Evaluating the resistance of varieties listed in France: promoting plant health by helping to reduce the use of phytosanitary products
Pests (diseases, insects or weeds) are living organisms that can cause the following damage to crops :
- Yield loss due to disease or competition from weeds,
- loss of visual or technological qualities of the product,
- conservation problems,
- toxicity hazards,
- harvesting difficulties.
One of the levers to reduce this damage is to use resistant varieties. In order to promote such varieties, resistance to pests and pathogens is taken into account when applying for national listing, for both VCUS and DUS studies. For this purpose, specific trials and laboratory tests are carried out and GEVES has acquired solid expertise in resistance assessment methods and knowledge of pathosystems.
In addition, to encourage the use of varieties that provide resistance to pests and diseases or to lodging, the Certificate of Economy for Plant Protection Products (CEPP) scheme includes several actions (reducing phytosanitary treatments through the use of resistant varieties, mixing of varieties, association of companion plants, etc.).
The fact sheet on the use of winter barley for resistance to pests, pathogens and lodging was released last week.
