SUPPORT OF THE RESEARCH TO HORTICULTURE IN FRANCE

Public research, National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), National Institute for Agronomical Research (INRA), Universities and Higher Education in Agronomy and Horticulture bring direct support to the efforts of research carried out within Establishments as well as by the horticultural trade.

As regards INRA, it is comparatively easy to list the teams working on themes related to horticulture. Out of the two thousand INRA researchers, thirty work full time. INRA devotes two per cent of its research potential to ornamental horticulture (by comparison wheat and straw cereals : 1.5 %).

Three research purposes have priority :

• crops diversification,
• rationalization of production methods and energy saving : metabolism and plant production ; organogenesis and development physiology,
• plant protection : etiology and epidiomology ; diagnosis ; new strategy in crop protection ; seed and healthy plant production by sanitary selection ; selection for pest and disease resistance ; definition of dietetics and general hygiene of protected and nursery crops.

Scientific life can no longer be viewed on a national scale and requires an important contribution at every international authority whose duty is to facilitate exchanges on behalf of men and science. Among these authorities, the ISHS working groups prove to be the most efficient ones, since they gather, in a very fraternal way, all those who work on the same research themes.

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