The Institute

ANNUAL REPORT 2014 INRA 2014

KEY FIGURES 2014

2nd INRA’s global ranking for the 8290 permanent staff, Budget: €880.71m number of citations received including 50.7 % women in agricultural sciences

2 framework agreements signed with French research 1840 186 research units organisations (IGN, permanent researchers & 49 experimental units AgroParisTech)

3 new framework agreements signed with French regional 2552 trainees 13 scientific divisions organisations & 510 PhD students with funding & 8 metaprogrammes 6 new framework agreements signed with higher education institutions 17 360 patents owned research centres including 67 new patents filed 20 French Stimulus Initiative projects coordinated

14 27 new software programs new plant varieties & patented databases INRA 2014

CONTENTS

6 EDITORIAL By François Houllier, President

8 SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

10 PANORAMA 2014

12 AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS

30 MISSIONS & PARTNERSHIPS INRA 2014

EDITORIAL

groecology and multiperformance University of Paris–Saclay, where INRA chose Sharing agriculture have, since 2010, been two to be a member of the university and institutional Aof INRA’s scientific priorities. Article 1 collective, which was formally established at the of France’s Law 2014 1107 of 13 October 2014 end of 2014. our vision of agricultural on the Future of Agriculture, Food, and Forests highlights the convergence of these two issues. Also in 2014, we saw considerable change within research The challenge is to use our understanding of the governing bodies of the Institute. Nine agroecosystems to develop high-performance of the eleven members appointed to the Board production systems with improved economic, of Directors are new. Elections for the Scientific health, environmental, and social capacities. Advisory Board, the Technical Committee, and To this end and following the Agroecology and the joint committees all drew high levels of By François Houllier, Research Symposium held in 2013, we took participation worthy of mention. Two large-scale President time to reflect openly on the role of modelling projects also moved forward: the “Partnership and in agroecology. In partnership with CIRAD, we Transfer for Innovation” project, demonstrating also contributed to the International Symposium INRA’s desire to increase its contribution to on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition innovation; and the revision of the 1999 organised by the FAO in Rome in September 2014. Management Charter, which was discussed with unit directors at three interregional meetings. The Law on the Future of Agriculture also sets out the need to support research, innovation, and Behind the scenes, 2014 was also a year spent development and provides for the creation of the preparing for France’s agricultural research French Institute for Agronomy, Veterinary Science, contribution to two major international events and Forestry (IAV2F). This cooperative institute will in 2015: Expo Milano 2015, the first international take over and expand the work of the Agreenium exhibition devoted to food issues; and the 21st consortium established in 2009. Over the course Session of the Conference of the Parties to the of the past year, we have been preparing for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate transition, which came into effect as this editorial Change, otherwise known as “Paris 2015”. was being drafted in early April 2015. INRA chose to work closely with its AllEnvi alliance partners for both events. Across France, we have also pursued a programme to develop shared sites that respect the individual INRA teams completed, pursued, or launched identities and the missions of the partner numerous other projects in 2014, both institutions involved. INRA is an active and in France and France’s overseas territories, committed partner in nearly all the university as well as in Europe, across the Mediterranean, consortia that were constituted as a part of and internationally. I hope that this Annual France’s Law 2013-660 of 22 July 2013 on Higher Report may reflect their creativity and their Education and Research. The sole exception is the commitment.

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4069 publications 18% of publications in 2014 are open access The number of publications has The percentage share of publications increased regularly since 2005, available in open access journals with an average annual increase (Gold Open Access) is growing of 3.6%. For two years, Web of steadily, and now stands at more Science™ reports that the estimated than 18%. The number one journal the number of publications now chosen by INRA researchers for their surpasses 4,000. publications, PLOS ONE, is open access (more than 7% of publications each year).

Number of INRA publications per year and share of open access publications in the WoS™ between 2005 and 2014 * WoS™database accessed on 17 February 2015 Scientific publications * partial year WoS™ Thomson Reuters data – INRA processing February 2015 No. of publications No. of publications Percentage

INRA’s international and French rankings in the top 1% of the most cited institutions ESISM data and processing – Publications between 1 January 2014 and 31 August 2014 – Updated 1 November 2014

Ranking

Field of study By number of citations received By number of publications*

2nd/696 Agronomy 1 2 1 organisations 4th/1036 Plant and animal biology 2 4 2 organisations 20th/370 Microbiology 4 12 3 organisations 23th/707 Environment/Ecology 2 18 2 organisations

* Rankings according to the number of publications. Because the ESI establishes rankings based on the number of citations, organisations that are more productive but whose publications are cited less may be excluded from these rankings. Account for such incidence is not possible.

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Panorama

20 March: CGSP and INRA organise the first 3 July: ASIRPA report published as a part of 29 September:“On and For Regional 2014 of two meetings on organic agriculture research. a symposium organised by AllEnvi and OPECST Development” (PSDR4) programme launched The second meeting was held on 15 April. (see p. 98) (see p. 82) The meetings were followed by a cycle of three JANUARY seminars conducted in Autumn 2014 (see p. 42) 3 July: presentation of scientific experts’ OCTOBER 1 January: creation of the Genetics, Physiology, report (ESCO-MAFOR) on the agricultural and 10 October: framework cooperation agreement and Livestock Systems Unit (GENPHYSE) APRIL environmental effects of fertilizing residual signed with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural 16 April: inauguration of the Experimental Unit materials (livestock manure, compost, sludge) Sciences (CAAS) in Beijing (see p. 69) 16 January: President of Leibniz University for Finfish Farming – Monts d’Arrée (PEIMA) (see p. 40) Hannover (Germany) visits INRA in Sizun, Brittany (see p. 60) 15 October: new research facilities in food and 8 July: multiyear partnership agreement signed health open at Jouy-en-Josas (MICALIS, Xavier 20 January: François Houllier, INRA president, MAY with the regional government of France’s Centre Leverve Building) (see p. 34) accompanies French president, François IFCE and INRA announce the birth of four foals region (see p. 63) 20 January 22 February Hollande, to the Netherlands (see p. 66) produced using transferred, genotyped, 31 October: France–Maghreb seminar held and cryopreserved embryos, a first in Europe 8 July: new soil science research facility, in Tunisia (see p. 70) 21 January: the INRA study How Can French the only one of its kind in Europe, opens at INRA Agriculture Contribute to Reducing Greenhouse 7 May: the Board of Directors approves the Loire Valley’s research centre in Ardon, NOVEMBER Gas Emissions?, published in 2013, is presented definitive version of the Statues of the Paris– near Orléans (see p. 58) 3 November: François Houllier, INRA president, to a number of international organisations Saclay University Group, establishing the “Paris– accompanies French president, François (FAO, OECD) and to the European Parliament Saclay Campus” scientific cooperative (see p. 32) 9 July: launch of new equipment for the dairy Hollande, to Canada (see p. 66) (see p. 45) cattle facility at the Pin-au-Haras research 14 May: the Colmar Court of Appeal acquits station (see p. 61) 4 November: new greenhouse and growth 21 January: INRA and CIRAD strengthen their 54 people convicted of destroying an INRA chamber facilities open at INRA’s site in Angers collaboration with the Institute for Advanced non commercial GMO crop trial in August 2010 10 July: INRA welcomes a delegation from Agricultural Research and Studies (IRESA) BBSRC led by Jackie Hunter, the organisation’s 5 November: Ninth INRA Awards (see p. 14) March 16 April 16 May in Tunisia 15 and 16 May: first International Symposium new chief executive (see p. 69) Publication of Vol. 2 of the on Microgenomics 2014 (see p. 73) 19 November: INRA celebrates 10 years 5th IPCC Assessment Report FEBRUARY 11 July: opening of the Wood–Engineering– of organic agriculture research at Mirecourt 3 February: framework partnership agreement 16 May: new UNCEIA phenotyping facility Structure technological centre at the Institute research station (see p. 85) signed with the FAO in Rome inaugurated at the INRA Loire Valley research of Mechanics and Engineering (I2M); opening centre (see p. 77) of the Xyloforest EQUIPEX (see p. 78) DECEMBER 4 February: launch of the Agricultural Research 1–5 December: the First Global Soil in the Mediterranean Network 2 (ARIMNet) 20 May: INRA celebrates 50 years of wetland 11 July: multiyear partnership agreement Biodiversity Conference held in Dijon in the in Rome, Italy, with a presentation to an Israeli agriculture and environment research at its signed with the regional government presence of the French Minister of Agriculture, delegation at INRA Headquarters (see p. 71) Saint-Laurent-de-la-Prée research station of Aquitaine (see p. 63) Stéphane Le Foll (see p. 46) in Charente-Maritime AUGUST 2 December: INRA celebrates 20 years 22 February: INRA welcomes French president, JUNE 4 June 8 July 29 September François Hollande, to its stand at the 51st Paris 1 August: Agroforestry Day organised by INRA of the Sciences en questions conference» International Agriculture Show, “Agriculture of 2 June: CGIAR consortium headquarters at the Jazz in Marciac festival (see p. 87) the future: How will we produce? inaugurated in Montpellier 12 December: multiyear partnership What will we eat? SEPTEMBER agreement signed with the regional 3 June: International Centre for Molecular 1 September: entry into service of a high government of Auvergne (see p. 63) 24 February: INRA and UNCEIA strengthen Gastronomy created performance, energy efficient containment their collaboration and sign a five-year greenhouse, a sustainable development pilot 15 December: French Prime Minister, Manuel : new life sciences research facilities framework partnership agreement at the Paris 5 June project at INRA Bordeaux Valls, visits the high-throughput phenotyping inaugurated in Toulouse: CNRGV, GET-PLAGE, International Agriculture Show (see p. 77) research facility at INRA Dijon INRA’s first data centre 11 September: National Assembly approves 27 February: INRA and the Agricultural the Law on the Future of Agriculture, Food, 19 December: INRA celebrates 50 years : François Houllier represents Research Council of South Africa sign 18-20 June and Forests (adopted by the Senate on 24 July) of research on forests and aquatic environments France at the G20 Brisbane summit (see p. 71) (see p. 37) at AgroParisTech (see p. 36) 15 October 5 November 15 December a framework partnership agreement (see p. 73) JULY MARCH 28-30 September: the International Centre Publication of Volume 2 of the 5th IPCC 2 July: five-year framework agreement signed for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies Assessment Report, with contributions with IGN, four-year scientific cooperation (CIHEAM) in Montpellier hosts the 28th European from INRA researchers (see p. 52) agreement on forest inventory signed with Agricultural Research Initiative (EURAGRI) AgroParisTech and IGN (see p. 81) conference)

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CONTENTS

14 2014 INRA Awards 21 Michel Mench wins the Milton Gordon Award 22 Two publications awarded the 2014 La Recherche Prize 23 Ophélie Robineau, grand prize winner of the Thesis on Cities Award Awards & distinctions Alice Aubert, winner of the Henri Milon Prize 24 Fifteen INRA researchers receive French Academy of Agriculture awards in 2014 26 Habibullah Magsi, winner of the 2014 Aydalot Prize

27 The national horticultural society of France honours Julien Lecourt Juliette Hordeaux wins two prizes

28 Del Duca Foundation awards: Metagenomics: Dusko Ehrlich and Joël Doré Research on meiosis: Raphaël Mercier and his team 29 Oualid Hamza wins 2014 Panthéon-Assas University award “MuStem Therapeutics” recognised at 2014 national innovative company awards

12 Annual Report The Institute Annual Report The Institute INRA 2014 AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS

2014 INRA Awards

François Houllier: “The INRA Awards showcase the individuals whose creativity, talent, and everyday commitment make us all proud. In duly recognising them, this ceremony also pays tribute to the diverse aims of and skills in research, particularly in public agricultural research. Such diversity is beneficial to understanding the complexity of food, agricultural, forest, and rural Stéphane Le Foll, Minister of Agriculture, Agrifood systems and their inner workings, and for developing new innovation and Forestry, Geneviève Fioraso, Minister of State for pathways to respond to today’s Higher Education and Research, and François Houllier, challenges in the face of multiple transitions in terms of demography, INRA President, participated in the Ninth INRA Awards nutrition, climate, energy, chemistry, Ceremony hosted by Mathieu Vidard at the Showcase and agroecology.” in Paris. Along with Frédéric Dardel, President of INRA’s Scientific Advisory Board and president of the INRA Awards jury, Olivier Le Gall, Deputy Director General for Scientific Affairs at INRA, and Claude Ronceray, Deputy Director Members of the international jury General for Research Support Services at INRA, presented President of the jury Consultative Group on International Agricultural the five winners with awards for their commitment and Frédéric Dardel Research (CGIAR) President of INRA’s Scientific Advisory Board, achievements in various fields of agricultural research. President of Paris Descartes University Dr Jacques Neeteson, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Netherlands, Manager of Members the Agrosystems Research Business Unit, Plant Prof Reinhart Ceulemans, University of Research International Antwerp, Belgium, Plant and Vegetation Ecology and Global Changes Prof Pere Puigdomenech, Molecular Biology Institute of Barcelona, Spain, Centre for Research Prof Klaus Frohberg, University of Bonn, in Agricultural Genomics Germany, Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Food and Resource Economics Prof Helen Raybould, University of California, Davis, United States, human nutrition: nutrient Prof Margaret Gill, University of Aberdeen, transporters in brain and intestine cells United Kingdom, member of the Independent Science and Partnership Council (ISPC),

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Agricultural Research Award Junior for Scientific Excellence Researcher Award François Lisa Tardieu Wingate Research Director at the Joint Research Research Scientist at the Joint Research Unit Unit for Ecophysiology of Plants under for Atmosphere Plant Soil Interactions (ISPA), Environmental Stress (LEPSE), INRA Bordeaux INRA Montpellier

A Green Revolution Research: full speed ahead! François Tardieu studies the connections With 26 publications, a small revolution between agronomy and “hard” sciences, in the field of environmental ecology, analysing the behaviour of plants under an international network of climate environmental stress and creating models change observatories, prestigious research that have become references in the field. fellowships, and promising work on the He draws on ecophysiology, genomics, role of soil microorganisms in atmospheric and the latest phenotyping and modelling carbon flow, Lisa Wingate brings insatiable techniques to analyse and to predict curiosity and creativity to her first 15 years plant behaviour under climate stress. of research. His research has applications to both The future has never looked brighter! agriculture and plant breeding. He has published 130 articles in peer- reviewed journals, and his papers have been cited over 300 times. As Director of LEPSE for eight years, he has led the laboratory in its development of high- throughput phenotyping, making it Full profile a world leader in the field. Full profile http://jobs.inra.fr/en/Headlines/INRA-Awards/2014-INRA-Awards/Francois-Tardieu http://jobs.inra.fr/en/Headlines/INRA-Awards/2014-INRA-Awards/Lisa-Wingate-2014

What does INRA mean to you? What does INRA mean to you? “Today’s international scientific community is dominated by big mercenaries who change their teams’ research subjects to get on the cover “INRA? I love everything from its canteen to its work environment. of Nature. INRA, which takes ideas to the next level, is a good antidote. I love the ambiance, a major contributing factor to success in the field! While I have not always initially been supported in my choices, I have been I love that we are given so much autonomy in our projects. INRA is also allowed to see them through, even when they were not (yet) in style! a tremendous network: an exceptional pool of talented researchers I wish young researchers the same opportunities.” and experts from fields that really complement each other.”

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Engineer Research Support Award Award Laurent Séverine Labbé Siblot Director of the Experimental Unit Executive Coordinator, Office of the President, for Finfish Farming – Monts d’Arrée INRA Dijon (PEIMA)

The man at the helm A high-energy position In the hills of Brittany where France ends After a remarkable stint in research, and the sea begins, Laurent Labbé runs first as an assistant technician and then a tight ship. Charting new waters in as a research technician in molecular aquaculture research is smooth sailing biology, today Séverine Siblot is the for this resourceful and dedicated director exceptional Executive Coordinator to the as he guides his team of 13 people President at INRA Dijon. For the past seven and 45,000 trout. His work with salmonids years, she has deftly supported the centre’s starts with eggs and goes all the way last four presidents. to products for consumption.

Full profile Full profile http://jobs.inra.fr/en/Headlines/INRA-Awards/2014-INRA-Awards/Laurent-Labbe http://jobs.inra.fr/en/Headlines/INRA-Awards/2014-INRA-Awards/Severine-Siblot

What does INRA mean to you? What does INRA mean to you?

“I love the diverse nature of my work: management, technical support, “INRA is a little like my home – I am very attached to it. What I like here research. Running a research station is a bit like conducting an orchestra is working as part of a team, the collaboration between people offering to play a piece of music.” solutions and exchanging ideas. I love working with other people.”

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Michel Mench wins the Milton Gordon Award

Research Support Award Jean-Marie Trommenschlager Assistant engineer, ASTER-Mirecourt Research Unit, INRA Nancy

ASTER-ix and the Golden Tool Jean-Marie Trommenschlager is a genuine revolutionary, participating in the Green Revolution, as the research station’s livestock technician, and the Digital Revolution, creating tools for technicians and researchers to exchange information. Now, he is playing a key role in preparing the Unit’s work for the Organic and System Experiment Revolutions of today.

ichel Mench was presented with the Milton he joined INRA Bordeaux-Aquitaine’s Agronomy Unit to Gordon Award at the annual conference of the continue his work on trace elements in the rhizosphere, MInternational Phytotechnology Society (IPS) food safety, and plant responses to exposure to metals Full profile held in Heraklion, Greece, in October 2014. The award and metalloids. ttp://jobs.inra.fr/en/Headlines/INRA-Awards/2014-INRA-Awards/Jean-Marie-Trommenschlager is the highest international distinction in the field of Since 1992, Mench has been involved in research phytotechnology. studying contaminated sites and remediation. He Michel Mench is research director at INRA’s Joint joined the BIOGECO joint research unit in 2003. What does INRA mean to you? Research Unit for Biodiversity, Genes, and Communities He has focused his research on the organisation of “I wake up every day as enthusiastic as the last. I love being the point of (BIOGECO; INRA – University of Bordeaux). Holding a plant communities, phytomanagement (ecological degree in Agronomy and Environmental Science from mechanisms), the production of biomass for non-food exchange between researchers and what is happening in the field. Being the French National Polytechnic Institute in Nancy, use for the bioeconomy, and the ecological restoration autonomous yet able to interact extensively with my colleagues is great. Mench’s research focuses primarily on trace elements of ecosystem services for soil contaminated by trace I really appreciate the opportunities we have been given to grow, to shift and the rhizosphere. After earning a doctoral degree, elements. gears, and to change the Unit’s research focus. I like to reflect on my own work and to learn without being bound to a single discipline. I enjoy supporting the Unit’s collective work and INRA’s work as a whole.”

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Two publications awarded Ophélie Robineau, grand prize winner the 2014 La Recherche Prize of the Thesis on Cities Award

phélie Robineau, who completed her PhD at INRA’s Joint Research Unit for Innovation (Sciences for Action and Sustainable Development (SAD), INRA Montpellier), was recently The Eleventh Oawarded the 2014 Thesis on Cities Award Grand Prize for her research on cities. Her La Recherche Magazine dissertation focuses on agriculture in African urban centres and the importance of coordination among stakeholders in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. Robineau’s thesis was codirected by Lucette Awards were held Laurens (UM3), Christophe Soulard (INRA) and Patrick Dugué (CIRAD). This is the first time on 21 October a thesis on urban agriculture, now acknowledged as a field in its own right by urban planners, at the Quai Branly has received such recognition. In her dissertation defence in December 2013, Robineau demonstrated the importance of Museum in Paris. coordination among different stakeholders to maintain agricultural activity in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. As urbanisation increases rapidly, farming is quickly losing ground in cities. Nevertheless, certain forms of agriculture persist, such as pig farming and market gardening. The persistence of agricultural activities seems to be conditioned not only by public policy, but also by arrangements made between public and private stakeholders, be they formal or informal, tacit or explicit. These interactions among stakeholders must be taken into account in urban planning.

In the Health category In the Biology category Stanislav Dusko Ehrlich, from INRA’s Metagenopolis Teva Vernoux’s team at the Plant Development Alice Aubert, Unit, and his colleagues were recognised for their and Reproduction (RDP) laboratory (CNRS – INRA work demonstrating the link between intestinal flora – ENS – Claude Bernard University Lyon 1) in Lyon diversity and metabolic complications associated was recognised for their work in decrypting the winner of the Henri Milon Prize with obesity. Two studies published concurrently in mechanism responsible for the distribution of flowers Nature on 29 August 2013 may lead to important new on a plant’s stem. developments in the fields of preventative medicine In January 2014, the team published an article and personalised care. The studies, prepared by INRA in Nature on cytokinin signalling inhibitory fields, lice Aubert was awarded the 2014 Henri Milon Prize in Hydrology for her work in partnership with INSERM, UPMC, the Public plant hormones essential to both plant growth on water quality in an agricultural environment. Named after theHydraulic Engineering Hospitals of Paris (AP-HP), CNRS, IRD, the University and to bud burst, germination, and the formation ASociety of France’s (SHF) founder, an eminent hydrologist who led SHF from 1939 to of Evry-Val d’Essone, and two international partners, of floral primordia. 1950, the society has been awarding the Henri Milon Prize since 1948. The Prize is awarded allowed researchers to observe that individuals who Research revealed that these hormones provide to unpublished doctoral dissertations in French on hydrology (resources, flow dynamics, lack diversity in their intestinal bacteria have a higher robustness to phyllotaxis (the arrangement of leaves management, environment). risk of developing health complications related on a plant stem). to obesity. Aubert, in her dissertation defence held in late 2013 at the Joint Research Unit for Soil, At the same time, they were able to improve Agro hydrosystems and Spatial Modelling (INRA–Agrocampus West), looked at daily microbiota composition by means of a specific diet. hydrological, hydrochemical, and meteorological data from a ten-year period for the small It may be possible to develop a simple test to identify Kervidy Naizin catchment area in Morbian, Brittany. The aim was to establish a relationship those who are at risk and to provide them with between water chemistry, agricultural activity, and weather. Aubert’s thesis made it possible to personalised preventative care solutions. develop a model for the hydrological activity of a drainage basin in Brittany. Aubert’s findings demonstrated that water chemistry is, for certain elements, affected by intensive agriculture and changes seasonally and according to hydrometeorological conditions over the year.

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Fifteen INRA researchers receive French Academy of Agriculture awards in 2014 adaptation, plant physiology and, most recently, senses. He is strongly committed to disseminating to interactions between roots and symbiotic soil scientific knowledge to the general public. microorganisms. At a ceremony held on 1 October > Daniel Vezon, an assistant research engineer at Silver-gilt medals the Jean-Pierre Bourgin Institute (IJPB) at INRA Ver- 2014, the French Academy of > Jean-Charles Bastien is a research engineer at sailles-Grignon, received his award in recognition of Agriculture bestowed its awards the Forest Tree Breeding, Genetics and Physiology a career that took him from field experiments to cell and medals. Research Unit (AGPF) at INRA Loire Valley. The biology. His commitment to supporting the work medal recognises his commitment to excellence of researchers was fundamental to the spectacular Recipients included 15 INRA in advancing genetic understanding of forest trees progress made in the study of recombination and Limagrain Foundation Prize researchers who were recognised and in disseminating this knowledge. meiosis in plants. In an unexpected move, two prizes were for their distinguished careers. awarded this year, to Jean-Marc Audergon, > Research engineer for 25 years in the Joint Silver medals research engineer, and to Véronique Lefebvre, Nine junior researchers were also Research Unit for Biogeochemistry and Ecology of > Nicolas Fanin is a post-doctoral researcher at the research director at the Fruit and Vegetable awarded Dufrenoy Research Grants Continental Environments (BIOEMCO; CNRS–INRA– Joint Research Unit for the Fractionation of Agri- Genetics and Breeding Unit at INRA Provence- to pursue or to promote their thesis UPMC–ENS–AgroParisTech–IRD), Cyril Girardin cultural Resources and the Environment (FARE) at Alpes-Côte d’Azur. Audergon was recognised can now be found working in the Joint Research INRA Lille. He received the silver medal for his thesis for his work leading to new understanding work. Unit for the Environment and Arable Crops (EGC; on microbial community responses to nutrient avai- of the apricot tree and the development INRA–AgroParisTech) at INRA Versailles-Grignon. lability in the soil and in leaf litter in tropical forest of a range of innovative new varieties created He was recognised for his preeminent role in the environments. in a public–private partnership. Lefebvre was development, implementation, and successful use recognised for her work on complex resistance of biogeochemistry and isotope mass spectrometry > Julie Tomas, a post-doctoral researcher with a to pests and diseases, her international Gold medals methods on soil organic matter. junior scientist contract (CJS) in the Joint Research expertise in molecular markers, and her > Dominique Arrouays, an internationally re- Unit for Food and Digestive Microbiology for Human contribution to marker-assisted selection cognised expert and research engineer at the Silver-gilt medal awarded to Claire Rogel-Gaillard > Claire Rogel-Gaillard, research director at Health (MICALIS; INRA – AgroParisTech) at INRA in Solanaceae plants. ­INFOSOL Unit at INRA Loire Valley, which he headed the Joint Research Unit for Animal Genetics and Jouy-en-Josas, was recognised for her original thesis from 2000 to 2011, received a gold medal for the Integrative Biology (GABI; INRA– AgroParisTech) research that contributed to a better understanding very high quality of his soil research. He was also Ecophysiology of Forage Crops (UEPF), and Grasslands insect populations and of insect populations whose at INRA Jouy-en-Josas, was recognised for her of the role of primocolonising bacteria in developing ­recognised for his work in coordinating soil mapping and Forage Crops (P3F) research units at Lusignan, ranges are expanding as a result of climate change. contribution to sequencing the pig genome. She intestinal functions and in the mechanisms that and monitoring efforts both in France and globally. he now manages the Lusignan Experimental Unit was also acknowledged for her work using gene- contribute to stability in the microbiota–host for Forage, Environment and Ruminants (FERLUS) > Agricultural engineer and research director at tics to control immune response in pigs, and her relationship. > Francis Fleurat-Lessard, researcher at the Myco- at the same research station near Poitiers. He the Joint Research Unit for Biochemistry and Plant work pursing new research avenues in studying logy and Food Safety Research Unit (MYCSA) at INRA was recognised for his research on population Molecular Physiology (B&PMP; INRA–CNRS– swine intestinal microbiota and its impact on host Xavier Bernard Foundation Prize Bordeaux-Aquitaine, is an entomologist specialising development patterns in grassland ecosystems and Montpellier SupAgro–University of Montpellier) at phenotype. > Michel Duru, research director at the Joint Re- in protecting post harvest stocks against pest and its application to grassland agriculture and forage INRA Montpellier, Hervé Sentenac was awarded a search Unit for Agroecology, Innovation and Lands- natural contaminants. Fleurat-Lessard coordinates crops. gold medal for his contribution to the molecular, > Roland Salesse is a researcher at the Research capes (AGIR; INRA–INP Toulouse) at INRA Toulouse, national and international networks and his work functional, and physiological analysis of membrane Unit for the Neurobiology of Olfaction (NOEMI) at received this award for his work on grassland eco- often incorporates training activities and efforts > Alain Roques, research director at the Forest transport mechanisms for mineral nutrient ions in INRA Jouy-en-Josas. Following on from research fo- logy and grassland systems’ adaptation to new cir- to disseminate scientific and technical knowledge, Zoology Research Unit (URZF) at INRA Loire Valley in plants. His work focused particularly on potassium cusing on the physiology of reproduction, including cumstances such as climate change and the decli- earning him wide-scale international recognition. Orléans, was recognised for the depth and breadth transport following his successful cloning of the first the first cloning of pituitary hormone receptors, ning availability of natural resources. In particular, of his contributions to his field, which range from potassium channel identified in plants. His work Salesse studied olfactory sensory physiology. He the prize recognises the application of his research > François Gastal is a research director at INRA describing the mechanisms forest insect pests use to then turned to analysing the role of these systems then established a research unit to study how an to support livestock farmers and the possibilities it Poitou-Charentes. After many years of leading the identify trees to the ecology and genetics of invasive in mineral nutrition transport, environmental animal’s physiological state can affect its olfactory creates for agroecological transition.

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Habibullah Magsi, The national horticultural society winner of the 2014 Aydalot Prize of France honours Julien Lecourt

ulien Lecourt’s research uses integrative biology approaches to gain a better understanding of how rootstock and scions interact to modify the physiological Jcharacteristics of plants and coordinate the development and growth of the aerial parts of the plant with those of its root system. His doctoral thesis, co-financed by the Bordeaux wine bureau (CIVB), France Agrimer and INRA, received anaward from the national horticultural society of France. Mr Lecourt completed his doctoral degree in the joint research unit Eco-physiology and Grape Functional Genomics (EGFV-INRA Bordeaux-Aquitaine/ISVV) between 2010 and 2013, under the direction of Philippe Vivin. Since August 2014, he has been based permanently at the East Malling research station (EMR) in Great Britain, where he specialises in seed provisions for farming and fruit production.

Juliette Hordeaux wins two prizes

uliette Hordeaux, doctoral candidate at the PanTher unit (Animal Physiopathology and Biotherapy of the muscle Jand nervous system) was granted two awards by the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy at its international congress in Washington on May 24 and 25. She received the Student and Fellow Excellence in Research Award for her abibullah Magsi, PhD graduate from INRA Magsi’s thesis work focused on the conflicts research on intrathecal gene therapy for Pompe disease Versailles-Grignon is the proud recipient created by infrastructure projects entailing the (rare, progressive and fatal myopathy of metabolic origin), of the 2014 Aydalot Prize, which he was expropriation of homes, commercial farms, and H and the Meritorious Abstract Travel Award for her abstract, granted for his doctoral thesis entitled “Land use other resources found in rural areas. Specifically, rated among the top six reviewed abstracts. conflicts in developing countries: framing conflict he used the case study of the Chotiari water resolution and prevention strategies to ensure reservoir project in Pakistan, examining the economic growth and human welfare. The case project’s effects on regional socio-economic of Chotiari water reservoir from Pakistan”. conditions and on natural resource values. The French Language Association of Regional Magsi successfully defended his thesis Science (ASRDLF) awards the Aydalot Prize to in February 2013 (Abies Doctoral School; the person it deems to have produced the best AgroParisTech). At present, he is an assistant French-language thesis in regional science; professor of economics at Sindh Agriculture candidates come from France, Belgium, University (Tandojam, Pakistan). Switzerland, and Quebec.

26 27 Annual Report The Institute INRA 2014 AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS

Del Duca Foundation rewards Oualid Hamza wins 2014 advanced research in metagenomics Panthéon-Assas University award

he scientific award of the Simone and Cino del Duca Foundation he Panthéon-Assas University awarded Oualid Hamza for his -Institut de France was granted to Stanislav Dusko Ehrlich and outstanding doctoral thesis in Economics entitled “Food safety, TJoël Doré, research directors at INRA for their advanced research Ttrade and development: industrial economics approach”. His research on the microbiome and description of the intestinal metagenome. on the best conditions to foster effective, fair and multilateral co-regulation Their work in metagenomics is helping health professionals detect of food safety was carried out in the Food and social sciences research unit and treat diabetes as well as other intestinal diseases plaguing (UR Aliss, INRA Versailles-Grignon) under the direction of Gérard Ballot modern society. Intestinal microbiota (or intestinal flora), made up (Panthéon-Assas University) and Abdelhakim Hammoudi (Aliss research of ten times the amount of cells than the rest of the human body and unit, INRA Versailles-Grignon). The awards ceremony took place on weighing up to two kilos, can be considered an organ in its own right. 11 May 2014, with Guillaume Leyte, president of Panthéon-Assas Despite its importance to human health and its influence on certain University, teaching staff and family members. diseases, it has been largely neglected by research, due to a lack of methods of exploring it in detail. Dusko Ehrlich, head of the European consortium MetaHIT, spearheaded the development of an approach using quantitative metagenomics that allows scientists to define the composition of intestinal microbiota like never before. Research currently conducted by Ehrlich and Doré aims to broaden the scope of these discoveries, and may lead to a shift in modern medicine from a curative to a preventive approach, with major impacts on well-being and the public health economy. “MuStem Therapeutics” recognised at 2014 national innovative company awards Raphaël Mercier and his team he aim of this programme is to find an innovative therapy to treat Duchenne Muscular rewarded for meiosis research Dystrophy (DMD), the most common form of muscular dystrophy affecting one out Tof every 3,500 newborn males, ie one birth every three days in France. There is currently no cure for DMD, which leads to death between the ages 20 and 30. Cellular therapy is one approach that looks particularly promising. As researchers identify adult stem cells, new ach year, the Simone and Cino del Duca Foundation -Institut de France offers three avenues are opening up for therapeutic strategies to fight neuromuscular disease, including scientific grants as an incentive to fledgling French research teams. DMD. EThis year, a grant of 125,000 euros was awarded to Raphaël Mercier and his «Mechanisms of meiosis and apomixis» team, based in the Joint Research Unit Institut This programme, headed by Karl Rouger, Deputy Director of the joint research unit PanTher Jean-Pierre Bourgin at INRA Versailles-Grignon. Their work focuses on meiosis in the (Animal Physiopathology and Biotherapy of the muscle and nervous system), is part of model plant Arabidopsis, a particular type of cell division that enables sexual cells a pre-clinical research approach for genetic diseases that got off the ground some seven years (gametes) to be generated in all living beings that reproduce sexually (animals, plants ago in the INRA research unit when a population of stem cells derived from healthy muscle or fungi). Their project, “DecoMeio” - for “decoding meiosis” - seeks to examine was identified and characterised. The cells are called MuStem cells. The proof of concept in greater detail the underlying mechanisms of meiosis using new genetic approaches of therapeutic efficacy was demonstrated by the systematic administration of cells in GRMD to identify and characterise new genes and describe their interactions within a functional myopathic dogs, which corresponds to the clinically relevant DMD model. It was shown that Karl Rouger, Deputy Director of the joint research unit PanTher. network. The ultimate goal is mechanical modelling of the meiotic process. the cells prevent the degeneration of the general clinical state of myopathic dogs and curtails alterations in muscular tissue.

28 29 INRA 2014

CONTENTS

32 Consolidating the French research and higher education system Interview with Marianne Lefort (Regional delegate for Ile de France, INRA Jouy-en-Josas)

40 Anticipate, inform, discuss Interviews with Anaïs Tibi (head of the collective scientific expert report on fertilizing residual materials, Missions & Partnerships Unit for Collective Scientific Expertise, Foresight and Advanced Studies, INRA Head Office) Marc Benoît (Research Director, Herbivores, INRA Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes) and Marc Tchamitchian (Research director, Eco-development, INRA Avignon

52 Mobilising efforts around emerging approaches and key challenges Interview with Jean-Francois Soussana (Scientific Director, Environment)

58 Strengthening and advancing our work throughout France Interview with Marion Bardy (Unit Director, INFOSOL, INRA Orléans)

66 Strengthening INRA’s international profil Interview with Sophie Layé (Research Director, Nutrition and Integrative Neurobiology, INRA Bordeaux-Aquitaine)

74 Improving innovation and building partnerships Interview with Gérard Jacquin (Director of Valorisation, INRA Paris Head Office)

82 Forging ties with the world of agriculture Interview with André Torre (Head of PSDR programme, Research Director, Science for Action and Sustainable Development: Activities, Products, Territories – Proximities team AgroParisTech

92 Focus on… INRA’s subsidiaries

96 Focus on…institutional publications 2014 Interviews: Laurent Bruckler (Director of the GPEC study, President of INRA Montpellier) Pierre-Benoît Joly, ASIRPA study coordinator, Research Director Science, Innovation, Society, INRA Versailles-Grignon)

30 Annual Report The Institute Annual Report The Institute INRA 2014 MISSIONS & PARTNERSHIPS

1 Consolidating the French research and higher education system

INRA founding member of Comue - Paris-Saclay University

n light of the number of staff implicated (26.5% of INRA researchers), the weight of agricultural research “A strategic move (INRA and ParisAgroTech account for close to 10% of research potential) and the strategic programmes for INRA” Ithat take place within it, INRA has decided to participate in the Paris-SaclayUniversity and Institution Committees (Comue) as a founding member. The creation of Comue is the result of a longstanding collaboration between higher education INRA is a founding member of the Paris- professionals and researchers at the Paris-Saclay site. In line with international standards and on the basis Saclay University. What does that imply? of an ambitious project with a shared vision of excellence, the following list of goals provided a framework As Francois Houllier stated at a Board meeting for the establishment of the Paris-Saclay Comue: in June 2014, the proposal offers a forum for collaboration in which there is no transfer of skills from INRA to the University. If there were, Create a research and innovation university bringing together • as Mr Houllier clearly stated, INRA would have to universities, colleges and research bodies reconsider its position and become partner (and • Develop world-class integrated research no longer member). The current arrangement • Develop the offering of research-based training includes universities and schools, but some want to • Respond to key societal challenges move toward a single, more integrated university. • Create diverse and pooled curricula As far as INRA is concerned, it is not the role of a • Bring together the academic and professional worlds national research institute to become part of such • Build a comfortable, accessible and integrated campus a university model. If it were, INRA would leave the Paris-Saclay. It is estimated that INRA represents • Forge ties between Paris-Saclay University and other universities university and become a full-fledged partner: the about 8% of permanent staff of the future Institute would maintain and continue to develop university, bearing in mind that, as an example, in Île-de-France. scientific and academic synergies INRA permanent researchers with the university and its Close to 380 INRA represent 17% of researchers and members. staff will move permanent teacher-researchers in the Life Sciences Division. For INRA, the goal is to boost knowledge and innovation in order to rise to challenges related to Marianne LEFORT How many people will But ultimately, this project also means a new agriculture, food and the environment. Simultaneously, the Institute seeks to strengthen predictive INRA Jouy-en-Josas biology-based approaches and biotechnology by working with a broad range of partners. In 2013, have to move overall? AgroParisTech/INRA building, a major real estate a project proposal was put forward, in line with the ESR Law of July 2013 relative to Higher Education More than 25% of INRA’s research staff (research project (66,000m2 of net surface area) for an Regional delegate and Research, which calls for the coordination of site policy while allowing establishments to keep scientists and research directors) is in Ile de France, estimated cost of close to 220 million euros. Île-de-France their own resources and staff, and maintain the leading role in the majority of operations. of which almost all (90%) are in units related to Close to 380 INRA staff will move. In 2014, the competent bodies of 19 establishments, universities and schools including INRA who expressed interest in becoming a founding member, adopted a draft constitution for the Paris-Saclay Comue and created a public establishment for cultural, scientific and professional interests (EPCSCP). Decree n°2014-1674, establishing the Comue and approving its status, was signed into law on 29 December 2014, and published in the French Journal Officiel on 31 December.

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Inauguration of the Xavier Leverve building A virtual agroecology university Regional RFI project

On 15 October 2014, Geneviève is born Plants in the Loire Fioraso, Secretary of State for higher education and research, Keeping in synch with changes in agriculture means The 2014-2018 RFI project for research, training represented by Erard Corbin de stepping up training in research and development, and innovation in specialised plants was launched Food safety and public Mangoux, prefect of Yvelines, particularly by advancing knowledge in agroecology. on 18 February 2014, with support from the University health are major Jean-Paul Huchon, president of of Angers. challenges in today’s Île-de-France regional council, The virtual agro-ecology university (UVAE) is designed mainly for active and François Houllier, President of researchers, but other training programmes are for students and development societies, and INRA has INRA, inaugurated new facilities in professionals. Why virtual? Because it offers a highly flexible programme of made this a top priority Jouy-en-Josas for research on food distance learning, available a la carte to scientists within the framework of their of research. and health. INRA launched a major continuing education. It is a useful complement to other sources of learning building project in the heart of the (colloquia, bibliographies and research schools), to speed up and homogenise Bievre valley in 2007. The project, the achievement of “en masse” training in applying ecology to agricultural which came to fruition thanks to disciplines and vice versa. State and Île-de-France funding, Teaching modules fall into several categories: concepts and methods, today brings together the greater processes and functioning of agro-ecosystems, and agro-ecological part of Île-de-France researchers engineering. Launched in 2012 by members of Agreenium (AgrocampusOuest, working on food and microbiology AgroParisTech, AgroSup Dijon, CIRAD, INPT, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro) and on one site. These teams from the University of Lorraine (Ensaia), the UVAE finalised an initial introductory the Food and Gut Microbiology module to agroecology, available for free on the Uved website, in 2014. Those for Human Health unit (Micalis) researchers who are interested are asked to make contributions to other This project, supported by the Loire region and local authorities, concerns represent a total of some 350 people. The goal of this 5,900m2 real estate project is to foster exchange between researchers, modules, notably by organising existing resources for the sake of pedagogical all players who have a stake in the Loire plant ecosystem. Each one is strengthen synergies, promote the pooling of equipment, and provide a highly-specialised technological infrastructure. coherency. intervening according to their area of expertise: University of Angers, INRA, In line with French High Environmental Quality (HQE) standards, the building combines functionality and comfort, and AgrocampusOuest, Esa, University of Nantes, Végépolys, the GEVES, technical blends in harmoniously with the natural environment of the Bievre valley. It was named after Xavier Leverve, professor institutes, economic players, etc. of medicine, nutritionist and INRA scientific director, who helped make the Institute a world leader in research on the The main goal of the project is to become a world leader in research, genome of micro-organisms in the digestive tract. Financed within the framework of a State-Region contract for 2007- training and innovation in specialised vegetation in the medium term, and 2013, the budget for the new facilities mounted to €19.267M. The Île-de-France region covers up to €9.2M, i.e. 48% of to establish a leading centre for integrative biology in France. This five-year total cost. The balance is borne by the State, up to€0.860M, and INRA, up to €9.207M. project is headed by Philippe Simoneau (professor at Universityof Angers, Director of SFR Quasav bringing together researchers in plant quality and health), and Jean Pierre Renou (research director at INRA, Director of the joint INRA – Agrocampus Ouest – University of Angers Institute for Research in Horticulture and Seeds (IRHS). For the IRHS, this represents an investment built on three clearly-defined research themes: sustainable management of plants, seed quality and health, quality and enhancement of specialised plant production.

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50 years of INRA research in forests 2014 edition of spring school INRA’s commitment to schools

At the close of 2014, to celebrate 50 “arTificiel” In its role as a public research body, part of INRA’s mission is to explain years of joint research in forests and the scientific research of the Institute and the challenges it implies to freshwater environments at INRA, The main goal of this school is to put researchers the widest possible audience. Whether it be to develop critical thinking the Institute’s Forest, Grassland and and engineers face to face with new challenges skills in a society where changes are underway and science is part of Results, Research Freshwater Ecology Division (EFPA) and the latest algorithmic approaches. the every-day, raise awareness among students and educators by highlights, impact teamed up with the INRA/CIRAD providing them with accessible scientific resources, or whether it be to on society and major historical committee to organise a Thanks in particular to a strong tradition in logic, mathematics, and computer foster the coming together of different worlds, scientific interventions series of events designed to look science in general,France is recognised by the community of researchers play an important role in schools. This may come in several forms: challenges: back at the highlights, players engaged inartificial - or machine - learning. Several projects funded by the • 19 March 2014, INRA Versailles-Grignon welcomed some 500 high a comprehensive look and research that mark a half- European Union and ANR focus on those new topics. The role of this thematic school students from the Versailles Academy for a one-day glimpse back on 50 years of INRA century of research. It all started school, with which INRA has partnered, is to meet prominent players and into the world of research. in 1964, when stations were educators in the field and bring to light the challenges and perspectives of • In addition to several one-off receptions, INRA Auvergne-Rhône- research on forests and set up for research in forestry in issues at the fore of research. Alpes proposed several structured events: AccroSciences, Astep, MPSA, freshwater ecosystems. Nancy, Avignon, Bordeaux, and The specific theme of this edition of Epat’14 held from 7 to 12 June in in-company professors, engineers and technicians in the classroom, for freshwater environments in Carry-le-Rouet was online and incremental learning based on data flow, ExpoSciences. Biarritz and Thonon-les-Bains. and collaborative, multi-task learning by transfer. It is designed first and As Francois Houllier, President of foremost for doctoral candidates and young researchers using artificial Lastly, INRA West Indies-Guiana organised “apprentice researchers” INRA, noted on 19 December at learning techniques, data or statistic mining, and secondly to researchers and internships in the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year in AgroParisTech during a colloquium engineers in companies concerned with issues in data mining. In addition to partnership with the Guadeloupe Academy the Tree of Knowledge to celebrate 50 years of forestry courses and laboratory work, lectures with guest speakers were held in the Association. Teams of two students or more, made up of at least one research, “It is unique to INRA that field of artificial learning. secondary-school pupil and one college student, were welcomed by research in forestry and freshwater environments is grouped together, as these fields are usually studied separately in research professionals on average once a month throughout the year. most other countries”. Thierry Caquet, who currently heads the EFPA Division, created in 2004, also pointed out the major changes in research in these fields, in particular, the progressive broadening of studies in “forests” and “fish” to encompass larger and more integrated notions of “ecosystems” and “biodiversity”. He also noted the contributions of molecular genetics, studies on genomes, modelling and the development of large-scale and long-term observation The future of agriculture and experimental networks. Overall, in addition to this anniversary colloquium, the commemorative ceremony also is laid down in law included several meetings, open-house days, film projections and cultural events, at INRA Bordeaux-Aquitaine and Nancy-Lorraine (Champenoux). The bill for the future of agriculture, food and forests was voted into French law by the National Assembly on 11 September, after approval by the Senate on 24 July. The law is designed to boost the competitive edge of the agricultural sector while moving resolutely toward agroecology. In addition to other important provisions such as cutting down on pesticides, protecting bees and farmland, or fighting wood trafficking, the law calls for the creation of a French Institute for Agriculture, Veterinary Science and Forestry (IAV2F) which will succeed Agreenium, of which INRA is a founding member since 2009.

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New diploma for rural development Three international doctoral Agreenium seminar in tropical zones programmes in Nancy This seminar, held by INRA partnered with the University of the French West Indies and In 2014, three international doctoral programmes were organised Agreenium and Wage- Guiana and EPLEFPA (agricultural college) to launch, for the 2014-2015 at INRA in its Nancy-Lorraine centre: Sifer, “Stabel Isotopes in Forest ningen University and academic year, a programme for a professional diploma in agriculture, Ecosystem Research” from 17 to 21 February; IFGI, “International Research centre (Nether- rural development and entrepreneurialism in the tropics (LP Ardet). Forestry and Global Issues” from 19 to 23 May; and Mixfor, “Species lands), addressed notions Faced with new challenges in agriculture and agro-transformation in Interactions in Mixed Forest Ecosystems” from 25 to 29 August. of robustness, flexibility tropical zones, whether upstream or downstream of production, the These training programmes were organised by INRA, AgroParisTech, and the capacity to adapt professional diploma “LP Ardet” is designed to fulfil the qualification the doctoral school RP2E, the NFZ network and Eficent, with support in animals and animal needs of the farming profession, notably in relation to the challenges from LabExArbre, the urban community of the Greater Nancy breeding systems. The of agro-ecological transitions and building professional know-how region, and the Lorraine region. Each programme brought together goal of the seminar was that can be called upon and adapted to tackle issues specific to the between 20 and 35 doctoral candidates, mostly from European to build knowledge and tropics. The first training session was held in November 2014 as a countries. get participants thinking stepping stone to careers in farming (implementing projects and about systemic and multi­- innovative practices), rural development consulting (designing and -disciplinary approaches rolling out projects or requesting grants), and agro-transformation that can be mobilised in broad international projects. (creating and managing small businesses).

Research school: analysis of public action Many engineers and researchers from the SAE2 Division are working on public action, be it in economics or sociology, but often in parallel due to the very different methods and approaches of each AgreenSkills+ is born discipline. The purpose of the school (launched in 2007) is to identify the mutual and complementary contributions of economists and AgreenSkills+ completes, extends and enhances a European programme on offer since 2012 sociologists within the SAE2 Division, with a view to seeing how the to broaden the international horizons and advance the careers of young researchers. two disciplines can be linked - eg within INRA metaprogrammes or European projects - and to give everyone an opportunity to In 2014, a new programme, AgreenSkills+, was launched, completing and extending the initial programme until 2019, and with broader eligibility enhance their methodological approach with results obtained from conditions (up to ten years of post-thesis research experience), more attractive mobility bonuses (monthly salary up to €5,000 gross) and longer complementary approaches. In 2014, the division was reviewed for stays (up to 36 months). These assignments can also be seen as a step toward achieving or strengthening agreements with foreign research partners. its methodological progress and relevant active scientific fields. Since 2012, INRA and Agreenium have been coordinating a programme geared toward Agreenium members: AgreenSkills. This international mobility programme is for young researchers who want to gain international experience with Agreenium members (incoming mobility), and young Agreenium researchers who want to work in a research laboratory abroad (outgoing mobility). Between 2012 and 2014, AgreenSkills boosted the mobility of 87 researchers: 62 came in from different geographical or thematic backgrounds, and 25 Agreenium researchers, engineers and educator-researchers went abroad. Overall, these two programmes will provide funding for up to 344 individuals to go abroad each year, for a total budget of 34M euros, of which 13.6M euros is provided by the European Commission. Each year, AgreenSkills organises events to boost the mobility and international experience of Agreenium members. In 2014, these events focussed on collective international experience and predictive modelling.

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2 Anticipate, inform, discuss

How does manure, compost and sludge affect agriculture and the environment? “Raising awareness of the legal complexity of using waste-derived fertilisers”

Now that the collective expert report has been published, what next? Several months before the close of the collective expert report, the French General Council of Agriculture, Food and Rural Spaces (CGAAER) and the General Commission for Sustainable Development were called upon by the minister of Ecology to examine the relevance of current supervisory parameters and regulatory monitoring of the use of fertilizing residual materials, and The results of a collective t the behest of the French Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests (MAAAF) on the one hand, to propose potential changes. In light of that, expert report on livestock and the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy (MEDDE) on the other, INRA, the general councils that were sollicited seek to CNRS and IRSTEA ran a collective expert report on the agricultural and environmental effects propose reforms to the laws applicable to this type effluents and sewage A of fertilizing residual materials. of fertiliser. The report therefore was successful sludge, commissioned by The findings of the report were presented at a symposium in Paris on 3 July 2014. in its goal to raise awareness among advocates of direction of food branch of the French Ministry the French Ministries in Livestock effluents, sewage sludge, urban organic waste and industrial effluents – all considered waste-derived products about the legal difficulties of Agriculture, Food and Forests (MAAAF). Going fertilizing residual materials–are all fertiliser sources or organic materials used to fertilise or improve inherent to a corpus of regulatory texts that is as forward, ANSES is both in charge of evaluating charge of agriculture and farmland and forests. The report took a closer look at the agricultural, environmental and socio- complex as the one that currently governs the applications for approval that are submitted, ecology, published in July. economic impact of their use. use of fertilizing residual and deciding whether these This analysis of scientific knowledge could lead to changes in criteria that are used to determine materials. When it comes to using products should be used. the availability of these products on the market, as well as rules and regulations regarding their use. fertilizing residual Anaïs TIBI An assessment of the potential health risks associated with the application of fertilizing residual Have the scientists who materials, ANSES How long and how many Unit for Collective Scientific materials – which was included in the report –is the subject of a court referral by ANSES, the French headed the report been people does it take Expertise, Foresight and Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety. The case will be submitted to the asked to help ANSES has the last word to mount an expert report? Advanced Studies, courts as an extension of this project. evaluate sanitary risks? An expert report takes about 18 months to come INRA Head Office Following on from the report, INRA’s Environment and Agriculture Division, INRA Versailles-Grignon and Seven months after publication, ANSES has together: on average 6 months to examine the Institute’s Environment and Arable Crops unit, in partnership with Veolia Recherche & Innovation, not, to our knowledge, begun to evaluate the the request and about one year for the expert Head of the Expert Report dedicated an entire day - 3 October 2014 - to QualiAgro. The focus was on the impact of compost sanitary risks of fertilizing residual materials. It scientists to carry it out. The expert report on fertilizing residual materials derived from urban waste on agriculture. Presented to a 100-strong audience, the findings of 16 years should also be noted that the proposed law for on fertilizing residual materials mobilised 33 of experiments carried out in the field revealed an undeniable agricultural interest in the regular agriculture, adopted in October 2014, entrusts experts from different institutions, two archivists application of organic waste-derived products to soil, with no significant environmental impact. ANSES with the power to determine whether and four members of INRA’s Unit for Collective these fertilisers should be sold on the market, a Scientific Expertise, Foresight and Advanced responsibility that previously fell to the general Studies (DEPE).

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Three seminars for organic farming Taking advantage of the call to expressions of interest “Capitalisation of an INRA research programme dedicated specifically and valorisation: a two- INRA honours its to organic agriculture (AgriBio IV progamme) - the fold major challenge” commitment to organic responses of which came in early-July 2014 - this cycle of three seminars was designed to flesh out INRA farming with a cycle research programmes on organic agriculture within of three seminars on the framework of exchanges with different partners research and R&D involved and/or interested in organic farming. What are the principal conclusions of each of the three seminars? in September 2014. The overall research programme on organic farming During the first seminar of the cycle, the 24 involves specific programmes such as AgriBio IV responses to the call for expressions of interest as well as other INRA framework programmes, that arrived in early-July were presented and particularly metaprogrammes and PSDR: For and discussed. A lack of commitment among the about regional development. social sciences was observed, despite the high stakes for the development of organic farming. In The three seminars, which lasted one day each, were addition, questions were raised about systemic organised by Marc Benoit and Marc Tchamitchian approaches and participatory research, topics (co-directors of the internal Committee for organic which were picked up in specific sessions during agriculture - Ciab–at INRA), in cooperation with Jean- the second seminar. The second seminar also Marc Meynard (president of the scientific council for saw a debate over capitalising on acquired organic agriculture - CSAB), and presided over by knowledge, and allowed those who answered acquired skills and knowledge and prospective Bertrand Hervieu (vice-president of general council of the call for expressions of interest and partners thinking via “micro-expertise” in different food, agriculture and rural spaces - CGAAER). to come together in workshops to find ways topics, agricultural innovation symposia Marc BENOIT Marc to build synergies. Lastly, the third seminar (CIAGs) dedicated to organic agriculture and INRA Auvergne TCHAMITCHIAN was specifically designed to hear from INRA’s thematic seminars co-organised with Itab Rhône-Alpes INRA Avignon metaprogammes in order to (Technical institute of organic Co-directors of internal committee on agriculture learn about how they interact Efforts to boost agriculture). with each other and discuss communication and tap Research Director Research Director issues specific to organic What comes next after Herbivores (Economics Eco-development farming. into the full potential of these three workshops? and Management of Livestock Farms Team) results must be stepped up One of the future challenges What are the key stages will be to follow up on re- of the AgriBio4 project currently underway? search with projects undertaken with partners in Starting in April 2015, AgriBio4 will provide other frameworks, at national or European level support for some 15 research projects within (ANR, PSDR, Casdar, CorOrganic, etc). Moreover, INRA units, with collaboration from the outside, efforts to boost communication and tap into the for a period of three years. Following on from full potential of results must be stepped up, in the cycle of seminars, Ciab intends to tap into particular through strengthened partnerships.

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Childhood nutrition in the spotlight Greenhouse gas study Ragweed,

Within the framework of the European project on world tour 10% of population at risk HabEat (2010-2014), coordinated by INRA Dijon and bringing together 10 scientific Within the framework of the Unit for Collective First day of summer dedicated to fighting ragweed, partners including Inserm, researchers Scientific Expertise, Foresight and Advanced Studies a highly allergenic plant. The findings from the have made particular progress in boosting (DEPE), INRA presented a study conducted An entire day was dedicated to learning about the health and environmental our understanding of behaviour and food HabEat project dedicated risks of ragweed, (invasive plant), sharing ways to eliminate it, and preferences that form in the early years of by 22 researchers to international bodies to food behaviour coordinating efforts with all concerned players. life. They have also made strides in providing on the potential and costs of ten technical solutions Native to North America, this weed species came to the Rhone-Alps region in in early childhood council to professionals who specialise in for keeping greenhouse gases in check. the 19th century. Since then, it has spread throughout all of France, colonising were discussed at childcare and parenting. An INRA study entitled “How French agriculture can help reduce greenhouse a wide variety of terrain. Pollen from ragweed, released at the end of summer, a symposium in Dijon is highly allergenic: 5 pollen grains per square meter is enough to cause a This collaborative project was designed to gas emissions” (published 2013) was presented in early 2014, at the Institute’s reaction in the most sensitive individuals: rhinitis, conjunctivitis, respiratory from 31 March – 1 April. better understand the determinants of food request, in several international arenas (European Parliament, European symptoms such as tracheitis, cough, and sometimes hives or eczema, among habit formation through two approaches: Commission, FAO, OCDE). In France, it serves as a reference for the ministries others. According to regional data, 6 to 12% of the French population epidemiological and experimental. A total of Ecology and Agriculture for devising plans to mitigate emissions. In the experiences these allergic reactions. In half of all cases, an allergy to ragweed of 18,000 mother-infant couples were field, large cooperative groups look to the study to find ways of promoting can lead to the onset of asthma or exacerbate a pre-existing condition. The monitored, from birth to at least the age of concrete action. The study assesses ten key ways to tackle climate change plant is responsible for costs of 15-20M euros in the state health insurance four. Four large European cohort studies shed through agricultural practices. The measures are presented in such a way scheme (CPAM) in the Rhône-Alpes region alone. light on the early feeding habits of mothers. as to highlight their potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions while Particular attention was paid to factors associated with the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption at different considering cost or financial benefits. times of diet formation. In January, Sylvain Pellerin, Research Director at INRA, presented the INRA study on reducing greenhouse gas emissions generated from French agriculture to members of the Agricultural and rural development Major findings include: Commission of the European Parliament in Brussels. Adam Czeslaw Siekerski, vice president of the Commission, and Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos, the Longer breastfeeding is associated with higher frequency in the consumption of fruits and vegetables • Portuguese deputy and spokesman for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), in childhood. applauded Mr Pellerin on behalf of the entire Commission, represented by a • The introduction of a variety of vegetables (in puree form) at the start of a diversification period is associated dozen of its members. The study is considered of great utility, in particular for with improved acceptance of new vegetables in the short and medium term. the “very concrete measures” it advocates. • Presenting a new vegetable several times (repeat exposure) is enough to increase its consumption, even in children described by their mothers as “picky”. • From the age of three, if a snack is offered before a meal, or a favourite food after a meal, researchers observed an increase in total calorie intake in some children. Encouraging children to eat this way may contribute to problems of excess weight in children.

The scientific findings obtained from the study have been translated into recommendations intended for childhood professionals, paediatricians, policy-makers in charge of defining nutritional policy in particular, but also for players in the agro-food industry. Moreover, a guide for parents was created based on findings from the project and previous data from scientific literature.

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Biodiversity of European soils Blazing a trail toward sustainable Plant protein and food revealed food systems – what’s new? On 5 December 2014, the eve of INRA’s DID’IT Metaprogramme participated What potential do plant proteins have for research 2015: international year of soils, in a symposium at the francophone nutrition congress and economic innovation? A seminar held on World soil day, the last the results of the European project in Brussels 25 November by the French national alliance of a series of events EcoFinders, coordinated by INRA, were presented in Dijon during a for research on the environment (AllEnvi) took related to the results of The annual French nutrition congress (JFN) is the biggest scientific congress week of events entirely dedicated bringing together the francophone community of academics, researchers, a closer look. the EcoFinders project, to the topic. The project saw the clinicians and industrial players committed to research and clinical studies brought together development of standardised in nutrition. The event attracts some 2,000 participants and exhibitors each This seminar presented the principal findings of the collective strategic methods for assessing the year in December. analyses carried out on plant proteins in food by the thematic valorisation scientists from around biodiversity of soils. Scientists Within the framework of the congress, held from 10 to 12 December 2014 consortium (CVT) of the centre for resources and expertise of AllEnvi, the the world for one week studied the microbial biodiversity in Brussels, INRA’s metaprogamme DID’IT organised a satellite symposium French national alliance for research on the environment. in early December of European soils using samples to find ways of moving toward sustainable food systems. Close to 300 The production of plant proteins from agricultural raw material, and their from 81 sites with different soil people attended, from a wide range of backgrounds. In line with the use in the agro-food industry, is recognised as a major source of innovation in Dijon. types from different climatic goals of metaprogrammes, the symposium included the presentation of a and development: the market for plant protein is booming. For human zones (alpine, Atlantic, boreal, resolutely cross-disciplinary research panel focussing on the economics of consumption, on the one hand, with requirements in terms of functional, continental and Mediterranean), the food demand, the physiology of proteins in humans, and fish farming nutritional and organoleptic qualities, and the growing global demand for and used for different purposes. systems. The presentations that garnered real interest from the public helped animal protein on the other, which implies significant needs in plant protein They were able to come up with raise awareness of the wide diversity of research carried out in INRA on the to feed livestock. a series of bio-indicators for the sustainability of food systems. The day-long seminar provided an opportunity for exchange between teams quality of soil that have been of public researchers and industrial players in the sector, professional agri- recognised for their accuracy, Soil samples at the environmental research observatory in Estrees-Mons (80). Experimental plots businesses and the agro-food sector. reliability and economic value. are equipped to monitor the carbon and nitrogen parameters of soil, water and air, as well as their biodiversity. Research carried out in the EcoFinders project clearly showed the influence of biodiversity on the expression of an essential function of the carbon cycle: the mineralisation of organic material. Moreover, research from EcoFinders brought to light very important differences between European soils for their capacity to eliminate nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas.

This project, of an unprecedented world-wide scale, allowed scientists to gather new and unique information on the biological quality of European soils, and to see the range of normal variations of biodiversity according to their physical-chemical properties and modes of use. A unique database for European soils and their range of diversity was compiled and will be maintained by the European Commission (Joint Research Center in Ispra, Italy). The information gathered from EcoFinders provides new avenues that will be tested in different agricultural, climatic and regional scenarios.The ultimate goal will be to develop decision-making tools based on modelling to identify best strategies according to set goals, by taking a multi-player approach and integrating French and European regulatory aspects.

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Hybrid rapeseed: a study Sixth international conference Boosting the performance of the economic impact to evaluate animal welfare of organic crops of an INRA technology The European project Solibam (Strategies for Organic and Low In early September, the joint research unit Input integrated Breeding And Management), created in 2010 A study commissioned by CropLife International and on Herbivores organised the WAFL2014 congress and coordinated by INRA (Véronique Chable, INRA Rennes), held its closing symposium with 23 partners and 12 European and EuropaBio on the economic impact of CMS OGU-INRA. in Clermont-Ferrand dedicated to evaluating animal African countries, where it presented new avenues for innovation In August 2014 the results of a study commissioned by CropLife International welfare. and gave recommendations to policy makers. The goal of Solibam (international federation grouping companies and professional organisations WAFL (Welfare Assessment at Farm Level) is an international scientific is to develop integrated approaches for selection and agricultural in the crop-protection and plant biotech sectors) and EuropaBio (European congress organised every three years to evaluate animal well-being (on practices to improve sustainability and boost the quality and association of biotech industries), and run by the strategy consultanting farms, in slaughter houses and in animal houses). performance of crops in organic and low-input farming. Based on firm Steward Redqueen, were released. They provided information on the Five recognised speakers on the topic of animal welfare were invited to a the premise that diversity is an ingredient of resilience, research economic consequences of male cytoplasmic sterility technology (CMS –also plenary conference: Nathalie Bareille, Oniris (veterinary school of Nantes), that reached across several disciplines and carried out by multiple known as OGU-INRA). This is a major stride in the hybridisation process of Marian Dawkins, university of Oxford (UK), Carmen Gallo, southern veterinary players led to the development of several ideas, agro-ecological rapeseed seeds for animal feed, the production of cooking oil, and more university (Chile), Susan Held, university of Bristol (UK) and Daniel M. Weary, innovations and recommendations on how to shape public policy recently for the production of biofuel. The first hybrid seeds were marketed in universityof British Columbia (Canada). Some 350 people hailing from 37 in seed management. 1994; the second generation appeared on markets in 2000. countries from all continents and different organisations (research, industry, The results of the study showed that second-generation seeds improved animal rights, ministers, etc.) participated in the two-day event. In addition yields by close to 10%. In 2012, hybrid rapeseed seeds conquered 83% of the to its purely academic scope, WAFL introduces scientific arguments into the French market. Total profit from the full term of the patent is estimated at 1.2 debate between economic players, animal rights activists and citizens. billion euros, of which INRA receives royalties, as per the intellectual property patent. Moreover, the use of this hybrid seed leads to cuts of up to 300,000

tonnes CO2 overall (the equivalent of 150,000 cars per year).

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Soilinsight: soil’s secrets told Pl@ntNet on Android How can science observe living soil in real-life conditions? How can researchers After more than a year of distri- evaluate the impact of biological agents – fauna and flora – underground - a bution on Apple’s iOS platform, world that is difficult to access - without resorting to destructive sample- the plant-identification appli- taking? To answer this, INRA teamed up with the university of Lorraine to cation for smartphones, Pl@ develop ways to observe soil: Soilinsight® (registered trademark with INPI), ntNet, was distributed on the based on automatic, high-resolution images that allow scientists to observe, GooglePlay platform in early visualise and quantify the functioning of soil in controlled conditions 2014. With close to 150,000 uninterrupted. Moreover, videos showing the evolution of soil ecosystems downloads on each of these are a critical pedagogical tool for advancing knowledge of how soil works platforms, Pl@ntNet is now among the public at large. recognised and used by a broad range of users to identify, share and diffuse botanical observa- tions. Forests: SIG Coop celebrates 20 years The Scientific Interest Group (SIG) “Coopérative”, which gathers data on forest growth, celebrated its 20thbirthday. The goal of a symposiumheld from 2-3 October in Paris and Vendôme (field visit),was to broaden exposure of the group to a larger audience (policy makers, heads of forestry organisations and researchers), and identify challenges, prospects and new societal demands in Food security a context of environmental change. Under the aegis of the French Ministry and development of Agriculture, Agrifood and Forestry, seven organisations (including ONF, On 25 November, the SAE2 division organised a day-long event, IRSTEA and INRA) pooled their wherewithal and skills to collect and share “From family to international trade: paths toward food security data on forest growth and populations. They are also contributing to building and development”, to present the range of scientific findings on the models of growth and management tools. topic of food security and economic development. The conference was kicked off by a guest researcher of international renown from the World Bank, Markus Goldstein, who agreed to deliver the opening speech. The research presented spanned aspects of micro- economics and macro-economics, including international trade.

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3 Mobilising efforts around emerging approaches and key challenges

Climate: evaluate, the better to anticipate “Climate has direct consequences on global food security”

What is new in this fifth IPCC report? For the first time, the latest IPCC report showed that the consequences of global warming on agriculture are worldwide. Crop yields are down 2% for wheat and have been dropping 1% each decade since the 1980s. This has direct consequences on agricultural prices and global food security, and has been an issue over the last th The fifth IPCC report roup II of this 5 report, dedicated to the impact of climate change, adaptation and vulnerability, few years with extreme weather events, such (Intergovernmental Panel includes a regional chapter, which provides an overview for Europe. Jean-François Soussana as in 2010 in Russia, which had repercussions G(INRA) oversaw and edited the text on agriculture, forests and fisheries, in relation to soil on global market prices. on Climate Change) and water resources. was published in 2013- Experts from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) forecast average warming at the What’s the situation like in France? Is there cause for hope? 2014. The effects of Earth’s surface that could exceed 4°C by 2100, with an increase in extreme weather events. In light of Wheat and maize crops are affected some years, The good news is that the farming world these challenges, the time has come to look beyond combatting the greenhouse effect and estimating global warming are now but they are not the only ones. Viticulture is has acknowledged the scope of the problem, the scope of climate change; the consequences of envisaged changes must also be assessed, in order impacted as well, having to deal with water and is already applying solutions. In 2007, proven, and solutions to prepare to adapt accordingly on different temporal and spatial scales. shortages and increased alcohol content of wine the agriculture, forest and soil sectors were are starting to emerge. INRA is resolutely committed to facing this global challenge. due to a warmer climate. responsible for 31% of The good news Agriculture is no longer Effects are therefore not global greenhouse gas Agriculture plays a part in greenhouse gas emissions. Animal breeding emits methane, and the use only quantitative but is that the farming world emissions. Now, it is down part of the problem, of nitrous fertilisers also generates greenhouse gases. But agriculture can also provide many solutions qualitative. Climate change has acknowledged to 24% thanks notably to Jean-François SOUSSANA but part of the solution. to keep methane emissions in check (methanisation, modifying the composition of rations, etc.), is also affecting livestock. a slow-down in tropical IPCC expert and cut back on nitrous oxide (nitrogen fertilisers, increased leguminous crops, etc.). It is also possible In 2003, when there was an the scope of the problem deforestation and a certain to store carbon in organic material in soil and plant biomass (conservation and improved management intense summer heat wave, easing of the carbon Scientific Director of grasslands, more cover crops to protect soil, agro-forestry and planting hedges). Lastly, the IPCC calls dairy production took a hit and poultry farms footprint of primary crops. Environment, INRA for stepping up the use of biofuels in the place of fossil fuels over the next century. reported high mortality rates. Some crops, such This is a good sign that shows us that it is Global warming has recently been recognised as a real issue, with increasingly-felt effects over the as sorghum, adapt better to water shortages, as it possible to feed the planet in the future while past 20 years. This, combined with the general consensus about the role human activity plays in global uses water more efficiently than maize. keeping greenhouse gases in check. warming, has spurred the international community to make a concerted effort, formalising the need to act globally. The vast majority of countries have now ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and committed to taking firm action. But solutions have yet to be found and applied during the 21st conference of the parties of the Framework Convention (Cop21), due to take place in Paris in 2015.

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Public participation NutriNet goes organic First issue of the open-access in bee science Journal of Data Mining The BioNutriNet study aims to better understand Between 400 and 500 people the organic-product consumer and the links between and Digital Humanities volunteered alongside researchers organic food consumption and health. The largest and most as a part of the Citizen Scientist The Digital Humanities journal is a convergence The Nutritional Epidemiology Research Unit (UREN)(INSERM – INRA – CNAM important participatory Investigation (CSI) Pollen project. of humanities fields, such as linguistics, history, Over a two-year period, “citizen – Paris 13 University), led by Prof Serge Hercberg, has managed the NutriNet– and psychology, through the use of data archives, project of its size on scientists” will help in assessing Health study for nearly five years. The unique and ground-breaking project pollen diversity in Europe. pollen diversity collected by bees uses the Internet to study eating habits and the relationship between nutrition processing, and interaction. and health. In 2014, the project added a specific component to study organic The project is coordinated in 20 European countries. They Data mining is an interdisciplinary subfield of computer science, involving are all passionate about bees; not food consumption. It will be the largest study ever carried out on this topic, methods at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and in France by INRA. only professional and amateur and will investigate both the factors driving organic food consumption and its database systems. The Journal of Data Mining and Digital Humanities looks beekeepers, but also middle- nutritional, economic, environmental, and toxicological impact. at the intersection of computing and the humanities, using computing tools and high-school students are such as data visualisation, information retrieval, statistics, and text mining involved in the collective study. The first of its kind, the study will use a large cohort of individuals studied over to publish work transcending the traditional boundaries of the humanities. It is an opportunity for these several years, making it possible to collect very precise data on organic food young scientific minds – and consumption, organic food consumers, and conventional food consumers. perhaps future beekeepers – to Using this data, the study will be able to compare consumption types in closely observe biodiversity and sociodemographic, psychological, and economic terms, and assess consumer to recognise its importance. The motivations regarding food sustainability. It will also be possible to estimate students will don beekeeping suits contaminant loads and the environmental impact of food systems associated and collect pollen pellets, then with organic food consumption, determine its nutritional value (vitamins sort by the pellets by colour. Pollen and minerals), its toxicology levels (pesticide residues), and its effect to the colour is relatively specific to the type of flower visited by bees; a range of pellet colours, from dark red to pale yellow, shows urine metabolome (metabolic signatures of foods consumed). The study that bees have access to a wide variety of flowers. Conversely, a uniform pellet colour is indicative of a lack of diversity. will also allow for a better understanding of the relationship between food “This project will make it possible to describe pollen diversity in different geographic areas, in different types of land use, quality and the risk of chronic disease. Over 100,000 people will participate and at different times during the year. The method will allow beekeepers to determine the pollen supply for their colonies in the study, half of whom will be organic food consumers. in various habitats, giving them clues as to where colonies might best be sited to favour their development” says Jean- François Odoux from INRA Poitou-Charentes, project coordinator for France. As a part of the project, some beekeepers will send samples to researchers to assess pollen diversity. Researchers are hoping the project will shed light on whether lower pollen diversity is associated with certain conditions in bees.

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First international Agroecology Young students monitoring Phosphorus Week in Montpellier trees under stress and Montane Grasslands Phosphorus Week 2014 consisted of two international symposia “Survivors” is a participatory research project involving middle- held in Montpellier from 26 August to 3 September 2014: the Phos- meeting held in Clermont school students to study the ability of trees to withstand extreme phorus in Soils and Plants Fifth International Symposium (PSP5) on conditions. The project was started in 2014 with nearly 80 students. 26–29 September; and the fourth Sustainable Phosphorus Summit The first joint meeting of the FAO–CIHEAM “Mountain It was conceived and is managed by the Joint Research Unit for (SPS4), held on 1–3 September. Pastures, Mediterranean Forage Resources, and Forest Ecology and Ecophysiology (EEF), and brings together INRA The Week was organised around five scientific thematic areas, with Mountain Cheese” networks brought together Nancy-Lorraine, the ARBRE Laboratory of Excellence (LABEX), the one or two conferences dedicated to each area: the soil phospho- Centre for Environmental Initiatives (CPIE) Nancy Champenoux, rus cycle; interaction with plants and microorganisms; phosphorus nearly 180 participants from 22 countries. and the Einville-au-Jard middle school. “Survivors” is part of transport in plants; the environmental impact of phosphorus; and The meeting was organised by the Herbivore Joint Research Unit (UMRH), an interdisciplinary research project run by ARBRE LABEX and its use in agricultural ecosystems. A presentation was made on the the Grassland Ecosystem Research Unit (UREP), the Joint Research Unit for the regional government of Lorraine seeking to understand the work of the conference and the workshop outcomes at the closing Mediterranean and Tropical Livestock Systems (SELMET; with Montpellier mechanisms leading to tree death and tree survival under extreme plenary. SupAgro) and VetAgro Sup. weather conditions. Across eight thematic areas, 32 oral presentations and 103 posters, the international meeting created opportunities for interdisciplinary exchanges between work carried out in mountain and in Mediterranean areas. The Modelling and Agroecology meeting also underscored the need to develop agroecology approaches symposium held in Paris for livestock systems in both mountain and Mediterranean areas that, drawing on grassland diversity, are able to reconcile production efficiency, As a part of its work in agroecology, and in partnership with the environmental protection, and natural and cultural heritage preservation in AllEnvi alliance, INRA organised a symposium on 4–6 February 2014 a sustainable way. at its Paris headquarters entitled “Agroecology: New challenges for modelling”. The objective was to initiate new, national- scale dialogue among agricultural scientists and environmental modellers about agroecology modelling issues. This was done both through presentations on various research projects that are typical of this field, and through visits to workshops developing new scientific strategies for the research community.

EpiAgro 2014 symposium in Rennes The EpiAgro 2014 symposium, held in Rennes on the AgroCampus West site on 18–19 June, focused on the emerging field of epigenetic regulation and its role in interaction between crop plants and pests and diseases. The first day looked at the role of epigenetic regulation mechanisms in plant defence responses. The second day dealt with their role in the biological development of pests and diseases. Two workshops were also held in parallel on the technological and analytic barriers associated with the study of these mechanisms.

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4 Strengthening and advancing our work throughout France

The European Soil Sample Conservatory breaks new ground “Reasonable improvements to soil productivity”

How will the opening of this new facility change and facilitate your work in INFOSOL? With the launch in 2014 of a project to safeguard older soil samples, and the 2015 start of the second Soil Quality Assessment Network (RMQS) campaign, our storage needs have quadrupled. The Conservatory will make it possible to conserve samples indefinitely, under optimal François Bonneau, conditions that will limit any possible changes.

President of France’s Do similar facilities exist elsewhere? Centre region, and A number of other countries have conservatories François Houllier, INRA that house soil collections of varying sizes. President, inaugurated Our conservatory is unique because of its he new building represents a major scientific and logistical tool for conserving French soil samples European scope and the way it was built. a new soil science as a part of the work of the GIS-SOL work group and a variety of European Union programmes. The Conservatory was built using rammed prepare and to manage samples from the Unit’s research facility, the only TThe programmes aim to acquire, describe, store in the long term, and supply soil samples earth techniques, including its walls, and it has inventory and monitoring programmes. These one of its kind in Europe, to national and European scientific communities. a vegetation-covered green roof. include: the second RMQS campaign, which will This “soil library” currently contains more than 30,000 soil samples. Analysing them has created incorporate secondary soil characteristics and at the INRA Loire Valley an understanding of soil conditions in France and will make it possible to develop predictions on future How many people were Our conservatory measure changes thereto; the centre in Ardon, changes in soil quality. The Conservatory is an essential tool for sustainably conserving the productive involved completion of a 1/250,000 Marion BARDY in its construction? is unique because scale map in 2016; the near Orléans. and environmental functions of soils in France and in Europe. Through the Conservatory, it will be INRA Orléans possible to prepare a scoreboard to monitor soil quality and the possible impacts thereto over the How many people work of its European scope development of approaches medium and long term. When paired with a national soil quality database, the facility will become at the Conservatory now? with greater spatial INFOSOL Unit Director a full-scale a living history of soil. Developing innovative analysis technology will lead to new decision As future users of the and the way it was built resolution; the move towards making tools for agriculture, forestry, and land-use management to meet challenges such as climate building, three people from the INFOSOL Unit digital soil cartography; our involvement in the change, biodiversity preservation, and water resource management. This new facility received €3.25 took turns monitoring the construction site’s international Global Soil Map programme; million in overall funding as a part of the 2007–2013 national–regional project contracts programme, progress. At present, two permanent and and the development of indicators to assess of which €1.531 million came from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), €0.5 million two contracted staff members work in the the quality and ecosystem services provided from the Centre regional government, and €1.218 million from INRA. Conservatory on a daily basis. It is designed by soil and that incorporate a diverse range for six full-time staff members working to of soil issues.

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PEIMA charting new waters €34 million Pin-au-Haras site inaugurated for CPER programmes On 16 April, INRA President, On 9 July, Olivier Le Gall inaugurated new equipment François Houllier, inaugurated new Experimental Unit for Finfish 45 INRA projects could be launched as a part of the for the suckler cow facility at the Du Pin Research Farming – Monts d’Arrée (PEIMA) 2015–2020 National–Regional Planning Agreements Station in Pin-au-Haras, in Orne department, INRA’s Experimental Unit facilities in Sizun, Brittany, in the (CPER), including major building maintenance, large- in the presence of Laurent Beauvais, President of Lower for Finfish Farming – presence of Sylvaine Vulpiani, scale research programmes, and the acquisition Normandy. Monts d’Arrée (PEIMA) member of the Brittany Regional Council representing the Council’s of new scientific equipment. Following two years after the renovation of its dairy cattle facilities, the in Brittany inaugurated President, Pierre Maille, President inauguration in Orne department of new, dedicated suckler-cow facilities marks The 2015–2020 National–Regional Planning Agreements (CPER) represent of the General Council of Finistère, a new step in the Du Pin Research Station’s ambitious building redevelopment its new facilities an opportunity for INRA to pursue a number of important projects developed and numerous guests. This research and modernisation programme. Two new buildings, one 1,344 m2 and the other on 16 April. in line with priorities set by the Ministry for Primary, Secondary and Higher facility is open to research teams 2,052 m2 now complement existing infrastructure. The first hosts experiments Education and Research. These include building maintenance and upgrading from France and across Europe on individual feeding control of 48 cattle of various ages. The second is designed works to comply with contemporary energy standards, resource sharing working in the field of trout biology. as an overwintering facility for 95 dairy cows and their calves. Financing for the programmes, efforts to bolster “teaching–research–innovation” synergies, buildings’ €1 million construction came from INRA and the regional government coordinated and balanced budgeting, and planning for anticipated costs. To PEIMA is located in Sizun, of Lower Normandy as a part of the 2007–2013 National–Regional Planning this end, INRA has tasked the presidents of its centres with implementing downstream from the Drennec Agreements. 45 projects ranging from building maintenance, large scale research Dam. It is a major component of The construction of the suckler cow facilities now complement existing facilities programmes, and the acquisition of specific scientific equipment. Total INRA’s fish research operations. for dairy cattle. Together they make INRA’s Du Pin Research Station a major available financing for projects across the board is €34.3 million. The experimental unit is involved player in suckler cow and dairy cattle research, both in France and across Europe. The Ministry launched its call for projects in Spring 2014. It called on in a number of interdisciplinary The research station is involved in interdisciplinary research programmes to alliances, such as AllEnvi, Aviesan, Athena, Allistene, and Ancre, whose research programmes dealing with the entire freshwater salmonid industry, from eggs to consumer goods. INRA’s identify the genetic traits responsible for sexual development and maturity in experts ranked and prioritised the projects using a number of criteria drawn genetic aquaculture resources are also kept, stored, and conserved at PEIMA, and have been so for nearly 20 years. suckler cows and for wellbeing and milk fat quality in dairy cattle. The station from CPER. In Autumn 2014, the Ministry sent research organisations a list PEIMA brings together a number of facilities and skillsets that make it unique in Europe. A specialised technical is also researching feeding strategies for pastured dairy cattle and assessing of CPER recognised projects. The list was broken down by region and stated team conducts experiments over the nearly 9,000 m2 site to develop a better understanding of trout biology, the nutritional value of forage and fodder. The station hosts 30 staff members the provisional financing envelopes put forward by the French government to genetics, physiology, behaviour, nutrition, and pathology. This holistic approach makes it possible to find solutions and more than 1,000 cattle, with 440 ha of pasture and 22,000 m2 of livestock the Ministry’s MENESR-BOP 172 budget line, which will finance the purchase to bottlenecks faced by the fish farming industry in terms of competitiveness, protection of marine resources, buildings. of scientific equipment. Building works will be eligible under the Ministry’s environmental sustainability, and product quality. MENESR-BOP 150 budget line, which is dedicated to universities. This preliminary work allowed the minister to present the regional administrative At present, PEIMA’s research facilities include nearly 400 flow-through tanks to house fish at every stage of their authorities with negotiation mandates. Discussions among various partners development, from egg to market-ready trout. A cutting room, workshops for taking measurements and samples, and in France’s regions to set project financing terms could thus begin, with the two new laboratories now round out PEIMA’s facilities. The budget for the development of the facilities was €1.2 million, aim of signing the planning agreements by Spring 2015. which was financed by INRA, the departmental government of Finistère, and the regional government of Brittany.

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A decade of Agrobiotech European research and innovation Three new regional partnership centre in Lorrain agreements On 6 June, INRA, the University of Nice Sophia François Houllier, INRA President, Pierre Mutzenhardt, President of Three partnership agreements were signed with the regional Antipolis, and CNRS commemorated the tenth the University of Lorraine, and Gilles Trystram, President of the Paris governments of Midi-Pyrénées, Brittany, and Alsace during visits anniversary of their presence at the Sophia Antipolis Institute of Technology for Life, Food and Environmental Sciences– to INRA centres in 2013. Statements of understanding were also Agrobiotech site, along with more than 250 guests. AgroParisTech, signed an agreement to build a European research, concluded with the regional governments of Guadeloupe, French training, and innovation centre in Lorraine focused on agrifood, and Guiana, and Burgundy. In 2004, researchers and teacher-researchers from INRA, the University of forests, wood, and the environment. The signing took place at the Following on from these moves, three new partnership agreements Nice Sophia Antipolis, and CNRS came together at Sophia Antipolis to carry Paris International Agricultural Show on Thursday, 27 February 2014. were signed in 2014 with the regional governments of Aquitaine, out joint research on plant health and the environment. Ten years later, work Centre, and Auvergne. The agreements set out the areas of mutual carried out at the Sophia Agrobiotech Institute focuses on plant interactions, interest in each region and provide for the full engagement of both pests and diseases, and symbionts, and their dynamics in time and in space. Second PAYOTE Symposium parties to support research and to carry out activities in line with The official ceremony was held in the presence of representatives from the the focus areas of each INRA centre’s work. The agreements also member organisations of the joint research unit: Claude Ronceray, INRA The INRA interdepartmental PAYOTE network, which looks at provided an opportunity for INRA to reassert its ability to respond Deputy Director General for Research Support Services; Thierry Gaude, modelling agricultural landscapes for simulation and analysis of to challenges in its fields of competence that go beyond local Deputy Science Director of the CNRS Institute for Biological Sciences (INSB); environmental processes, held its second symposium in Paris in measures, owing to its national scope and its ability to mobilise Didier Hérouart, Vice-President of the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis; September. The national meeting brought together approximately resources from across its facilities throughout France. Pierre Abad, Director of the Sophia Agrobiotech Institute, and regional and 80 people, including modellers, computer scientists, and mathe- local representatives. maticians, not only from INRA but from universities, CNRS, INRIA, The Sophia Agrobiotech Institute brings together a range of professional skills CIRAD, IRD, and institutes of technology as well. Held over two days, Shared greenhouse facilities in comparative, evolutionary, and functional genomics, community ecology, the symposium was an opportunity to share knowledge, skills, and and agricultural science to develop innovative agricultural strategies, such as tools for modelling agricultural landscapes. Four focus areas were in Angers plant resistance, integrated crop protection, and biological control methods, highlighted during the presentations: landscape representation; On Tuesday, 4 November, new greenhouses and growth chamber that are more sensitive to environmental concerns and to human health. dynamic landscape simulation; data mining and creating virtual facilities were inaugurated at INRA’s site in Angers in the presence landscapes; and analysing the impact of biotic and abiotic processes of Grégoire Thomas, Director General of AgroCampus West, Jean- to the landscape. Pierre Bernheim, Vice-President for the Economy, Teaching, and Research at Angers Loire Métropole, Dominique Monnier, President of the Maine-et-Loire General Council’s Commission Framework agreement for Economic Development, Higher Education, Agriculture, and with the University of Nantes Tourism, Frédérique Béatse, Vice-President of the Pays de la Loire Regional Council, and Philippe Chemineau, representing François A five-year framework agreement was signed between INRA and Houllier. The new facilities will be dedicated to research, training, the University of Nantes on 21 May 2014, for the period beginning and innovation in the field of plants. They will be managed by a 1 January 2015. Key aspects of the partnership include the joint technical team from the Research Institute for Horticulture assignment of specific human resources and the creation of joint and Seeds (IRHS). work units. Research organisations such as INRA are set to engage actively in calls for projects from the French Stimulus Initiative.

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Agreement signed with An institutional brochure Agrocampus and the for every centre chambers of agriculture of As a part of a programme to develop strategies for each Brittany and Pays de la Loire INRA centre, which was carried out over 2012–2013, Jacques Jaouen, President of the Brittany Chamber INRA’s president felt the work, thematic focuses, and of Agriculture, Christiane Lambert, Vice-President of partnerships of each centre should be translated into the Pays de la Loire Chamber of Agriculture, Patrick concise and informative communication materials. Herpin, President of INRA Rennes, Brittany, and Lower Using work carried out with the Directorate for Regional Normandy, Henri Seegers, President of INRA Angers- Policy, Higher Education, and Europe (DARESE) and the Nantes, and Grégoire Thomas, Director General of Office of the President and Communications (UCPC) AgroCampus West, signed a framework partnership as a foundation, centre presidents created six-page agreement on 17 September at the International brochurespresenting an overview of the work of Livestock Trade Fair (SPACE) in Rennes. The ambitious the centre’s units, its major research achievements, objective of the three-year partnership agreement and its partnerships with academic, institutional, is to aid western France adapt to sustainability governmental, and private-sector partners. In objectives with due regard for the economic, social, and December, François Houllier received the full set of environmental performance of the farms and industries brochures from all of INRA’s research centres and involved. The development of ecologically intensive regional delegations. agriculture (EIA) is central to these challenges.

Ecological intensification for forestry management A participatory mechanism was developed and tested in 2014 as a part of a research project at INRA Auvergne–Rhône-Alpes to create a territorial approach to ecologically intensifying forestry management practices. Bringing together regional stakeholders and scientists from across various disciplines, the mechanism made it possible to combine knowledge and to produce an interdisciplinary and adaptive approach to forestry management.

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5 Strengthening INRA’s international

profile “OptiNutriBrain, a perfect France–Canada match”

Why and how did you begin your collaboration with the Canadian team? The increasing incidence of brain diseases Agricultural research on France’s international agenda (neuropsychiatric, neurodegenerative) makes it necessary to better understand their causes. In recent years, nutrition has come to be seen as a key environmental factor in brain function. Our research seeks to understand how nutrition is involved in preventing or delaying the onset of these pathologies. To address this major social issue, we created NutriNeuro, a joint research unit between INRA and the University of Bordeaux, we developed a number of training courses (Master’s programmes, the NutriBrain summer school), we led the creation of a research consortium in Bordeaux (Aquitaine Human Nutrition Research Institute (IRNHA), and we established To the Netherlands François Houllier, INRA a relationship with the Institute for Nutrition Three ministers, Pierre Moscovici (Economy), Stéphane Le Foll (Agriculture), and Thierry Repentin President, participated and Functional Foods (INAF) at Laval University (European Affairs), and a number of presidents and CEOs of large corporations, including Air France–KLM, in Quebec City, the largest collection of nutrition in two official delegations L’Oréal France, Danone, BNP Paribas, and Total, participated in the first official visit of a French president and health researchers in Canada. to the Netherlands in 14 years. At the “Innovation and Sustainability” France–Netherlands economic accompanying the INRA received national and international forum, François Houllier took part in the “Smart agriculture and smart food” round table discussion before French President, funding and participated in an exchange student multipartner projects, establishing the AIL also an audience largely of business leaders, but also of researchers from INRA and Wageningen University programme with Frédéric Calon’s team, spurs motivation to develop more ambitious François Hollande, and Research Centre (Wageningen UR). Some of the findings from this seminar were taken up in the a specialist in the relationship between nutrition projects with wider scopes. joint partnership declaration between France and the Netherlands. The cooperation agreement between to the Netherlands and neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer’s INRA and Wageningen UR, INRA’s largest international partner, was renewed and expanded at the end on 20 January, disease). Calon’s team shares many of the same AILs are new to INRA. What are their of the forum. The two organisations have been cooperating under their previous partnership agreement research focuses as INRA, and also has a number advantages? How could they be improved? and to Canada since 2009 in the fields of animal science (since 2009) and environmental science (since 2013). The new of complementary skillsets – a perfect match! First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge agreement extends their cooperation to food, agrifood, and bioeconomy. INRA’s knowledge transfer on 2–4 November. the consummate professionalism and efficiency Sophie LAYÉ and innovation subsidiaries, Agri-Obtentions and INRA Transfert also concluded a number of partnership What added value will the of the relevant departments INRA Bordeaux-Aquitaine agreements with several Dutch businesses. associated international Nutrition, a key at INRA and Laval University Research Director laboratory bring? in preparing the agreements To Canada environmental factor Nutrition and Integrative It became rapidly apparent needed to establish the AIL – François Houllier accompanied the French president and the Minister for Primary, Secondary and Neurobiology that establishing an in brain function which is the first of its kind! Higher Education and Research, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, in the first State visit to Canada in 27 years. associated international laboratory (AIL) was The next step in getting things off the ground OptiNutriBrain Over the course of the four stops in the presidential visit – Calgary, Banff, Ottawa, and Montreal – necessary to formalise our working relationship, is now to make joint financial resources available which focused on research and innovation, members of the delegation participated in a number of to increase our visibility on the international from our two organisations, particularly round table discussions and official visits, and signed a number of cooperation agreements. stage in particular, and to foster relationships to develop innovative and original projects On 2 November, at a round table discussion on research and innovation, INRA’s president discussed among stakeholders (research, civil society, that can be very difficult to fund through national “cleantech” and the many possible collaborations with western Canada in this field. In Montreal, private sector). In addition to creating a legal or international calls for tender, and to increase a number of agreements were signed in the presence of Minister Vallaud Belkacem, including one and operational framework for our international, the number of jointly funded grants. between INRA OptiNutriBrain Associated International Laboratory, represented by François Houllier, the University and Polytechnic Institute of Bordeaux, and Laval University. 66 67 Annual Report The Institute INRA 2014 MISSIONS & PARTNERSHIPS Strengthening INRA’s international profile

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Horizon 2020 A France–UK meeting A new cooperation agreement Participating in innovation François Houllier, INRA President, and Olivier Le Gall, with China oordinated by Nicolas Desneux, ject is nearly €9 million, with a total Deputy Director General, hosted a delegation from The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) the EU–China Lever for IMP budget of almost €10 million. BBSRC led by Jackie Hunter, the organisation’s and INRA signed a framework cooperation agreement CDemonstration (EUCLID) pro- The DiversiFood project, led by ject will align efforts by the Euro- Véronique Chable, seeks to increase new chief executive. in Beijing on 10 October 2014. pean Union and China to develop diversity in cultivated plants in On 10 July, INRA welcomed a delegation from the Biotechnology and The agreement, signed by Li Jiayang, CAAS President and China’s Vice tools and methods for integrated their agroecological and socio- Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) led by Jackie Hunter, its new Minister of Agriculture, and François Houllier, INRA President, renews and pest management (IMP). The spe- economic context, with the aim chief executive, and Steve Visscher, its Deputy Chief Executive and Chief deepens the collaboration between the two organisations that began in cies selected for the project are of improving their performance, Operating Officer. BBSRC, a consortium of British research organisations, 1986. The agreement furthers the development of joint research projects economically important to both the resilience, and quality. Project wanted the opportunity to meet with François Houllier, INRA president, within the scope of INRA’s major interdisciplinary metaprogrammes, and EU and China and are representative financing is €3.5 million, with a Olivier Le Gall, Deputy Director General for Scientific Affairs, Robert Habib, fosters joint involvement in European and international initiatives and calls of both field cultivation and green- budget of €4 million. DiversiFood Head of International Scientific Partnerships, and representatives from the for tender in the fields of agriculture, food security, and climate change. The house crop systems. The strategies will cover the food chain in its full Europe section of the Directorate for Regional Policy, Higher Education, three major focus areas for collaboration are: sustainability in agricultural that were studied and developed spectrum, from genetic resources and Europe (DARESE) to discuss INRA’s international policy priorities and to production for food and non-food uses in the light of global changes; the include using genetic diversity to to the retail sale of products, while explore opportunities to establish joint programmes. relationship between nutrition and health; and the relationships between increase crop resistance, controlling developing and providing more INRA and BBSRC already cooperate at the international level in the Joint the environment, soil, and climate change. pathogens with biological control local solutions. To this end, it will: Programming Initiative on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change agents, conceiving agroecological (1) design strategies and methods (FACCE-JPI), the Wheat Initiative, and Analysis and Experimentation on cultivation methods, and improving for concerted, in situ experiments; Ecosystems (AnaEE). The two organisations also work together with their epidemiological models for use as (2) evaluate the genetic resources of Canadian and American counterparts and collaborated on 25 Seventh decision making tools. European a dozen under-used or unused plant It brings ­together 23 academic and Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development Community funding to the project species; (3) develop new selection private-sector partners. SAPHIR has (FP7), of which, more than half (13) were coordinated by INRA, with three is €3 million, with a total budget of methods to favour intraspecific received €9 million of EU funding and INRA’s participation coordinated by BBSRC. more than €4 million. variation; (4) foster collaboration has a budget of nearly €11 million. The Feed-a-Gene project aims to among researchers, breeders, and The SUSFANS programme aims to­ in the European improve various aspects of mono- farmers through formal and informal develop models describing the specific Community’s Horizon gastric livestock production (pigs, research network systems, at local links among agricultural production, 2020 research and Agreenium contact database poultry, rabbits) systems to increase and national levels. agricultural industries, distributors, their efficiency while reducing their The Strengthening Animal Produc- and consumers in Europe that also in- innovation programme AgreenLabs, a bilingual, descriptive database environmental impact. To do so, tion and Health through Immune corporate environmental and ­medical began with the concerted of Agreenium members’ research units and teams, the project, coordinated by Jaap Response (SAPHIR) project was data. The programme will look to submission of a dozen has been created. van Milgen, will develop tools and launched in 2014. It aims to reduce develop comprehensive policies for project proposals. methods to identify and to breed animal production losses from en- the European Union that take direct The bilingual French and English database, which is accessible from ­animals adapted to fluctuating demic infectious diseases by impro- account of sustainability, environ­ A number of flagship Agreenium and AgreenSkills’ websites, provides the most comprehensive environmental conditions, and ving immune defences in animals. mental, and nutritional criteria. projects were selected descriptions possible of Agreenium members’ research teams and research develop new feed resources and It will do so by developing new, for financing, including units. It is part of the AgreenSkills programme to allow foreign researchers alternative feed technologies that safe vaccines that are effective and from around the world seeking to participate in the programme to identify and are based on a better understanding cost-­efficient, and by maximising EUCLID, Feed-a-Gene, contact the research teams and units involved in their area of specialisation. of nutrient use by the species under animal immunocompetence. The DiversiFood, SAPHIR, The AgreenLabs database is open-access to search. An updating facility is study. European funding for the pro- project is led by Isabelle Schwartz. and SUSFANS. available in limited access to team and unit managers. Managers will soon be sent a login code and password to access data on the units and teams they lead. AgreenLabs is an important component of efforts to increase the international visibility of Agreenium members’ research teams. 68 69 Annual Report The Institute INRA 2014 MISSIONS & PARTNERSHIPS Strengthening INRA’s international profile

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Strengthening INRA’s president at the G20 Supporting agricultural France–Maghreb ties From 14 to 20 June, François Houllier, INRA development in Haiti The second joint conference organised President, travelled to Australia, during which time INRA and Haiti’s Ministry of Agriculture, Natural by the agricultural research institutes of Algeria, he represented France at the Meeting of the G20 Resources and Rural Development signed a framework France, Morocco, and Tunisia was attended Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) in Brisbane. agreement to support and develop agriculture in Haiti. by the organisations’ leaders and by agricultural On 16–17 June, François Houllier participated in the Food4Growth Forum. The agreement provides for support and capacity-building in research, professionals from the four countries. The Forum was a chance for research and the private sector to share training, and innovation in Haiti. The critical agricultural research and rural information about innovation in agrifood systems, and to inform agricultural development situations in the country require all possible measures be Mediterranean agriculture is currently facing a number of major environmental, policy in G20 countries. implemented to stimulate and to support the growth of crop and livestock economic, and social changes. These include climate change, pressure on The following day, INRA’s president visited the Commonwealth Scientific and production, which should, as a priority, be focused on national consumption. natural resources – water scarcity in particular, increased demand for food Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Canberra then travelled to the The agreement will also help to guide, shape, and promote agricultural owing to population growth and changing dietary habits, and the expected MACS meeting in Brisbane on 19–20 June. Following on from MACS meetings research and facilitate the widespread dissemination of research findings. contributions of agriculture and agrifood to employment and economic held in Mexico in 2012 and in the Russian Federation in 2013, the third Initiatives are also being undertaken by both parties to pursue cooperation, growth. Agricultural research must adopt a holistic approach to these issues. meeting of agriculture and climate representatives from developed countries including welcoming a number of Haitian partners to the Small-Scale These changes raise pointed scientific challenges with strategic implications to created an opportunity for member States to provide updates and to report Family Farming Workshop in February 2015 organised by INRA French West Mediterranean societies. on the progress of international initiatives, including Global Agricultural Indies–Guiana, the Guadeloupe Chamber of Agriculture, and the Guadeloupe To this end, the conference held on 31 October 2014 in Tunis follows on Monitoring (GEOGLAM), Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS), the regional and departmental governments. A mission to Haiti is also scheduled from the conference held in Meknès in 2013: to pursue work in identified Wheat Initiative (an international consortium to coordinate wheat research), in March. The mission will visit Sud department, participating in a food scientific research areas by bringing together the leaders of agricultural and the Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) initiative. security programme financed by the French Development Agency (AFD). research organisations, agriculture and agrifood industry professionals, and researchers from the four countries involved in collaborative projects; to demonstrate the benefits of cooperation and the common interests of the four partner countries; and to identify the actions needed to move forward New ARIMNet2 and meet stated goals effectively. presented to Israel At the end of January, François Houllier, INRA President, hosted Yair Shamir, Israel’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development at INRA Headquarters in Paris. On the agenda for the Israeli delegation’s visit were presentations by INRA’s president and on the ERA-NET Agricultural Research in the Mediterranean Network 2 (ARIMNet2) project, by project coordinator, Florence Jacquet. ARIMNet2’s role is to coordinate agricultural research in the Mediterranean. Starting in January 2014, it will run for a two-year period. It brings together 13 organisations from 12 countries (Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey) and two international partners, the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) and the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).

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Three flagship projects INRA commits to sharing research Framework agreement with South Africa marking the end of FP7 data internationally Following the visit by INRA officials to South Africa in 2011 and the fruitful exchanges that took place thereafter, INRA and the Agricultural Research With €5 million of funding from The Research Data Alliance is an international initiative Council (ARC) of South Africa signed a framework cooperation agreement in the European Community and to facilitate sharing research data beyond boundaries February at the Paris International Agricultural Show. The agreement seeks In 2014, INRA a total budget of €7 million, the to promote science cooperation between the two organisations in the field of set by technology, organisations, countries, cattle genomics, and to develop joint research projects. It will also facilitate marked the end of Wheat and Barley Legacy Breeding Improvement (WHEALBI) project and research areas. joint participation in international initiatives in the fields of food security, the European Union’s will combine genomics, genetics, Through its Scientific and Technical Information Directorate (DIST), INRA is sustainable agriculture, and climate change. Seventh Framework and agricultural science to improve involved in the international Research Data Alliance (RDA) initiative to share Programme for Research the production of wheat and barley research data. The initiative began in March 2013 at the behest of Europe, in Europe. The project is led by Gilles Australia, and the United States. INRA participates in a GDRI research and Technological Charmet. It will create data from the DIST is actively involved in an RDA interest group and two working groups. group for the first time Development (FP7) with expressed sequence tags of 1,000 DIST, together with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre The International Research Group–Integrative Plant Biology (GDRI–IPB), the launch of a number species of wheat and barley and (CIMMYT), jointly manages the Wheat Data Interoperability Working Group, running from 2014 to 2017, was created to develop an organised and stable will develop models and tools to which INRA Versailles-Grignon also participates in. of flagship projects, network of French and Japanese researchers in the field of integrative plant incorporate this data in crop breeding RDA launched the Wheat Data Interoperability initiative in March 2014 biology. GDRI–IPB brings together teams from 18 organisations, 12 of which including LEGATO, and management programmes. The for an 18-month period. The working group is jointly managed by Esther are in France, including CNRS, INRA, and CEA, and six in Japan, including the MODEXTREME, project will develop responses to the Dzalé Yeumo from DIST and is supported by the “Wheat Initiative”, an University of Tokyo, RIKEN, and Osaka University. globally urgent need to increase and international programme to coordinate wheat research. Needs set out and WHEALBI. improve primary wheat and barley by the Wheat Initiative defined the scope and deliverables of the working production while reducing their group. These include: a guide on managing wheat data and wheat data First international symposium environmental impact. publications through the use of recommended standards, formats, and on microgenomics Coordinated by Richard Thompson, terminology; the compilation of a glossary of pertinent wheat data terms; the Legumes of the Agriculture of Tomorrow (LEGATO) project brings together 27 research institutes, businesses, and and the development of a prototype that will demonstrate the increased One of the major challenges for biologists today is studying the genome of a professional associations from 12 European countries. The aim is to design and develop new breeding and cultivation gains in data interoperability when the wheat-research community follows cell in its physiological environment to understand the mechanisms driving methods for major pulse crops using recent genomic data, genetic resource collections, and high throughput recommendations made by the working group. and controlling it. The Microgenomics 2014 symposium was held in Paris in phenotyping techniques. DIST also jointly manages the Data Re-use, Share your Experiences Group and May at the Cordeliers Campus on the initiative of scientists from INRA and the Led by Gianni Bellocchi, the Modelling Vegetation Response to Extreme Events (MODEXTREME) project brings participates actively in an interest group on agricultural data. RDA members Institut Curie. The event was the first of its kind in France and in Europe, and together 18 organisations from 14 countries. The goal is to better understand and to assess the impact of extreme are expected to participate in three ways: discussion groups about emerging drew nearly 200 scientists from around the world. environmental conditions (high and low temperatures, water scarcity and excess) on major crops and on grasslands, ideas, called “birds of a feather” (BoF) groups; interest groups; and working and to measure the impact of extreme weather events on agriculture. Modelling solutions will provide policymakers, groups. Unlike BoF and interest groups, working groups are expected to such as the EC and the FAO, with tools to study a wealth of data on food security issues. produce concrete results over an 18-month period. Launch of ProHealth ProHealth, a major research initiative to study production diseases in pigs and poultry, was launched in 2014 for a five-year period. It is financed by European symposium the European Union and is coordinated by Newcastle University, with INRA as a partner. The project brings together 22 partners from 11 different on taste and smell countries. In France, INRA Tours and INRA Rennes participate in the ambitious The European Chemoreception Research Organization (ECRO) held its annual project. The objective is to study the multifactorial causes of a number of meeting at the Dijon Convention Centre on 10–13 September. The major aim production diseases and to develop solutions that will assure sustainability of the organisation is to promote basic and applied research in the field of in monogastric livestock production systems. chemosensory science, smell and taste particularly, not only in humans, but throughout the animal kingdom.

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6 Improving innovation and building business partnerships

Three new business partnerships

“Accelerate knowledge abComs are joint laboratories shared between research organisations and SMEs or mid-tier enterprises (ETI). They represent a unique partnership arrangement and are supported by transfer and develop Lthe French National Research Agency (ANR). Their aim is to build bridges between the academic new innovations” research world and the private sector in order to understand the issues they face prior to helping them develop partnerships. A LabCom is established through a contract that defines its scope and its joint governance structure, and sets a roadmap for research and innovation activities, specifies resources to pursue the roadmap’s objectives, and develops a strategy to ensure the company will promote the joint research activities. What was the impetus to establish these joint laboratories? C2R-BIONUT FeedScreen SEQUAMOL In actual fact, LabComs are not joint research Chemistry of Renewable Carbon for Health value of feed ingredients: Semen quality diagnosis by molecular units, but rather fixed-duration, knowledge Bio-Fertilisation and Plant Nutrition identification and development of approaches (Hélène Jammes, Joint Re- transfer projects, lasting not longer than three INRA laboratories screening tools (Isabelle Oswald, Joint search Unit for Developmental Biology (C2R-BIONUT) (Zéphirin Mouloungui, years, that are jointly established and managed. Research Unit for Food Toxicology and Reproduction (BDR); National (Agroindustrial Chemistry Agroindustrial Chemistry Laboratory LabCom partners have shared goals and (TOXALIM); DELTAVIT, CCPA Group). Association of Livestock and Artificial (LCA); Agronutrition). agreements on the products and services to be Laboratory (LCA), Food Agronutrition, a French company spe- This project is a response to the ban Insemination Cooperatives (UNCEIA)). developed and the resources that will be pooled. Toxicology (TOXALIM), cialising in alternative plant nutrition, on antibiotics as growth promoters The SEQUAMOL laboratory brings This is notably the case for human resources, with How many LabComs will INRA have? and Developmental is a partner in this joint research unit and the reduced use of antibiotics in together INRA’s BDR joint research (INRA – INP-ENSIACET) to create a “green animal production. The project aims at unit and UNCEIA. The laboratory aims INRA hosting staff members from the private- INRA has four LabComs across its joint research Biology and Reproduction chemistry” laboratory. The laboratory creating a laboratory with predictive to develop integrative approaches sector partner to carry out a jointly managed units; in addition to the aforementioned three, (BDR)) are involved in will investigate alternative substitutes to tools to analyse the impact of ingre- to using data from high-throughput project. The desire to respond to this new call a university research team from a joint research plant fertilisers. Its research programme dients and feed on animal health and studies on: (1) the composition of for projects is the force driving the LabComs’ unit at INRA Avignon had already carried out a three LabComs that were will focus on studying a number of bio- immunity. FeedScreen capabilities will seminal plasma (proteomics); (2) creation, as expressed by the synergy from INRA project with Naturex, a leader in the field of plant selected as a part of ANR’s sourced materials, including ligands, make it possible to assess the role of spermatozoa (proteomics, lipids, gly- scientists and private-sector active ingredient extraction. raw materials and feed additives in comics); (3) the sperm epigenome R&D counterparts working The government hopes to most recent calls adjuvants, biosurfactants, biosolvents, Work more effectively Gérard JACQUIN and seed preservatives. Approximately animal immunity, to identify new (methylation, protamines and his- together. finance the creation to accelerate INRA Paris Head Office for projects. 20 researchers from Agronutrition and ingredients with positive effects to tones, small noncoding RNAs); and (4) In certain occasions it may of 100 LabCom knowledge LCA will work in the team. health, and to develop an analytical genetic indexing values. SEQUAMOL’s knowledge transfer be an INRA researcher taking transfer projects, 50 of which Director of Valorisation research tool for this field of study. work will make it possible to identify the initiative. In others, it may be an SME that will have launched by late 2014. FeedScreen brings together DELTAVIT, new essential fecundity mechanisms identifies an opportunity to collaborate during a In 2015, there will be three deadlines to apply, an SME specialised in livestock nutri- and will generate crucial data on the special event. In some cases, this type of project in May, in August, and in November. A new tion, and INRA’s Joint Research Unit impact of paternal transmission on may grow out of a well-established relationship LabCom awareness campaign will spur research for Food Toxicology (TOXALIM), a lea- embryo and offspring development. ding food toxicology research centre between INRA and a private-sector partner, as in units to encourage scientists with marketable with significant expertise in immune the case of a framework agreement with industry technologies to participate, and a “Live from responses and intestinal responses in stakeholders for example. In all cases, there is the Lab” newsletter will be sent to 5,500 pigs. always a shared desire to work more effectively member SMEs that will also be the focus of local to accelerate knowledge transfer and develop awareness-raising campaigns by INRA centre new innovations as quickly as possible. presidents.

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TWB and Total form a strategic partnership Three startup projects Inauguration of a precision for synthetic biology accelerated by INRA phenotyping facility in partnership with UNCEIA “Signing such an important agree- INRA, in partnership with Montpellier SupAgro, ment with Total is a major achie- organised its third startup contest held at the Paris Toulouse White vement and a huge step forward After concluding a framework research cooperation International Agricultural Show as a part Biotechnology (TWB), an for TWB” says Pierre Monsan, TWB agreement, the National Association of Livestock management director. “We hope of the AgroValo Méditerranée programme. and Artificial Insemination Cooperatives (UNCEIA) industrial biotechnology to make effective contributions to Total’s desire to use new, innovative During the last weekend of the Paris International Agricultural Show, and INRA have strengthened their partnership catalyst supported by seven innovative startup projects were accelerated by teams made up of INRA, signed a strategic and environmentally sensitive pro- by agreeing to build a phenotyping facility. cesses, which are based on proces- experienced entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers from INRA and Montpellier On 16 May, Michel Cetre, UNCEIA President, François Houllier, INRA President, partnership agreement sing renewable carbon through the SupAgro, and startup specialists. Three promising projects were awarded top François Bonneau, President of the Regional Council of Centre, Frédéric use of synthetic biology systems prizes at INRA’s stand on 2 March, the last day of the Show. with Total to produce Thomas, President of the General Council of Indre-et-Loire, and Jean-Pierre and methods.” The 2014 edition awarded a first-place tie to “Eneo”, which works with molecules for use in Gaschet, Chair of the Castelrenaudais Local Council, inaugurated a new UNCEIA Toulouse White Biotechnology users to create water management solutions (under development in early precision phenotyping facility at INRA Loire Valley’s research centre. plastics chemistry from (TWB) is an industrial biotechno­ 2015), and to “Be La Mangue”, which is promoting the use of mango pits Innovating in the field of animal genetics will be essential if the French ogy catalyst whose goal is to in cosmetics and in animal feed. A special jury prize was given to “L’Amour biobased materials. livestock industry is to improve its technical and economic performance, accelerate the development of Vache”, conceived by two students from Montpellier SupAgro, on distributing its environmental and social impact, and its future sustainability. Research industrial biotechnologies by fos- top quality beef. organisation and agricultural cooperatives have a major role to play in this tering interaction­ between public move. INRA and UNCEIA also sought to strengthen their relationship by signing research and the private sector. a five-year framework partnership agreement at the Paris International Its mission is to contribute to Agricultural Show. the emergence of a bioeconomy founded on the use of renewable carbon in chemistry, in materials, and in energy production. A variety of collaborative R&D projects have been put forward. TWB also offers services tailored to specific business needs. In March 2011, TWB was awarded a French Stimulus Initiative’s call for projects. It receives government funding through the French National Research Agency (ANR). INRA, INSA, and CNRS partner in the TWB service unit, which is managed by INRA. As a part of the agreement, Total, one of TWB’s founding business partners, and Total New Energies’ Biotechnology R&D Team, will work to develop a new microbial strain, a veritable “cell factory” capable of producing chemistry intermediates from a variety of renewable carbon sources. The use of cutting-edge synthetic biology techniques to custom modify microorganisms will make it possible to carry out the work of this R&D programme employing seven full time researchers over a four-year period. “The outcomes of this R&D programme could be significant in that they may make it possible to produce carbon molecules from renewable sources to act as alternatives to fossil fuel products” says Monsan. “This is an important objective in terms of sustainable development, which is at the heart of TWB’s mission.” Through the new partnership, TWB strengthens its role as a driving force in the development of industrial biotechnologies and, together with INRA, as a major player in advancing biobased carbon materials.

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mechanical properties of natural A lot of (wood) construction materials, such as wood Success for INRA in Paris–Saclay Innovative lawns work to do and stone. Their research informs IDEX’s first call for projects the work of an interdisciplinary The sports turf industry called on the Multidisciplinary in Bordeaux focus area on wood engineering. The GCE department is housed in a More than half of the project put forward by INRA Research Unit for Grasslands and Forage Crops (P3F) ichel Delpuech, Prefect of building (A11bis) that was specifi- with the support of INRA Transfert were chosen at INRA’s site in Lusignan to understand and to combat Aquitaine and of Gironde, cally designed in consultation with as a part of a call for exploratory projects. the degradation of playing fields. MOlivier Dugrip, Rector of partner organisations. Building the Academy of Bordeaux and design and construction was jointly At the end of its first call for projects on “Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and An INRA research team in Lusignan specialising in seeded pastures, in Chancellor of Aquitaine Universities, funded by the regional government Exploration” in the first quarter of 2014, the Paris–Saclay Excellence Initiative partnership with Terenvi, has developed techniques and tools to maintain Alain Rousset, Member of Parliament of Aquitaine (€1.65 million) and the (IDEX) selected 40 projects out of the 73 put forward by the future Paris– turf in football stadia. The research team provided science support to Quanta for Gironde and President of the European Union (European Regional Saclay University’s partner institutions. Exploratory projects produce a study Green, a newly established business that won the special jury prize at the Regional Council of Aquitaine, Development Fund, €1.06 million). of the economic potential and legal framework of a project and, when fitting, Créa’Vienne contest held by the Vienne Business and Innovation Centre on Manuel Tunon de Lara, President of The building was built with wooden formulate a development strategy, demonstrate the effectiveness of the 12 June 2014. the University of Bordeaux, François framework and wooden roofing that concept and, lastly, suggest a potential team to implement the project and New techniques have been developed to improve turf growing conditions, Houllier, INRA President, Christophe highlight pinewood from the nearby to carry it forward. Four INRA projects, from the Jouy-en-Josas and Versailles including underground electric heating systems that make it possible to Giraud, CNRS Regional Officer for Landes forest, using best environ- centres, were chosen out of eight put forward. manage temperatures and special lighting systems to provide light to shaded Aquitaine, François Cansell, Director mental practices, including the use In total, there is €2.5 million in allocations available – more than €60,000 areas. But the problem of growing high-quality turf in an energy efficient General of the Polytechnic Institute of of environment-friendly insulation per project on average – to move the projects over a 6–12-month period way remains. The research partnership with Terenvi, a specialist in grass Bordeaux, and Philippe Viot, Director materials. It houses cutting-edge from the exploratory phase to incubation and to development, particularly and managing turf in Ligue 1 football stadia, made it possible to carry out a of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des technical equipment and facilities through the Paris–Saclay technology transfer accelerator (SATT). In 2014, research and development programme focused on light radiation, in an effort Arts et Métiers (ENSAM), Bordeaux- for the researchers and professionals INRA Transfert helped INRA researchers prepare and submit their projects to to maximise the efficiency of special lighting systems. Talence Campus, inaugurated the working there, such as the Xyloforest the first two calls for exploratory projects, the second of which took place At present, the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille and the Hainaut Stadium in Wood–Engineering–Structure Xylomat EQUIPEX for wood com- in the fourth quarter of 2014, and the call for incubation projects, which Valenciennes have been equipped with the technology, in partnership with technological centre at the Institute posite products, and Xyloplate for Xyloforest’s work includes adapting took place in October–November. In all, support from INRA Transfert made Terenvi. Quanta Green was established to develop these tools and techniques. of Mechanics and Engineering (I2M) advanced wood engineering. forest resources to climate change, it possible to submit 22 projects, 14 of which received financing of between INRA engineer Didier Combes is involved in the project through his science and the Xyloforest Equipment of timber engineering, and promoting Inauguration of the €60,000 and €80,000. support to Quanta Green’s leader, Xavier Varlet-Grancher. The business project was set up in April 2014 through the Poitou-Charentes business incubator. Excellence (EQUIPEX) on 11 July 2014. Xyloforest EQUIPEX programme wood fibre and forest biomass for Wood–Engineering– began in 2011 with facilities opening energy and chemistry uses. Xyloforest The Institute of Mechanics and En- in July 2014. Xyloforest is a shared has six technical divisions, three of Structure technological gineering (I2M), was established on research and innovation platform for which focus on forest production, centre at the Institute 1 January 2011 in Bordeaux. The new environmental and materials science and three of which focus on industrial of Mechanics and entity, created in July 2014, brings and technology research. It aims to applications. As a part of the French together 330 people from the Uni- provide research laboratories with Stimulus Initiative, Xyloforest will Engineering (I2M) and versity of Bordeaux, the Polytechnic­ leading edge technologies in favour receive €10.2 million of funding the Xyloforest Equipment Institute of Bordeaux, ENSAM, CNRS, of research on forest–wood systems. over 2011–2020 for the work of of Excellence (EQUIPEX). and INRA. The Department­ of Civil It also seeks to devise national- approximately 100 researchers and and Environmental Engineering scale, innovative and sustainable engineers in 14 partner laboratories (GCE) hosts researchers, engineers, solutions to increase competitiveness across six French regions (Aquitaine, and experts specialising in the stu- in Aquitaine’s forestry and wood Burgundy, Centre, Languedoc- dy of wood. They investigate and industries, France’s leading producer Roussillon, Lorraine, Pays de la Loire). disseminate knowledge on the of forest products. The scope of

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MaaT Pharma established Framework agreement Framework agreement between INRA and with Union of French seed French National Institute of Geographic MaaT Pharma was jointly founded by a group and Forest Information (IGN) of scientists, entrepreneurs, and science partners, companies (UFS) On 2 July, INRA and IGN signed a 5-year framework agreement to boost including INRA Transfert and Seventure as financial INRA stepped up collaboration with UFS, a union research and development in fields related to forestry, landscapes and regions, partners. representing French seed companies involved in private soil, water and climate change. This is INRA’s first framework agreement with IGN since the integration of the National Forestry Inventory (IFN) in 2011. It In the hopes of creating therapeutic solutions to intestinal dysbiosis research, with a framework agreement on 2 October. seeks also to promote data sharing between the two institutes and develop conditions, the founders of MaaT Pharma established the company to training and communications. A partnership with the forestry inventory specialise in developing faecal transplant methods. MaaT Pharma will work The two parties have defined the general terms and conditions that will lab (LIF) of IGN was also forged in 2014 with the signing of a partnership towards safe and secure autologous faecal microbiota transplant solutions govern future research programmes designed to improve the genetics of agreement between INRA, AgroParisTech and IGN on 27 February. that minimise alteration and promote the quickest possible restoration of vegetable crops. The general conditions predefine property agreements equilibrium in intestinal microflora following periods of stress or clinical on plant material, use of research results and their publication. They are procedures. supplemented by specific terms and conditions applicable to each relevant research programme. These contractual terms, which companies are free to Six blogs launched to boost Maat Pharma will draw on INRA’s more than 30 years of scientific and use or not, may also be applied by seed companies that are non-UFS members. economic intelligence technical expertise in the field of human gut microbiology. Initially, Maat Moreover, the agreement provides for regular exchange to anticipate and Pharma plans to develop a safe and standardised microbial therapy solution prioritize research needs. UFS views this collaboration as a natural extension For several years, the Partnership Transfer Innovation Directorate (DPE), for hospitals designed for patients with imbalanced microbial gut flora. Maat of existing partnerships, and seeks to extend it to all species relevant to its associated with INRA’s Valorisation Directorate, has been responsible for Pharma’s unique microbial therapy solution will eliminate gastrointestinal members, thereby strengthening the dynamics of public-private research. monitoring sectors in order to develop an internal culture of socio-economic side effects and reduce the high costs associated with enteropathy and partnerships. Since 2014, this sector monitoring, initially accessible on related complications. distribution lists, has been grouped into themes in dedicated blogs. The six sectors being monitored are: plants (plant protection and seeds), food (ingredients), animals (biotechnologies, health and food), the bio-economy INRA at the international innovation show (energy, materials, bio-sourced molecules), environment (remote detection and water), and one final multi-themed category (precision agriculture, The first Innovation Connecting Show (ICS) took place in Toulouse in early synthetic biology and insects). These blogs allow for all of the distributed September. For three days, R&D labs, start-ups, big industrial groups, and information to be archived and offer various research tools (search engines, competitivity clusters showed what they were made of through cutting-edge key words, categories, calendar). high-tech innovations. INRA presented its commitment to innovation through the three Carnot institutes it pilots: 3BCar in renewable carbon, Qualiment in food, and ICSA in animal health, and two biotechnology catalysts: Toulouse White Biotechnologies and MetaGenoPolis for human health. The Institute’s ANR finances Genotrace subsidiary for fostering innovation, INRA Transfert, was also presented. The Genotrace project, combining targeted research and technology transfer, INRA also participated in a conference on synthetic biology, thanks to the aims to deliver an innovative test for boosting the safety of chemical products, participation of Paul Colonna, Head of Sustainable Development at INRA and drugs, human and animal food, and the environment. The private/public Director of 3BCar. Through these various media, INRA seeks to strengthen consortium brings together the project initiator, INRA’s joint research unit “Food partnerships and boost innovation with corporate players. Toxicology” (Toxalim) in Toulouse-Midi Pyrenees, the institute for advanced technology in life sciences (ITAV) of the CNRS, Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier university, and the company Biopredic International. In 2014, the Genotrace project received a three-year commitment of support from the French National Research Agency (ANR).

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7 Forging ties with the world of agriculture

“Services, tourism, Regional development: 4th generation INRA-Region partnership fair trade and local democracy” programme (PSDR4)

or the fourth edition of the PSDR INRA-Region social and public concerns of territories. Broad guide- partnership programme (PSDR4), five new regions lines structuring European regional policy (notably the Fexpressed interest in joining, tenhaving committed challenges of bioeconomy within the framework of to the PSDR3. Discussions are still underway in two other Horizon 2020 and large European projects for transport regions. The key challenge of this new programme is infrastructure) and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) maintaining top-notch scientific quality and boosting will also be incorporated, as will local drivers of growth investments in partners. The call for proposals for PSDR4 such as the residential economy and tourism. is organised into two stages. An initial call for pro- posals (AAP1) was launched on 29 September The day also provided an opportunity to 2014, with a 1 December 2014 ­reflect collectively on how to tap into closing date. This concerns four the full potential of research regions: ­Aquitaine, findings, using feedback The programme ­Auvergne, Centre from PSDR3, which took “For and about regional and Midi-Pyre- place from 2007 to 2011 development” held nees. A second with the participation AAP was program- of ten regions. This pro- What are the key challenges an inaugural seminar for med for January 2015 gramme saw 36 regional or of regional development? What does the future hold for rural for all PSDR4 regions. INRA, inter-regional projects give PSDR4 on 29 September. The question of regional development, and rural development? ­IRSTEA (French National Insti­ way to some 600 scientific 120 people attended, development in particular, concerns all countries The development of rural zones no longer tute of Science and Technology publications. and all regions: everyone wants to grow, engage means agricultural development alone. It’s primarily researchers and for Environment and Agriculture) in new activities and live happier lives. For a the development of the service sector, of fair and IFSTTAR (French Institute stakeholders committed century now, rural zones, trade, tourism, recreational of Science and Technology for to PSDR projects. especially in developed activities, etc. Europe has Transport, ­Development and People want to take part nations within Europe, have launched a programme on Networks) seek to incorporate André TORRE been experiencing a drop in the debate and play Smart Development. This the new edition of the PSDR INRA Versailles-Grignon in population and a real a role in development raises a major issue: can this project into the current challenges loss of influence. This is in be applied to regions and Head of PSDR programme facing agricultural, territorial and regional develop- stark contrast with what is happening in urban rural zones, or will they fall to the wayside in Research Director, Science for Action ment and public policy, so as to address the economic, PSDR3 regions participating in PSDR4 zones and large cities. For some 20 years now, this European development? Lastly, participative and Sustainable Development: other activities are taking over in these rural and local democracy is on the rise in these rural Activities, Products, Territories – Proximities team AgroParisTech New regions participating in PSDR4 zones where farming was once the norm, and zones. People are expressing interest in taking populations are changing. Now the issue of part in the debate on development, they want suburban development is arising, with zones on to play a role in it, and have a hand in running the threshold between cities and the countryside. these projects.

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Contributions to IRSTEA’s agricultural Mirecourt: ten years A new inter-regional project machinery report of self-sufficient for protein autonomy and cost-effective farming ithin the framework of Securiprot seeks to remove technical stumbling blocks the agroecology project, For ten years, the INRA Aster-Mirecourt team has to pea, lupin and broad bean production. INRA contributed the French ministries W managed 240 hectares of its experimental zone in to writing two volumes of in charge of agriculture, industry, The Securiprot project, for SECURIng and increasing the production of PROTein higher education and research organic farming. Their research has become a showcase crops in the western world, is set for a period of five years (2014-2018). It the report submitted by entrusted IRSTEA (French National for innovation and highly self-sufficient farming. began with a series of surveys to get a clearer understanding of agricultural three French ministers to Institute of Science and Technology practices, followed by on-site experiments in farming networks. The goal The INRA team at the Mirecourt experimental site raises dairy cows, grows the President of IRSTEA, for Environment and Agriculture) is to gain the upper hand in diseases and pests that attack broad beans, with identifying the strengths and crops and manages grassland while keeping input to a strict minimum (fuel peas and lupin, and to combat weeds, notably in lupin crops. Associations Jean-Marc Bournigal. weaknesses of the agricultural ma- oil, fertilisers, pesticides, animal feed, etc.). Two approaches to dairy cow are being explored, by taking a closer look at species, varieties, density, chinery sector (mobile machinery breeding are used on the farm: a pasture system and a mixed crop-livestock etc., of the crops that are being tested. The project involves more than 30 used in agriculture, forestry and system. The 40 dairy cows in the pasture system are on a 100% grass diet, economic partners (cooperatives), professional agricultural bodies, and maintaining green spaces, as well with no concentrated feed, while diet is more varied for the 60 cows in research and educational organisations, and is implemented both in organic as information technology and as- the mixed crop-livestock system. Both groups, consisting of Holstein and and conventional production systems. It was created with a view to creating sociated public relations). INRA was Montbéliarde breeds, are fed solely on what is produced on the farm. Sell an ecosystem that fosters exchange between research, experimentation, asked to make two contributions to cows than rather than buy fodder, and be self-reliant in straw and manure: development and stakeholders, to secure the production of protein crops. the report: “The contributions of these are the keys to self-sufficiency. For ten years, researchers have been agricultural machinery and digital technology to highly efficient agriculture”and “digital agriculture”. evaluating these farms in terms of technical, economic and environmental performance. Farming practices are analysed, as are the technical innovations Concerning agricultural machinery and efficient agricultural systems, INRA identified five broad avenues worth explo- implemented by these trail-blazing farmers. Techniques to limit tillage were ration: relations between research and R&D and stakeholders in agricultural machinery; three major areas of need in tested to save energy, making headway in alternating tillage/no tillage agricultural machinery to make the transition to more eco-friendly agricultural systems (i.e. limiting the use of natu- techniques in crop rotations, as well as in direct seeding techniques. ral resources, developing high-performance agriculture and diversifying ecosystems); what drives farmers’ decisions; analysis of agricultural machinery to promote agro-ecological practices; and a set of recommendations to encourage players to adopt machinery and equipment. Lastly, the ten-member INRA working group, headed by Christian Hu- ygue, highlighted the consequences for research and cited three top-priority courses of action: a programme on digital agriculture, implementing an Open Data Journal for Agricultural Research on a global scale, and a permanent point of contact in the form of a collaborative platform to foster exchange between all concerned bodies.

INRA’s working group on digital agriculture (Christian Huygue, Frédérick Garcia and Guy Richard) recommended deve- loping a Stimulus Initiative Programme for digital agriculture, a component of the digital economy, bringing together French public and private players (public-private partnership) and placing users (cooperatives) front and centre (orga- nisation and sociological aspects, etc.). The goal is to promote the web of data and foster the development of sensors and specialised applications.

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Piloting a study on the protection International meeting on milk Teaming up with FNCIVAM of drinking water catchments INRA has teamed up with the French national federation of initiative centres to INRA Rennes – Brittany and Lower Normandy develop agriculture and rural areas (FNCIVAM) with a three-fold goal in mind: organized the first international meeting design sustainable agricultural and food systems; develop regions and ensure on “Milk: driver of growth”. the protection of their resources; and boost the quality of life of populations. The results of an 18-month study were presented To strengthen existing partnerships, Francois Houllier, President of INRA, and at a seminar on 17 November at INRA’s Paris Head Under the aegis of Agreenium, INRA Rennes – Brittany and Lower Jean-Marc Bureau, president of FNCIVA, signed a framework agreement on 26 Normandy organised, in tandem with CIRAD and AgrocampusOuest, the February at the International Agricultural Show. Office. first international meeting on “Milk, driver of growth”. The event brought Faced with the challenges that come with protecting drinking water together 250 participants from the science and education sectors, members catchments, the ministries in charge of ecology and agriculture and Onema, of NGOs and associations, and professionals in agriculture and the agrifood Agrosyst up and running the French National Agency for Water and Aquatic Environments, have called industry from 25 countries (Europe, Africa, South America, Asia). In addition for the establishment of a resource centre for water catchments. INRA was to being a key ingredient of good nutrition, milk and dairy products also The service unit InfoSol (INRA Val de Loire-Orleans) was asked to develop charged with conducting a preparatory study, and received support from a have strong historic and cultural connotations. In developing countries, they the information system Agrosyst (collection and management of data on team of inter-organisational experts from a range of disciplines. Marjorie play an important role in local economies and are often linked to women. low-pesticide crop systems) in support of Ferme et Expe measures within Ménard, project leader at INRA Transfert, headed the study. The study Throughout the meeting, several presentations were made to illustrate the framework of the Ecophyto 2018 plan for farms and experiments in the included a progress report on courses of action, stakeholders in the field, action taken in Africa, Latin America, Asia and in the Mediterranean basin. Dephy network. The plan offers an IT tool that allows data to be gathered on and how knowledge is being translated into concrete action. The first part 2 000 pilot/witness farms (plant health treatments, application of fertilisers, of the seminar included a synthesis of steps taken to protect catchments and crop practices, rotations, equipment, stocks, cost, etc.). With such a large the current organisation of project owners. Three roundtable discussions First Agroforestry Day organised in Marciac range of data, crop systems can then be characterised. These “references” followed, on sharing local experiences, tapping into skills and knowledge, can be analysed and compared with economic results observed on farms. and potential ways to govern a national resource centre for the protection Do trees and woody vegetation on farmland make for a more ecological The cross-analysis of Agrosyst data and their valorisation with agricultural of water catchments. agricultural system? INRA teamed up with the association Arbre et Paysage professionals will ultimately lead to farmers adopting the most efficient crop 32, founded by Alain Canet, to organise a day of awareness-raising, exchange systems that use fewer pesticides. and a farm visit to focus on agroforestry, within the framework of the Jazz festival in Marciac on Friday, 1 August. This was a ground-breaking event, with the participation of Francois Houllier, President of INRA, who inaugurated a Framework agreement with CRA Auvergne series of meetings set to take place every two years in the presence of key economic and societal players. To strengthen relations between research and agricultural development, tap into mutual knowledge and skills and improve the detection and diffusion of innovation, INRA’s Clermont-Theix-Lyon centre (which will be renamed Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes in January 2015), has signed a framework agreement with the Auvergne regional chamber of agriculture. The agreement focuses on fields related to farm autonomy, product quality and designing innovative systems.

Catchment station of the inter-communal syndicate for water resources in the Hérault valley.

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INRA, member of SIG Green SIG seminar Five SIG Fruits seminars biotechnologies The future of livestock farming Each of these five seminars presented work already INRA is a key member of the Scientific Interest Group This conference presented the results of the Scientific carried out by the Fruits Scientific Interest Group Green biotechnologies, bringing together a large Interest Group’s (SIG) working groups on services and offered new opportunities for research. community of public and private researchers via provided by livestock farming and society’s acceptance The SIG Fruits held five seminars in Paris between November and December its 29 members. of livestock farming. 2014. The aim was to develop joint projects to facilitate discussions between future project leaders within the SIG and to initiate new projects for the years This Scientific Interest Group benefits from the support of Genoplante-Valor, The annual SIG The Future of Livestock Farming (GIS Élevages Demain) to come. Around 100 participants joined these seminars, and the SIG will one of INRA’s corporate associates. This arrangement enables four primary seminar was held on 11 June at the Permanent Assembly of Chambers of use the conclusions drawn from the discussions to determine its priorities in missions: drive public and private research in green biotechnologies in Agriculture (APCA) in Paris to offer an international perspective on the theme 2015. The purpose of the seminars was enable stakeholders in the fruit sector France; foster the emergence of large associative and innovative projects; “Livestock farming and society: balancing services and concerns”. Professor (scientists, R&D engineers, industry professionals, etc.) to discuss crucial communicate with the scientific community; and tap into the full potential Thomas Roeb (Bonn-Rhein-Seig University) discussed societal expectations themes identified by the SIG members and to work together to set up new of results. More than 250 participants came together thanks to this project in of livestock farming in Germany. Two Swiss speakers provided additional projects to address the issues. The SIG Fruits selected several themes for the several events held throughout the year, for a total of 80 hours of scientific viewpoints: François Pythoud (Swiss Federal Office of Agriculture) talked seminars: societal expectations and fruit quality, climate change, pests, exchange. One of the highlights of the project was the Stimulus Initiative about the Livestock Dialogue, while Martin Pidoux (HAFL, Berne) reviewed economy and competitiveness (in collaboration with the GIS PicLeg) and Project transverse seminar endorsed by the SIG, held in September 2014 in the livestock sector in Switzerland with regards to the country’s new systems approaches. Paris. Francois Houllier, President of INRA, kicked off and closed the event. agricultural policy. Around a hundred participants attended this first annual After recalling the goals and missions of the SIG, François Houllier emphasized SIG seminar and were pleased with the quality of the work and prospects the fundamental role of public-private research, and encouraged members opened by the results and methodologies used to obtain them. to waste no time in preparing for the future, particularly by focusing on a European-wide context.

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New SIG New SIG French platform for the Land use changes (CAS) development of alternative On 27 November, the Ministries of Agriculture and animal testing methods Ecology, Ademe, INRA and FranceAgriMer signed a On 18 February, INRA joined this Scientific Interest convention to create the Scientific Interest Group CAS Group, which brings together major research institu- for a duration of five years. This SIG was set up to analyse tions and organisations of associated companies that land use changes – both direct and indirect – as a result deal with animal testing. The main objective of the of French and European policies in France, Europe and SIG is to identify alternative animal testing methods abroad and to take into account shifting European and and to build an interface with European institutions in global contexts. conjunction with the European Consensus Platform for Alternatives (Ecopa).

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FOCUS ON… INRA’s subsidiaries

New INRA patents filed

A record 67 new patents In 2014, INRA filed a record 67 new patents: 19 were INRA- owned and 38 were joint patents, the best results for both categories since 2009. INRA also filed patents for 10 large Number of patents industrial projects, a number that remains high following two very productive years, with 9 patents filed in 2012 and 11 filed in 2013. Large industrial project patents* This dynamic is due to increased awareness from our Joint patents scientists with regards to industrial property (IP) and INRA’s INRA-owned patents participation in partnership projects with objectives that * Also joint patents are more aligned with the market and industrial concerns, Meiotic recombination: which naturally lead to more patent applications. patents and evaluation licences INRA has filed three successive patent families on methods to enhance meiotic recombination in plants. In conjunction with their research on meiosis, INRA researchers under Raphaël Mercier, Unit Director at the Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin (Versailles-Grignon centre), discovered that by repressing or deleting the expression of one or several genes can enhance meiotic recombination in Arabidopsis.

These inventions offer a high-performance tool for a range of applications in the areas of plant breeding and selection, especially with regards to speeding development of new plant varieties, achieving more effective introgression of traits of interest (faster process, fewer hybrids to screen) than with current hybridization methods, and facilitating marker assisted selection (MAS). Following the technological offers publicised by INRA Transfert and the additional funding provided by the Valorisation Directorate as part of a maturation programme, two large seed companies decided to test the technology on species of interest and signed evaluation licences in 2013 and 2014.

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FOCUS ON… INRA’s subsidiaries

Recognition of a Génoplante patent for white biotechnology AgriObtentions: 12 applications for plant breeders’ rights certificates and 45 new licences his method was developed through the Génoplante The core business of INRA’s subsidiary AgriObtentions is varietal innovation that serves as the basis to develop strategies for such challenges Tresearch programme by as downstream integration of plant production in INRA’s subsidiaries, emerging subsidiaries or promoting new technical methods for varieties INRA scientists at Colmar working adapted to new sustainable farming systems. under Philippe Hugueney (INRA In June, INRA Transfert Strasbourg centre for Secondary In 2013-2014, AgriObtentions filed 12 applications for plant breeders’ rights certificates and signed 45 new licences. In all, AgriObtentions granted the company Metabolism of Grapevines). A has 487 varieties and 1058 licences. Also in 2013-2014, the subsidiary developed and began marketing several innovative varieties. patent for it was filed by Géno- Deinove an exclusive plante-Valor (WO2012/052171). These varieties include: commercial licence • The winter soft wheat variety “Granamax”. This variety combines high yields, desired baking characteristics for a technology Deinove, a new Cleantech com- and resistance to major diseases to help limit the use of pesticides. pany that designs and deve- The field pea variety “Ascension”. This variety is cold hardy and adapted for monoculture, but is especially intended that can improve lops new generation industrial • for use with a triticale or oat variety for grain harvest or early silage for animal feed. isoprenoid biosynthesis. processes using Deinococcus bacteria, was quick to show its • The winter pea variety “Fresnel”. This high-yield variety is cold hardy and has a high protein content. interest in testing the substance It is perfectly suited to crop diversification in cropping plans that comply with the new CAP and French Ecophyto plan. with Deinococcus. After several months of research carried out Deinococcus radiodurans bacteria. through a licence option agree- ment signed in 2013, Deinove scientists were able to produce in significant concentrations three substances of industrial interest using isoprenoids. The company naturally contacted INRA Transfert to exercise its right to option the substance in early 2014. In June 2014, Deinove released very satisfactory results obtained using patented technology by Génoplante-Valor Quae:Digital takes off combined with its own proprietary technologies. It also announced the signature of an exclusive licence for the use of Géno- plante-Valor’s DXS patent following negotiations conducted by INRA Transfert. In 2014, 60 new publications were published and marketed, including 49 hard copies and 11 digital works. At least 30 titles were reprinted. The publishing house Quae was founded in 2006 to consolidate the publishing activities of INRA, CIRAD, IRSTEA and IFREMER. Its publications are aimed at a scientific readership 100% bio-based cosmetics Vaccines for Marek’s disease (50% of its works) and the general public, as well as professionals and policymakers. will soon be a reality At least ten new works have been co-published digitally in English with Springer. INRA owns a group of patents that cover various types Following research partly backed by the Valorisation These publications can be accessed via the print on demand option. Total sales reached of emulsions stabilised by bio-based nanocrystals that Directorate as part of a maturation programme, INRA €946,000 with 69,557 copies sold. Digital works available on the website and via other have applications in multiple industries. These patents filed a patent application to protect a process used distribution platforms have brought in €79,000, a 56% increase over 2013. International gained value through a maturation programme financed to obtain a cell line capable of reproducing avian sales represent 27% of total sales, a reflection of Quae’s visibility outside of France. During by INRA. In 2014, INRA Transfert and Netlab Pharma, a viruses, particularly Marek’s disease virus. This disease its formal meeting in December 2014, the French Veterinary Academy recognised five company specialised in formulating, manufacturing and has become a real problem for North American and Quae publications. One of them, “Animal and Human Reproduction” is a publication that marketing natural food supplements and care products, European chicken farmers since the 1980s and 90s. will be a reference for years to come that features contributions by more than one hundred signed a licence agreement for emulsions stabilised by Vaccinating day-old chicks has been shown to be renowned French and international specialists. cellulose nanocrystals with a view to producing 100% effective for prevention. This technology, now licenced Some of the best sellers, with more than 1000 copies sold during the year, include popular bio-based cosmetics. to a renowned international pharmaceutical company, science titles that were authored or co-authored by INRA researchers. These include could make it possible over the long term to go one step “Our Bees in Danger” and “Can We Live without GMO?”. further and produce the viruses required to create cell- culture based vaccines.

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FOCUS ON… Institutional publications 2014 Publication of the Strategic Workforce Planning Policy (GPEC) report

dynamic analysis of INRA’s human resources and their skills was carried out in 2013. In Autumn 2014, findings of the comprehensive study were published and presentedto unit directors. AWorking with INRA’s divisions, an operational project phase then followed in the strategic and cross-disciplinary scientific focus areas set by the divisions. These include developing integrated “To better meet and systemic approaches based on global ecology, developing expertise in the field of high-throughput challenges” The aim of the GPEC biology, developing modelling techniques, and building skills in computer engineering and data report, published in engineering. Work put forward by the divisions made it possible to identify multiple areas of need, which could be grouped into approximately 15 skill development areas. For more than half of the skill October, is to identify areas identified, the divisions were able to propose solutions to develop them in-house through both future needs in research collective and individual measures. At each step of the process, results will be shared with division and in exploration heads and the Management Board. The next stage of the project will involve identifying and allocating the resources needed for the proposed skill development solutions, be they internal, external, to develop INRA’s or through partnership arrangements. institutional capacities. This capacity-building programme will involve a number of measures for the various skill development areas. These include communication and knowledge-sharing initiatives among INRA staff, which may be national, interdepartmental, or local, about long-term needs and the training and skill- development resources available to assist people to acquire skills in the identified focus areas. What strategies were put in place “Bioinformatics Day”, held in December 2014, was part of efforts in this regard. for this mission? Building a vision of INRA that is holistic, independent of its segmentation into divisions. Working on real, quantitative data. Building a single, shared assessment methodology. Using demographic projections and possible future change hypotheses. Jointly agreeing on a shared of viewpoints and scales (temporal, disciplinary, system of skills and disciplines. Not having a fixed spatial); analysing possible scenarios; and, lastly, vision of what INRA should be like in the 10 or 20 the effects of this skill development programme years to come. to overall strategy. Preparing to change What have been the the ways we acquire What does the future hold major steps in preparing and develop skills following the publication the report? of this report? Laurent BRUCKLER I would say there are five steps: analysing the Preparing to change the ways we acquire and INRA Montpellier divisions’ strategic objectives; collecting data develop skills. Having a framework system and building a framework to assess researchers’ that makes it possible to monitor changes President of INRA Montpellier skills; analysing data from across a number and to better meet challenges. Director of the GPEC study

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What is the impact of INRA’s research?

Economic Economic 5 4

Health Environmental Health Environmental 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

4 Local – Social Political Local – Social Political “Go beyond the limits Following on from INRA’s Policy-makers Charting progress bee exposure to pesticides genomic selection in cattle of currently available first evaluation by AERES methodologies” in 2009, the Board of Economic Economic Economic 4 Directors launched the 3 Environmental Health Environmental Health 1 Environmental Health 3 ASIRPA project to design 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 What methodology was used for this report? an assessment system What difficulties did you encounter? 4 to evaluate INRA’s Local – Social Political Local – Social Political Local – Social Political ASIRPA was based on the study of standardised research impacts. Business incubator Charting progress Whistleblowers case studies, with the aim of bringing together data Naskeo hybrid rapeseed dangers of bisphenol A compilation and detailed analyses of impacts The project began and outcomes in given situations. It is now possible in January 2011 and the to conduct comparative analyses and produce ince the end of the 2000s, impact assessments are now required in many countries. This reflects both the report was published general-purpose results. questioning of the dominant, linear vision of innovation (as a series of ordered steps in basic research and The primary difficulties lay in measuring impacts in July 2014. Sindustrial development), the spread of “new public management” rules (which see funding allocated on the basis in situations where collecting data thereon is costly of measurable performance objectives), and growing strains on public resources. and time-consuming and, with the exception of ASIRPA methodology was based on 30 standardised case studies using three complementary analytic tools: a economic impacts, that measuring these impacts chronology; an impact pathway (research, knowledge, transformation, use); and an impact vector (a radar chart with requires the development of methods to do so. five axes: economic; political; environmental; health; local – social). There are three steps to the ASIRPA method: attributed to specific stakeholders. Analysing identifying and selecting the cases for study; contributions makes it possible to understand Over the first two years (2011–2012), the ASIRPA team developed its assessment method and tested it in a number of carrying out a case study; and comparative INRA’s role within a network of stakeholders. selected situations, in the aim of improving the methodology. The second phase (2013–2014) focused on improving analyses. The report published in July 2014 was This led us to put forward the notion of impact the method and implementing it across INRA. The Management Board asked INRA research divisions to use ASIRPA the first opportunity to put the analysis mechanisms. when preparing the “Impact” section of their self-evaluation for the five-year assessment by the International ASIRPA method to work. Using Making it possible to Better understanding the Committee. Most divisions involved did indeed use the ASIRPA assessment method. the method on a regular basis develop more impactful mechanisms involved should Pierre-Benoît JOLY means these three steps will make it possible to develop INRA Versailles-Grignon be adapted to reflect lessons outcomes more impactful outcomes. learned, to improve processes, and to take into Research Director Science, account new issues as they arise. In your opinion, is it really possible Innovation, Society Laboratory (LISIS) to measure the impact of our research? Director of the Institute for Research Did this way of doing things seem Certainly. With ASIRPA, we have a number and Innovation in Society (IFRIS) revolutionary? of ways to measure research impacts. ASIRPA study coordinator Perhaps not revolutionary, but there were cer- What is important is to stop thinking in terms tainly many very innovative aspects involved. of single, one-dimensional assessment tools, We sought to go beyond many of the limits and set store to this ensemble of measures, to currently available methodologies, in which will not only make it possible to measure, particular methods where observed impacts are but also to amplify, their impact. 98 99 Annual Report The Institute INRA 2014

FOCUS ON… Institutional publications 2014

A report on plant intellectual property Ethics: a code of conduct, an oversight committee, and a delegate Keenly aware of its responsibility towards society, INRA has adopted a Code of Conduct to provide clear guidelines to all staff members to ensure their work serves the common good.

INRA provides all staff with guidelines on ethics to ensure that everyone, in their duties and work, may share In November, a working the same goal of serving the common good in an impartial and exemplary way. INRA adopted a Code of Conduct group,convened by in 2013, which was widely circulated in 2014, that provides an overview and the principles to which all staff members make a personal commitment in the work they carry out. the Scientific Advisory The Code of Conduct is part of an ongoing process to improve professional practices. The Code was put forward Board in 2011, by INRA’s Management Board and applies to all staff members, including those on temporary work contracts. presented the results Indeed, the Institute is committed to making all employees aware of ethical guidelines. The code of conduct is based on a set of laws, regulations, and institutional guidelines to govern the professional activity of all staff. of its investigations on Major texts serving as the basis for INRA’s Code of Conduct include: France’s Law No. 83-634 amended intellectual property (IP) 13 July 1983 on the rights and responsibilities of civil servants; the Code of Research; the Code of Education; in plants. the European Charter for Researchers (11 March 2005); and the Singapore Statement on Research Integrity (2010). The Code is designed to foster a sense of responsibility in all employees. In implementing the Code of Conduct across the board, working group investigated the various intellectual property (IP) systems for plants and how they have changed both at individual and collective levels, INRA continues to work toward strengthening the bond of trust between the Institute and society. over time. The objective was to combine two approaches to develop a holistic picture of positions and practices An ethics oversight committee has been established at management level to hear the concerns of staff members and work groups, in this area. To this end, a study was sent to INRA staff members (174 questionnaires analysed) on their patent- and to respond to external concerns. The committee participated in drafting the Code of Conduct. It works to raise awareness, train, A and monitor scientific integrity over the course of one’s career. filing practices. A series of interviews (34 in total), were also conducted with a variety of stakeholders. The report is the culmination of the working group’s efforts to summarise these elements. The report’s primary objective is to stimulate In 2014, INRA established the post of Ethics Delegate. Pierre-Henri Duée, former President of INRA Versailles-Grignon and member thought and discussion on a number of findings and recommendations with regard to issues INRA faces in defining of INRA’s internal audit committee, was appointed to the role. the most appropriate IP systems for its work and how this should be implemented. Over the course of the survey and the interviews, it became clear that diversity in INRA’s partnership arrangements leads to diverse views in deciding what is public and should be published in journals on one hand, and what might be considered IP (in a non-systematic, exclusive way) on the other. Studying a culture of innovation As a result, the working group recommended that research be carried out at INRA to measure the effectiveness of two A report on the engineering careers involved in partnership-driven innovation was published legal protection systems (plant breeders’ rights (PBR) and patents). It also recommended that the genetic progress and disseminated. achieved in partnership with farmers be better measured and integrated in all productions systems in order to identify the most appropriate protection methods. The group felt that a larger-scale debate was needed within INRA to explore A committee of eight people set the scope of their work by first defining what was meant by “innovation” at INRA. They determined that their what can and cannot be patented for plants (invention versus discovery, genes, varieties, etc.). work would not cover innovation in its entirety at INRA but rather focus on engineers – although they are not the only sources of innovation at the Institute – and on innovation driven by external relationships – although internal drivers of innovation also exist. The report was presented Working group members: Hélène Barbier-Brygoo, Yves Chilliard, Jean-Louis Durand, Taline Elmayan, to the Management Board in December 2012, then to division heads in 2013. The final report was published and disseminated in Spring 2014. Isabelle Goldringer, John Porter. To conduct this mission, Philippe Chemineau worked with a team which called on 40 stakeholders from within and outside the Institute. The general consensus was that, in comparison to other targeted research organisations, the culture of innovation is not sufficiently developed at INRA. While lacking concrete figures to quantify this claim, it would seem that INRA has a dearth of engineers involved in innovation driven by our external partners. The primary conclusions of the report recommended actions whose scope extend beyond engineering careers. Proposals were made to strengthen the importance of innovation in INRA’s efforts to develop a culture of innovation, to implement a national innovation policy for INRA to create conducive institutional conditions thereto, and to specify the role of engineers in these policies.

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