The doctoral work of Javier Belinchon-Moreno, focused on the genetic and functional diversity of resistance genes in melon, was awarded on November 9, 2026, with the "Open Science Thesis Award 2026". This national distinction recognizes both the quality of his scientific research and its integration into an open science approach, aimed at improving plants.
Awarded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space, in partnership with the Committee for Open Science, this ministerial prize honors young researchers who incorporate open science principles into their doctoral work. By distinguishing Javier Belinchon-Moreno, the award recognizes a thesis that combines an ambitious scientific approach with the production of accessible knowledge, highlighting the value of the developed methods for exploring genetic diversity and contributing to plant breeding challenges.
This research, conducted within the INRAE GAFL and EPGV units under the supervision of Nathalie Boissot and Patricia Faivre-Rampant, and defended in 2025 at the University of Avignon, focuses on NLR genes involved in pathogen recognition and plant defense. A targeted sequencing method was used to construct a pan-NLRome in graph form, representing genetic diversity and overcoming the limitations of a single reference genome.
Innovative association analyses have identified a set of NLR alleles, with a quarter corresponding to resistance alleles. These findings reveal a vast, previously unknown reservoir of potential resistance alleles, exploitable in pre-breeding programs to develop varieties resistant to multiple diseases and pests.
The methods developed, based on k-mers and graph nodes, provide analytical tools directly applicable to pre-breeding and varietal selection programs. These approaches could also be adapted to other species to more effectively leverage genetic diversity in plant improvement programs.
