Editorial

Philippe Simoneau,
Former Head of FRS Quasav,
Scientific coordinator of Objectif Végétal program

 

 

The regional  program «  Objectif Végétal , Research, Education & Innovation in Pays de la Loire » (2014-2019) aims to raise the regional center to an european excellence center for horticulture and seed production by 2020.

The program is implemented by the local teaching and research institutions of the Federative Research Structure Plant QUality and Health (QUASAV) along with the French cluster VEGEPOLYS in order to reinforce the synergies between research and innovation.

This letter aims to highlight the main results and projects from the research teams as well as the opportunities for companies to collaborate with the laboratories.

This first issue of this letter shows the increasing involvement of the researchers of Pays de la Loire in the development of biocontrol solutions as evidenced by the recent funding by the ANR of the LabCom ESTIM project .

Alternative techniques for plant protection are much awaitedawaited by the legislators and consumers. The researchers are aware that substantial work is needed to provide the professionals with new insights that will allow a decrease in the use of conventional crop protection products.