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Apple: a very high quality genome obtained

An international consortium led by INRA and involving research scientists in France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and South Africa, has been able to obtain a very high quality apple genome by combining the most recent DNA sequencing technologies with classic mapping methods. Their findings provide scientists an unprecedented view of the composition and evolution of a tree genome, and offers new perspectives for the creation of new varieties, notably in order to reduce pesticide use. These results are published in Nature Genetics on 5 June 2017.

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Resilience of sessile oak to climatic variations in Europe

INRA researchers working with the France’s national forestry bureau, or ONF, and European partners have shown that sessile oak (Quercus petraea) is very resistant to climatic variations (temperatures and precipitation). This overall resilience nevertheless belies differential responses between populations according to their origin. In response to future climate change, the survival and growth of southern populations will be significantly more affected than those native to northern Europe. The findings have recently been published in the journal Global Change Biology.

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Winter colony survival: flowering catch crops and natural wooded habitats improve honeybee health

A study that brought together INRA, ACTA and ITSAP-Institute de l’abeille investigated the physiological mechanisms involved in overwintering survival in honeybees. Researchers demonstrated that vitellogenin, a protein with antioxidant properties, is associated with a 30% increase in the probability of overwintering survival. The quality of the environment where bees prepare for winter is a factor affecting the production of vitellogenin. Flowering catch crops planted by farmers in autumn and natural habitat–derived resources favour its production.

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Reducing pesticide use in agriculture without lowering productivity

As part of the DEPHY-Ferme network, a major component of the French government’s EcoPhyto plan to reduce and improve plant protection product use, researchers from INRA working with the company Agrosolutions examined the relationship between pesticide use and cropping system performances¹ in terms of productivity and profitability. The results, published in Nature Plants on 27 February 2017, show that pesticide use can be significantly reduced without lowering yields or economic performances at farm level if substantial changes in farming practices are adopted. However, implementing new practices is not necessarily easy and farmers need guidance in doing so.

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Asthma: a "health" effect of lung bacteria demonstrated for the first time

INRA scientists*, working in collaboration with their colleagues from Ghent University (Belgium) have revealed for the first time that certain bacteria in the lungs may be associated with beneficial or harmful effects on asthma. This work, published in The ISME Journal on 3 January 2017, shows that the microbial community present in the lungs (pulmonary microbiota) constitutes an as yet unexplored source of bacteria, or substances produced by bacteria, which could attenuate certain respiratory diseases such as asthma.

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Conflicts of interest and publications on GM Bt crops

Three INRA researchers have analyzed the scientific literature on the efficacy or durability of Bt transgenic plants in terms of the possible link of interest between this research and the biotechnology industries. They publish their results in the journal PLOS ONE of 15 December 2016. They show that 40% of the publications studied present a financial conflict of interest¹. More importantly, the findings of these publications are more often favorable to the interests of the seed industries in the presence than in the absence of conflicts of interest. This general trend is also true at the level of the researcher.

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