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Combining wheat with multi-species prairie strips reduces the development of Septoria tritici blotch
No full textInternational audienc
Pedoclimatic, knowledge and management factors drive European soybean and faba bean yields
No full textInternational audienceThe low usage of grain legumes in European cropping systems is often attributed to yield gaps due to limiting pedoclimatic conditions, sub-optimal management practices, and farmers' limited experience and knowledge in growing these crops. The relative contributions of these factors to current grain legume yield gaps at European scale and, in particular, the difference between yields achieved by experienced farmers and those achieved by novices remain unknown. We therefore explored the relationship between yields and these different factors, to identify areas where farmers require more support to close the yield gaps in grain legume production. To this purpose, we conducted a large-scale online farmer survey in nine European countries with a focus on soybean and faba bean. For both crops, classification and regression tree analysis identified country of production as the primary explanatory variable of yield variation and confirmed the hypothesis that greater experience and knowledge is associated with higher yields. However, the effect of several factors differed between the crops, showing the need for legume-specific strategies. Experience and knowledge were particularly important for soybean, although also relevant for faba bean in low-yielding environments. Other important factors identified to determine yield for soybean included farm specialization, agroclimatic zone, the number of years growing grain legumes and the size of farmland, while for faba bean these important factors were pest management and perceived soil fertility. Farmers highlighted drought, weed infestation, and soil characteristics as having critical impacts on yields for both crops, as well as inoculation and irrigation for soybean. Both soybean and faba bean growers emphasized the need for more information on plant protection and cultivar selection. The results indicate the potential to increase legume yields by supporting farmers in the first years of growing grain legumes, especially for crops that have a shorter history in Europe such as soybean
Stakeholder perspectives on pondscapes: a multinational analysis using storylines and the Nature Futures Framework
No full textInternational audiencePonds and pondscapes are crucial habitats for biodiversity and provide significant ecosystem services and socio-cultural benefits. However, effective management of these habitats requires an in-depth evaluation of how stakeholders perceive them and interact with them. This study aims to explore stakeholder relationships with their local ponds and pondscapes to better understand their interactions, expectations, concerns, and perspectives, ultimately informing more effective conservation and management strategies. Using stakeholder storylines and the Nature Futures Framework (NFF), we analyzed data gathered from participatory workshops in eight countries (United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, and Uruguay). Thematic analysis was performed to identify key themes regarding stakeholders’ interactions, conservation expectations, climate change concerns, and management preferences related to local ponds and pondscapes across different countries. In addition, descriptive analysis was used to assess the different values that stakeholders assigned to ponds, including their ecological, cultural, and socio-economic significance. Our findings reveal a multifaceted relationship between stakeholders and pondscapes, deeply influenced by local socio-ecological contexts, including cultural heritage, biodiversity, recreation, and climate change concerns. Despite regional differences, stakeholders universally acknowledged the urgent need for sustainable conservation practices, envisioning future pondscapes that are resilient to climate change, rich in biodiversity, and capable of supporting diverse ecological and societal functions. Our study underscores the importance of integrating diverse stakeholder perspectives into pondscape management to foster more context-sensitive and sustainable conservation efforts that safeguard these vital habitats worldwide
Role of Illumination and Light Colour Temperature in the Preference Behaviour of Weaned Piglets
No full textInternational audienceLight plays an important role in the behaviour, health and productivity of livestock. While the effects of day length on pigs-particularly in the context of reproduction-have been studied, little is known about how light intensity and colour temperature influence their behaviour. In this study, the impact of different brightness levels (80 lux and ~0 lux) and two-colour temperatures (bluish light at 6500 Kelvin and reddish light at 3000 Kelvin) was examined. The piglets were free to move between the different lighting conditions and were continuously observed by cameras, with their behaviour analysed afterwards. Initially, piglets in the first batch preferred darkened areas, whereas, in batch two, they stayed in the illuminated pens, especially when the colour temperature was 3000 Kelvin. However, this changed as the animals grew older, with the piglets' preference shifting towards the darker areas until, by the end of the study, no clear preference could be detected. While the darkened areas remained largely clean, the area with the 6500 Kelvin colour temperature was more frequently soiled with faeces. These findings suggest that pigs respond to different lighting conditions and may benefit from lighting concepts aligned with their natural behaviour. This knowledge can help improve both animal welfare and the design of pig housing in swine production
Multiple agroecological practices use and climate change mitigation. A review
No full textInternational audienceAgriculture is increasingly affected by climate change but is also a significant contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This global study aims to find evidence on the impact of agroecological practices on climate change mitigation, namely GHG emissions (CO 2 , N 2 O, and CH 4 ) and carbon sequestration. We used a rapid review methodology, screening more than 16,000 publications to retrieve evidence on the implementation of multiple agroecological practices on climate mitigation, for which a knowledge gap exists. We addressed the positive, negative, and inconclusive effects of agroecological multipractices on climate change mitigation as compared to conventional counterparts. The results of the review indicate that (1) multiple agroecological practices are often associated with statistically significant positive climate change mitigation outcomes across the broad range of evaluated metrics (46% positive, 13% negative, <1% inconclusive outcomes). For all four metric types, there were always more positive than negative outcomes. (2) Within GHG emissions, the highest share of positive outcomes was for CO 2 with 0.69 followed by N 2 O (0.67). For carbon stock, positive significant results dominated with 70%, whereas significant negative outcomes were reported for only 7%. (3) For 28% of all metrics, no statistical tests were used or not applied for the combination of practices, resulting in 57% positive, 31% negative, and 11% inconclusive outcomes. (4) A general trend with more positive outcomes with increasing number of agroecological practices was found for carbon sequestration but not for GHG emissions metrics. (5) The majority of studies focused on arable systems, where many metrics showed positive outcomes in particular for carbon sequestration; however, a considerable number of negative outcomes were found for CO 2 and CH 4 emissions, particularly in rice. Although the results of this review show more positive outcomes with multiple agroecological practices, there are trade-offs, e.g., between carbon sequestration (positive effect) and GHG emissions (negative effect)
Indicators for animal health on agroecological dairy farms in mountain areas
No full textInternational audienceAgroecological grassland-based dairy systems represent a way to improve the sustainability of livestock farming, while meeting the increasing food needs of the world population. Agroecology aims to improve the interactions between plants, animals, humans, environment, enhancing their overall health. However, knowledge about animal health in agroecology is scarce. This research provides a list of indicators to assess animal health, basing on two reference protocols: Herd Medicine of Dairy Farms and Welfare Quality. 11 agroecological grassland-based dairy cow farms in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (France) were monitored for two years, conducting four on-site samplings on different domains of animal health: nutrition, housing, individual health, herd health, behaviour, production, reproduction. A Principal Component Analysis was computed on animal health measurements, selecting seven indicators: Body Condition Score, Cleanliness, Integument Alterations, Veterinary Interventions, Qualitative Behaviour Assessment, Somatic Cell Count, Calving Interval. The eleven farms achieved good scores for all the indicators, especially concerning BCS, Integument Alterations, and Cleanliness. Calving Interval and SCC scores were similar to findings from other studies. No previous references were found for Veterinary Interventions and QBA. A second PCA was computed integrating the seven indicators with illustrative variables concerning farm management. It emerged that bigger farms, having higher Utilised Agricultural Area and lactating cows, experienced higher milk production and greater utilisation of concentrate feed. These farms adopted a shorter calving interval, lower veterinary interventions and were characterised by lower scores of correct BCS. Future implications of the study would concern its enlargement to a wider sample of farms, and to different geographical areas
Efficient generation of germline chimeras in a non-rodent species using rabbit induced pluripotent stem cells
No full textInternational audiencePluripotent stem cells have long been used to produce knockout mice via germline chimera technology. However, aside from the rat, this approach has not been successfully applied to other mammals. Here, we demonstrate that rabbit induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be reprogrammed using KLF2, ERAS and PRMT6, enabling them to efficiently colonize embryos. These chimeric embryos can develop into fetuses and newborn rabbits, with iPSCs contributing up to 100 % to certain organs. Notably, female rabbits generated through this method are healthy and transmit the iPSC genome to their offspring with a high efficiency, demonstrating germline chimerism. This advancement establishes a foundation for developing rabbit models of human disease with complex genetic traits
The role of light and vision in farmed ungulates and implications for their welfare
No full textInternational audienceUnderstanding the impact of light on, and how it is perceived by, farm animals is crucial for the design of appropriate, high-welfare housing and management conditions. By considering the animal’s visual needs and adaptive capabilities, future housing and management can allow them to better express their natural behavior. In the past, animal environments have been designed primarily to optimize production output and adjusted to human needs. This emphasis has changed toward a more animal-based focus. However, especially in farmed ungulates, there is still limited knowledge about the impact of light parameters on their physiology, performance, and behavior. This poses the risk of not appropriately assessing the importance of these abilities when the animals interact with their physical environment. Here, we provide an overview of the current state of research on the impact of light parameters on farmed ungulates and their preferences for light settings in the most common farmed ungulate species: pigs, sheep, goats, cattle and horses. We focus on three specific light parameters: photoperiod, illumination, and color. Secondly, we identify gaps of knowledge and emphasize their implications for animal welfare and potential improvement of current animal husbandry environments. There was considerable variation in the number of studies by species and light parameters. A large focus of studies looked at illumination in pigs and color perception in horses. Research on cattle, sheep and goats, seems to be underrepresented in the literature. From a human perspective, we tend to overestimate the importance of color perception and preference, whereas contrast discrimination in combination with illumination intensity and quality seems to be more relevant for ungulate orientation and interaction with their environment. Aside from the importance of other senses and their interaction with vision, we conclude that illumination and photoperiodicity seem to be most relevant for securing the welfare of farm ungulates. These aspects should therefore be given more consideration in indoor housing improvements. Future research emphasis should be given to preference testing studies, as they provide insights into the animals’ motivation for specific light conditions that may further improve their welfare, but also health and performance
Projet MARMITE – typologie des pratiques maraîchères vis-à-vis du travail du sol et des apports de matières organiques
No full textInternational audienceLe maraîchage est aujourd’hui le seul secteur agricole observant une augmentation de son nombre d’exploitations (+1000 entre 2010 et 2020) (Agreste, 2024). Ce secteur présente une importante diversité de systèmes, qui induit une forte diversité de pratiques agricoles, notamment concernant les apports de matières organiques (MO). Des changements sont aujourd’hui observés à travers des pratiques d’amendement et de fertilisation de plus en plus tournées vers des produits résiduaires organiques (PRO) (e.g. digestats, composts…). Par exemple, le Maraîchage sur Sol Vivant place les matières organiques au centre de la gestion de la fertilité afin d'améliorer la santé du sol. L'utilisation de ces MO est justifiée par leur contribution potentielle à la fertilité des sols en agissant sur les propriétés chimiques, physiques et biologiques. Néanmoins, l’apport de grandes quantités de PRO d'origines diverses soulève différents problèmes tels que le lessivage des micro et macro nutriments, des risques de contaminations (in)organiques à court ou moyen terme (Ruch et al, 2023) et des difficultés d'accès aux PRO pour les producteur.ice.s. Ces constats soulignent un besoin de connaissances sur les pratiques existantes, la disponibilité des produits résiduaires organiques à l’échelle d’un territoire donné, ainsi que leurs impacts sur la qualité des sols et la biodiversité. Dans ce contexte, le projet MARMITE (2024-2027) a pour ambition de caractériser et analyser différentes stratégies agronomiques dans des systèmes maraîchers vis-à-vis de l’intégration de MO et de travail du sol. A travers une enquête en ligne menée à l’échelle nationale auprès de producteur.ice.s représentant tous les types de systèmes maraîchers / légumiers, notre étude vise à documenter pourquoi et comment ces MO sont utilisées au niveau d'exploitations et peuvent être mobilisées à l’échelle du territoire. Cette enquête nationale est structurée autour de 7 grandes catégories (données générales sur la ferme, mécanisation et travail du sol, gestion des matières organiques et fertilisation, emploi, diversité cultivée, gestion des ravageurs et adventices, commercialisation). Elle est menée depuis février jusqu’au printemps. L’objectif de cette contribution sera de présenter les premiers résultats obtenus par l’analyse statistique des résultats du questionnaire. Il en ressortira les grands types d’exploitations maraîchères en fonction notamment des pratiques de travail du sol et d’apports de matières organiques
Enhancing plant disease resistance through intra and interspecific diversification
No full textInternational audienceAgricultural intensification has led to a significant reduction in cultivated biodiversity, with global food production increasingly dependent on a limited number of species. This trend has contributed to climate change, biodiversity loss, and human health concerns. One major consequence of crop genetic homogenization is the increased vulnerability of agricultural systems to pests, diseases, and weeds at both field and landscape levels. In contrast, diversification has emerged as a promising strategy for sustainable, pesticide-free agriculture by enhancing resilience and stability. At the national scale, diversification broadens crop variety, while at the farm level, techniques such as extended crop rotations, cover cropping, intercropping, and cultivar mixtures improve pest and disease control.The French collaborative project MoBiDiv explores the role of diversification in influencing the establishment and evolution of plant diseases, pests, and weeds. Specifically, we aim to assess how diversification enhances the durability of disease resistance and alters disease susceptibility within mixed cropping systems. Additionally, we seek to determine whether intra-plot diversification drives genetic co-selection between interacting plants.To evaluate the impact of intercropping on fungal disease incidence, we conducted field trials using two intercropping systems: (i) wheat-perennial prairie, and (ii) wheat-pea. Disease assessments focused on key fungal pathogens, including septoria tritici blotch in wheat, and anthracnosis in pea. Our findings demonstrated that intercropping effectively reduced disease severity, particularly in anthracnosis affecting pea. However, no significant effect was observed on wheat fungal diseases in the wheat-pea system, while septoria incidence was lower in wheat intercropped with prairie. This highlights the potential of certain intercropping combinations in mitigating specific disease pressures.To further investigate the genetic mechanisms underlying these effects, we analyzed potential co-selection between plants that might influence susceptibility to fungal diseases in wheat intraspecific mixtures. We conducted the first co-Genome Wide Association Study (co-GWAS) between two interacting plants and tested whether loci involved in inter-individual interactions exhibited signatures of selection. We calculated Tajima’s D values to detect selection traces, expecting co-selected loci to show more negative values than control regions. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) was also assessed between interacting loci, hypothesizing that co-selected regions would exhibit high r² values. Finally, we compared intra- and inter-subgenome interactions, postulating that co-selection would primarily occur within sub-genomes in ancestral wheat lines predating polyploidization. Our analyses did not detect clear evidence of co-selection. This suggests that intra-plot diversification influences disease suppression primarily through eco-physiological mechanisms rather than co-evolutionary genetic adaptation. Understanding the impact of these underlying mechanisms on disease reduction is important to optimize diversification strategies and resistance management