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All the news
Bee foraging rapeseed flower. © INRA, RENARD Michel

Press release

27 Nov 2019

Neonicotinoids: despite EU moratorium, bees still at risk

ratorium has restricted the application of three neonicotinoids to crops that attract bees because of the harmful effects they are deemed to have on these insects. Yet researchers from the CNRS, INRA, and the Institut de l’Abeille (ITSAP) have just demonstrated that residues of these insecticides—and especially of imidacloprid—can still be detected in rape nectar from 48% of the plots of studied fields, their concentrations varying greatly over the years. An assessment of the risk posed to bees, based on health agency models and parameters, has revealed that for two out of five years, at least 12% of the fields were sufficiently contaminated to kill 50% of the bees and bumblebees foraging on them.

From the greenhouse to the field, Phenotoul an automated plant phenotyping infrastructure

News

26 Nov 2019

From the greenhouse to the field, Phenotoul an automated plant phenotyping infrastructure

Phenotoul aims at characterizing crop plants, developing operational know-how and generating new knowledge. It is an integrated plant phenotyping infrastructure dedicated to research and innovation located on the INRA Occitanie-Toulouse campus.

Mohammed Bendahmane

Portrait

26 Nov 2019

Mohammed Bendahmane, the scientist and the rose

Mohammed Bendahmane, Research Director at INRA, has been working on the rose for 20 years. In 2018, he and his team deciphered the rose genome with considerable accuracy; indeed, this is one of the best three plant genome assemblies. On 26 November 2019 he will be receiving a Grand Prix from the French Academy of Sciences to reward the quality of his achievements throughout his career. He tells us about his research which has thrown new light on both the rose and on human genetics.

Olivier Lalouette, on the left, with one of his colleagues. © INRA, MAITRE Christophe

Magazine

19 Nov 2019

A taste for management

Since 2010, Olivier Lalouette has been managing the Centre for Taste and Feeding Behaviour in Dijon, in his capacity as deputy director responsible for research support. He is this year’s recipient of the Research Support Award for his commitment to serving the research community.

Researcher transplanting a breeding line of a Solanaceae variety in the genetic resources collection. Ploudaniel Field Station, French Department of Finistère, September 20, 2019. © Bertrand NICOLAS - Inra, NICOLAS Bertrand

Magazine

19 Nov 2019

When the chips are down, they are rooting for the potato

The potato is the fourth most important crop in the world, behind wheat, rice, and maize. Bolstering potato farming in Africa and Asia could help promote food security. However, for the potato to maintain its status, it is crucial to control the plant’s plethora of pathogens without resorting to chemical pesticides, which have ecotoxicological effects. INRA's "potato team” has deftly risen to the challenge; based out of the INRA centre of Brittany-Normandy, its members also collaborate with researchers at the INRA centre of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA). The team’s work has earned it the 2019 INRA Science with an Impact Award.