Launch of the Past2Eco project

The Past2ECO project, a winner of the PEPR AgroEcoNum 2025 call for proposals, aims to gain a better understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of crops – particularly wheat and sorghum – in the face of climate change.

To this end, the project draws on both:

• historical genetic data from old herbarium collections;
• contemporary genetic data, stored in biological resource centres (BRCs).

This first meeting between the partner teams provided an opportunity to present the four work packages that form the structure of the project:

• characterising the historical diversity of crops using ancient DNA from herbarium specimens;
• identifying the genomic signatures of adaptation for the agroecological transition;
• evaluating mixed-cultivated genotypes in the field from an agroecological perspective;
• developing AI approaches for varietal discrimination and digital phenotyping.

Participants were also able to visit the PALEOLAB palaeogenomics laboratory, dedicated to the analysis of ancient DNA. Finally, workshops were organised on the data management plan and the interdependence of the work packages.

The consortium brings together multidisciplinary expertise, with scientists from the National Museum of Natural History, INRAE, Inria, CIRAD, IRD, the University of Clermont Auvergne, the University of Lumière Lyon 2 and IMT Mines Alès.