de la faune sauvage, supervised by Bernard Mauvy and Jean-Sébastien Guitton.

2015 - 2017

Bachelor in Life Sciences

Internship: Étude d’une plante emblématique des Pyrénées en voie de disparition, Subularia aquatica : détermination de son régime de reproduction
at EDB, supervised by Monique Burrus and Nathalie Escaravage.

2012 - 2015
Diploma

Doctoral thesis graduation ceremony. I am third from the right.


Research

This section is divided into Publications, Talks, Posters, Software development and Awards.

Publications

2024

Harmful self-pollination drives gynodioecy in European chestnut, a self-incompatible tree

C. Larue and R. Petit

American Journal of Botany

Chestnut reproductive biology and orchard design

C. Larue and R. Petit

Acta Horticulturae

Insect pollination in chestnut: an organized mess?

C. Larue and R. Petit

Acta Horticulturae

2023

Strong pollen limitation in hybrid chestnuts (Castanea sp.) orchards: Forest trees cannot compensate for the lack of pollen donors

C. Larue and R. Petit

Annals of Forest Science

Adaptive function of duodichogamy: Why do chestnut trees have two pollen emission peaks?

G. Pauly, C. Larue and R. Petit

American Journal of Botany

2022

Sexual interference revealed by joint study of male and female pollination success in chestnut

C. Larue, E. Klein, and R. Petit

Molecular Ecology

Confirmation that chestnuts are insect-pollinated

R. Petit and C. Larue

Botany Letters

2021

De la pollinisation à la formation des graines : le cas du châtaignier

C. Larue

Université de Bordeaux

An intensive study plot to investigate chestnut tree reproduction

C. Larue, T. Barreneche and R. Petit

Annals of Forest Science

Development of highly validated SNP markers for genetic analyses of chestnut species

C. Larue, E. Guichoux, B. Laurent, T. Barreneche, C. Robin, M. Massot, A. Delcamp and R. Petit

Conservation Genetics Resources

Efficient monitoring of phenology in chestnuts

C. Larue, T. Barreneche and R. Petit

Scientia Horticulturae

Revisiting pollination mode in chestnut (Castanea spp.): an integrated approach

C. Larue, E. Austruy, G. Basset and R. Petit

Botany Letters

2020

Microhaplotype genotyping-by-sequencing of 98 highly polymorphic markers in three chestnut tree species

B. Laurent, C. Larue, E. Chancerel, E. Guichoux, R. Petit, T. Barreneche, C. Robin and O. Lepais

Conservation Genetics Resources

Sixty Years from the First Disease Description, a Novel Badnavirus Associated with Chestnut Mosaic Disease

A. Marais, S. Murolo, C. Faure, Y. Brans, C. Larue, F. Maclot, S. Massart, M. Chiumenti, A. Minafra, G. Romanazzi, M. Lefebvre, T. Barreneche, C. Robin, R. Petit and T. Candresse

Phytopathology

La floraison du châtaignier

The male fertility of plants is highly variable. The quantity of pollen produced is more or less important, and some individuals no longer produce pollen anymore. In orchards, we need to be sure that the quantity and quality of pollen is sufficient, and that it is produced at the right time: i.e. when the female flowers of other individuals are receptive.

Talks

From pollination to seed production: What does paternity analysis provide?

Steinmetz Hall - University of Florida, Gainesville, United States of America

Pollinisation et conception de nouveaux vergers de châtaigniers

Vinitech Sifel, Bordeaux, France

Self-interference revealed by joint study of male and female pollination success in chestnut

GDR Pollineco, Paris, France

De la pollinisation à la formation des graines : le cas du châtaignier

Biogeco PhD defense, Cestas-Pierroton, France [recording]

Is self-pollen interference the cause of chestnut gynodioecy?

Botany 2020 (online), Anchorage, Alaska

Rôle des insectes dans la pollinisation du châtaignier

SPIPOLL, Cendras, France

Role of insects in chestnut pollination

GDR Pollineco, Montpellier, France

Les outils biomol pour aider dans la caractérisation et le choix variétal

Vinitech Sifel, Bordeaux, France

Les insectes pollinisateurs du châtaignier

It is important to study the diversity of pollinating insects, i.e. insects that visit both male and female flowers. Chestnut trees are pollinated by Diptera and Coleoptera, but which species are the most efficient? To answer this question, it is crucial to characterize their pollen loads.

Posters

La récolte des fruits

Large quantities of fruit are collected to study the determinants of pollination success. These fruits are then characterized (weight, sugar content, etc...) to study the effect of pollen on fruit quality.

Software development

Monte Carlo estimation and exact computation of overlapping canopied areas

C. Larue, J. Schoeters

Java program computing canopied areas covered by given buffer zone
Available on Github here
Visualization using JBotSim of the Monte Carlo method shown here

2021

Automatic analysis of large DNA genotyping data

C. Larue, J. Schoeters

Java program analyzing Excel DNA data files for potential mismatches of parent/child associations
Available on Github here

2020

Modélisation des échanges de pollen entre arbres

DNA is isolated from each harvested seed to perform thousands of paternity analyses, and statistical models are used to study compatibility between trees. These analyses enable us to study pollen dispersal distance, barriers to hybridization, or the effect of pollen production capacity on the number of seeds produced.

Awards

Young Minds Award

International Society for Horticultural Science Best poster presentation at VII International Chestnut Symposium [Online]

2023

Silver Medal Dufrenoy

French Academy of Agriculture Best thesis in crop science [Online]

2023

Jussieu Prize

French Botanical Society Best article published in Botany Letters in 2020 [Online][PDF]

2021

Dordogne-Périgord Sustainable Development Awards

Dordogne Department Council 'Coup de coeur' prize [Online]

2020

Ma médaille

I am constantly striving to improve the quality of my work, in the hope of achieving perfection. In 2023, I was awarded the Dufrenoy silver medal for the best thesis in plant production. This medal rewards me for my dedicated work.


Teaching


Here are the reports of the various students I have supervised, as well as publications addressed to fruit growers.

Students

2023

La pollinisation imprécise mais efficace du châtaignier

T. Renard

M1 BSA, Bordeaux


2022

La pollinisation imprécise mais efficace du châtaignier

G. Pauly

M2 BEE, Bordeaux

[PDF]

L’effet de la canopée sur la pollinisation : Le cas du châtaignier européen (Castanea sativa)

T. Chalet

M1 BEE, Bordeaux

[PDF]

La pollinisation et les pollinisateurs du châtaignier : pourquoi les insectes visitent-ils les fleurs femelles ?

A. Lacroix

L3 BOE, Bordeaux

[PDF]

2021

Le rôle du téléphore fauve (Rhagonycha fulva) dans la pollinisation du châtaigner

S. Gentet

M2 BV, Lyon

[PDF]

La pollinisation du châtaignier(Castanea sp.) : Insectes impliqués et mécanismes

G. Pauly

M1 BEE, Bordeaux

[PDF]

Les insectes pollinisateurs du châtaignier

M. Rheinheimer

L2 Biologie, Bordeaux


2020

La pollinisation chez le châtaignier : étude des liens entre visites des insectes pollinisateurs, biologie florale et phénologie des arbres

E. Austruy

M2 AgroSup, Dijon

[PDF]

La floraison du châtaignier

T. Menthonnex and J. Bonnier

L3 B0E, Bordeaux


2019

Etude des communautés d’insectes floricoles. Exemple de la pollinisation du châtaignier, Castanea sativa

G. Basset

M1 EBP, Poitiers

[PDF]

Mes étudiants

Here are some of my students. I love training students. They gave me invaluable help, and I hope I was a good teacher. Some of them are now doing their PhD thesis, I am proud of them.

Fruit growers

Blueberries

Mixed cultivar plantings for cross-pollination in blueberry: benefits and guide to maximize yields

C. Larue, S. Chabert, D. Phillips, and R. Mallinger

UF/IFAS Extension

[Not available yet]

Chestnuts

Biologie de la reproduction du châtaignier et conception des vergers

C. Larue and R. Petit

Connaissance du châtaignier #4

[PDF]

Le rôle clé des insectes sauvages dans la pollinisation du châtaignier

C. Larue and R. Petit

Connaissance du châtaignier #3

[PDF]

Mon verger est-il bien pollinisé ?

C. Larue and R. Petit

Connaissance du châtaignier #2

[PDF]

La floraison du châtaignier

C. Larue and R. Petit

Connaissance du châtaignier #1

[PDF]

Photo de groupe

These major symposia are an opportunity to meet researchers as wall as fruit growers. I enjoy working with these growers, and for these growers. I try to publish popularized articles, to apply the latest findings in fields and orchards.


Other

This section contains other useful information about my involvement in the world of science, or about my passions..

Reviews

I enjoy reviewing scientific articles, as it helps me to keep abreast of the latest findings and innovations in my research areas. Below is a collection of journals I agreed to review for.

Service

GDR Pollineco: co-organiser

2023

Summer Schools

BIOBAYES: introduction to Bayesian statistics

2019

Wildlife photography

I am passionate about nature photography. I started by photographing birds and game species in the French forests. Then I developed my skills in macro photography and in UVIF photography, to see what is invisible to our eyes, but visible to insects.
I use Fujifilm equipment, Fuji X-H2 and Fuji X-H2s APS-C hybrid cameras, and mainly XF 80mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro and XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR lenses. I develop my pictures with Capture One software.

Free time

My new moto is "Mens sana in corpore sano". Even though I spend a lot of time in the lab, I do triathlons (Ironman 70.3 fan), and I take the time to cook healthy meals. I also do competition pistol shooting, despite the noise and the flame, shooting is mathematics! When I am not outside (which is rare), I love to read science fiction and fantasy books, or I am in my workshop bulding "things", I like manual work!

Mes photos d'oiseaux

Here are some of my photos, showing an Eurasian jay (top left), a Great tit (top right), a Marsh tit (bottom left) and a Eurasion blue tit (bottom right).