Agronomy (Agronomie)
February 11 2022UMR (Joint Research Unit) AgroParisTech, INRAE
General scientific orientation
The work of the Agronomy joint research unit contributes to the generation of new knowledge and the development of methods for the design and evaluation of more sustainable cropping systems. It aims, in particular, to develop cropping systems to meet different objectives : reducing dependence on synthetic inputs, reducing negative environmental impact, providing satisfactory economic profitability, decreasing the use of fossil fuels and allowing the production of diverse goods.
The unit achieves these aims by analyzing the processes of biological regulation, developing methods and tools for the design and evaluation of innovative cropping systems, analyzing the relationships between the spatial organization of cropping systems and pests, and evaluating the overall performance of cropping systems.
The work of the unit is based on an analysis of current and past cropping systems and on the design of new cropping systems. Studies are carried out at diverse levels : plot, small region, country and world.
Fields of research
The unit consists of a single team with activities focusing on three scientific themes :
- Analysis, at plot level, of the relationships between cropping systems, biodiversity and ecosystem services
- Analysis and modeling, at landscape level, of the relationships between cropping systems, uncultivated habitats, pests and auxiliary insects
- Evaluation of biological control methods (from the introduction of new exogenous organisms to biological control through conservation) and the modification of cropping systems for their inclusion
- Evaluation of the benefits of increasing cultivated biodiversity and, in this framework, the development of tools to guide the choice of species to combine with crops
- Identification and evaluation of the cropping systems in use in France
- Development of methods and tools for the design of appropriate cropping systems to satisfy new needs in agriculture, with the involvement of the actors concerned, at various scales (plot, catchment, small region)
- Development of tools for ex ante multicriteria evaluation, suitable for use by the stakeholders concerned
- Development and evaluation of innovative technical solutions and cropping systems to meet diverse objectives
- Development of tools for evaluating diverse traits in the available varieties, to facilitate the choice of the most suitable variety for a particular cropping context and
technical itinerary - Development of methods and tools for the design of varietal ideotypes adapted to future cropping systems and climatic conditions
- Evaluation, at the global scale, of the performance and impact of current and future world cropping systems
- Use of models and data to analyze yield variability and the risks of losses due to extreme climatic events
- Performance of meta-analyses for the generation of synthetic overviews of what is known about cropping systems at the global scale
- Analysis of the consequences of climate change for agricultural production