Sensor and sensing system of a liquid on a leaf

Patent : FR2753272

Read the patent on the National Institute of Industrial Property website (Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle; only french version available)

Microdochium dimerum, biological control agent for the protection of greenhouse tomatoes against Botrytis cinerea

Studies in the mycology laboratory of our plant pathology research unit had shown the efficiency of a strain of the fungus Microdochium dimerum in protecting pruning wounds on tomato plants against gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea under greenhouses. INRA has granted the company Agrauxine an operating license for the Microdochium dimerum strain so that it can develop and market an effective product, AntiBot, that will be accessible to the largest number of producers.

PLATANOR® Vallis clausa, a plane tree variety resistant to canker stain

Control measures for the disease have focused on genetic breeding of plane trees to produce trees resistant to canker stain. Sources of resistance have been identified in the USA. Their introduction resulted in the selection of the resistant plane variety Platanor Vallis Clausa (bred jointly by INRA / Nurseries ROUY Imbert) by controlled crosses between Platanus occidentalis resistant to canker stain and Platanus orientalis adapted to our climate. This new variety presents all the ornamental characteristics of the common plane .The Rouy-Imbert Nurseries holds exclusive worldwide rights to varieties in the PLATANOR® range.

• See also the web page to see our research  "Canker stain of plane tree")

Biological materials

As part of its research activities, each laboratory unit managed (maintenance and enrichment) collections of bacteria (Pseudomonas syringae), fungi (Botrytis cinerea) and viruses. Within each collection, there are "reference strains", defined by biological properties and molecularly characterized.

Diagnostic tools for plant pathogens

Knowledge of viruses has conducted the virology laboratory to develop 15 diagnostic kits to detect viruses of the major vegetable crops. A grant license for commercial applications was signed with the company SEDIAG which sell these kits since almost 20 years. Two new kits were commercialized since 2006 (detection of the Beet pseudo yellows virus (BPYV) and Cucurbit aphid borne yellows virus (CABYV)). More recently, new kits were performed to detect the Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) and the Cucumber vein yellowing virus (CVYV). Sold by the SEDIAG compagny, they are the only available kits to detect these two viruses.

• ELISA assays used for routine diagnosis of two viruses, the genus Crinivirus, Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) and Tomato infectious chlorosis virus (TICV)

These two viruses have emerged recently in tomato crops under shelter in southern France. Only one molecular test targeting a protein highly conserved in the genus [protein homologous to a heat shock protein (HSP)], was available for these viruses. Researchers at the virology team have established the sequence of a fragment of the 4kb ARN2 of each virus, providing access to one of their capsid protein (CP).

• Test for simultaneous TICV and ToCV by RT-PCR in one step

Jacquemond, M., Verdin, E., Dalmon, A., Guilbaud, L., and Gognalons, P. 2009. Serological and molecular detection of tomato chlorosis virus and tomato infectious chlorosis virus in tomato. Plant Pathology 58: 210-220. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3059.2008.01959.x

• Quantitative and performance test (real-time PCR) for detection of of the stolbur phytoplasma, transmitted by leafhoppers Hyalesthes obsoletus

This phytoplasma is responsible for the decline of lavender for several decades, a disease whose a increasing extent, particularly since 2003. This diagnostic test allows to:
- improve the certification of healthy plants,
- understand better the etiology and epidemiology of dying
- to characterize the phenomenon of tolerance observed in some varieties of Lavandula spp.