Legumes, Crop Ecophysiology, Agroecology (USC LEVA)

Overview

RESEARCH TOPICS TEAM AND ORGANISATION FACILITIES KEY WORDS

LEVA’s scientists have expertise in agronomy, crop ecophysiology, soil biology and statistics. Their research aims to mobilise biotic interactions for the design and management of intercrops including one or several legume species, in order to conceive low input cropping systems better adapted to global changes.

Mission and objectives

In the context of the agro-ecological transition and climate change, LEVA aims to contribute to the production, communication and dissemination of scientific knowledge, and to support advisors and farmers.

LEVA’s research focuses on annual crops, and takes place at different levels:

Interactions between intercropped plant species within the plant(s)-soil system, related to the management of nitrogen and light resources
Managing intercrops designed to enhance the ecological functions of legumes for providing ecosystem services, in line with farmers’ objectives (yield, crop quality, nitrogen management and soil fertility, weed control, etc.).
Designing innovative spatio-temporal arrangements for building up diversified legume-rich and low-input cropping systems.

Research

LEVA’s research takes place within the framework of the agro-ecological transition, climate change, and the increasing need for protein-rich crops. It mainly focuses on intercropping legumes with another crop for improving the sustainability and nitrogen efficiency of innovative cropping systems. The LEVA team investigates how intercropping with legumes can help manage the trade-offs between services through the choice of species and genotypes, and also by combining these factors with spatial arrangements and practices in contrasting abiotic contexts. Based on a functional approach, LEVA’s research takes into account the challenge of achieving the ecosystem services linked to symbiotic fixation in the context of reduction of herbicides, as legumes are sensitive to weeds.

This work aims to guide the design of intercrops including legumes according to local contexts, and meeting farmers’ goals.

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Our multidisciplinary team has expertise in:

Field and cropping system agronomy, agro-ecology, functional ecology (soil fauna, plant ecology), plant physiology, statistics;

Ecophysiology of legumes, measurement of nitrogen fluxes in the atmosphere-plant-soil continuum (atmospheric nitrogen fixation and rhizodeposition), isotopic methods, root growth monitoring, etc.
Design and management of intercrops including legumes, in relation to different production objectives (yield, crop quality, weed control, soil fertility, etc.), in contrasting abiotic environments.

Innovative cropping systems for protein production, less nitrogen fertilizers, herbicides and greenhouse gas emissions, more resilient to drought, and adapted to future challenges.

LEVA carries out experiments in climatic chambers, greenhouses and in the field, and adapts models to intercrops functionning. The team also participates with other labs in the development of methods and tools for evaluating innovative cropping systems (multicriteria analyses, life cycle analyses and indicators of soil biological activity).

The LEVA research unit has, among other things

a greenhouse and a climate chamber

a van fitted out as a laboratory with equipment for in situ measurements and sampling in fields with contrasting agronomic conditions, at technical partners’ and farmers’ sites
equipment for collecting soil samples
a near-infrared Fourier transform spectrometer
an oximeter
a nitrogen residue analysis system (continuous flow)
a fibre analyser
mills
incubators

a threshing machine

The LEVA works in partnership with PLATIN’ isotope analysis (Caen) and facilities of the SFR QUASAV. For field trials, LEVA has built a partnership with the Thorigné d’Anjou experimental farm and the FNAMS.

LEVA is located on two sites: at ESA (55 rue Rabelais, Angers) and on the Campus du Végétal (42 rue Georges Morel, Beaucouzé).

Overview

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