labex europe embrapa 10 years les dossiers d'agropolis internatinal

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Numro 15

From Brazil to Europe:10 years of Labex Program,EMBRAPAs laboratory without walls

Number 15


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Agropolis International brings together institutionsof research and higher education in Montpellierand Languedoc-Roussillon in partnership with localcommunities, companies and regional enterprises and inclose cooperation with international institutions.

Agropolis is an international campus devoted toagricultural and environmental sciences. There is significantpotential for scientific and technological expertise: morethan 2 300 scientists and lecturers in over 80 researchunits in Montpellier and Languedoc-Roussillon, including400 scientists conducting research in 60 countries.Agropolis International is structured according to abroad range of research themes corresponding to theoverall scientific, technological and economic issues ofdevelopment.

Agropolis International promotes the capitalisationand enhancement of knowledge, personnel trainingand technology transfer. It is a hub for visitors andinternational exchanges, while promoting initiatives basedon multilateral and collective expertise and contributingto the scientific and technological knowledge needed forpreparing development policies.

Further information:p. 42-43 & www.agropolis.org

AGROPOLISINTERNATIONAL

Research at the serviceof Brazilian agricultural development

EMBRAPA

EMBRAPA (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuria),the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, linked tothe ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, has themissions of 'providing technological solutions for sustainableagricultural development in Brazil to the benefit of theBrazilian society'.

Founded in 1973, it has thus developed thousands oftechnologies of use in Brazilian agriculture, reducedproduction costs and helped Brazil to increase its foodsecurity while conserving natural resources and theenvironment.

With more than 9500 employees including more than2400 research scientists, Embrapa has built up a network of42 research centers, 5 service centers and 15 central divisions.

Present in all the Brazilian states, it additionally serves as alink between the institutions that are part of the nationalagricultural research system.

Embrapa is also involved in numerous internationalcooperation projects, in particular through the virtuallaboratories abroad, 'Labex' (today in the United States,Europe and Asia), and thanks to technological transfer officesin Africa and Latin America.

Further information:p. 11-12 & www.embrapa.br and www.agricultura.gov.br

agriculture food biodiversity environment

Maylena Clecia/Linkimagem

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Building scientificpartnerships today:

EMBRAPA's Labex Program

in Europe and over the worldPartnership is an essential componentof research today. To say that no major

question can be settled by a single instituteis no novelty. Buiding up and managing

multilateral partnerships forms a difficult

operation requiring good knowledge ofcapacities and of the complementaryfeatures of those involved. It can be

optimised, however, by sending experiencedscientists to work with partners with

the twin aim of sharing knowledge and

prospecting. Sharing knowledge, using theirown competences and making partners

discover those of the institutethat they represent. Prospecting, outside

the host team, to find new partnership

opportunities within their field ofcompetences that are relevant for

the strategy of their institution.

Embrapa has implemented this strategy

through 'Labex', virtual laboratoriesabroad without walls (from Laboratrios no

Exterior, in Portuguese), in the United States,

Europe and more recently in Asia.

Senior scientists are posted to cutting-edgeteams to work two-thirds of their time onan ambitious project of joint interest. They

use the rest of the time for prospecting andfor seeking new opportunities. Information

flows from these Labex to Brazilianresearch institutes. After the first decade in

Europe, we can observe a strong increase in

collaborative projects.

This special Agropolis International Dossier

devoted to Partnership describes resultsand experiences of Labex-Europes 10 years

of functioning. Experiences that Embrapaand Agropolis International wish to share.

4EMBRAPAS Labex Program

10International scope of EMBRAPA

16Natural resource management

22Agrifood technologies

28Advanced biology and molecular

plant-microorganism interactions

38Main publications

42Agropolis International

Qrcode + validit dossier

44Agropolis Fondation

46Acronyms and abbreviations

On the cover Lygia Akemi/EMBRAPAThe information presented in this Dossier was valid on 01/08/2012.

45An Argentinian LabIntex

set up at Agropolis International

45Prospects of the EMBRAPA Labex Program

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Dan

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EMBRAPA

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EMBRAPAS Labex ProgramLabex-Europe is now 10 years old, so it is time to learn from and share this unique international scientific

cooperation experience.

n the late 1990s, EMBRAPAexplored a new partnershipconcept, i.e. the laboratory

without walls or externallaboratory (Labex), with FranciscoReifschneider, Eliseu Alves andAlberto Portugal being the mainarchitects.

Senior researchers are posted for2-4 years in top-notch researchlaboratories abroad to fosterexchange of their experience withother researchers. The ultimate aim

is to generate new knowledge thatwill serve to develop innovativetechnologies for tropical agriculture.They join a high-level team andcollaborate in a joint researchproject that will serve to create aresearch cluster through Brazilianand European scientific networks.

(28 research and higher educationestablishments) hosted in theAgropolis International facilities inMontpellier, France. Labex-Europe

was inaugurated in 2002. Labex hasalso set up offices in other regionsof the world (South Korea in 2009,China in 2012).

* United States Department of Agriculture, AgriculturalResearch Service.

These researchers must also devotea third of their time to exploratoryactivities (scientific monitoring,visits, participation in conferences,etc.) and to information activitiesgeared towards coordination andsupervision of the program.

Four years after the first Labexwas set up in the United States in1998 (in collaboration with USDA-ARS*), a second one was launchedin Europe. The French researchcenters CIRAD (Agricultural

Research for Development), INRA(Institut National de la RechercheAgronomique) and IRD (Institut deRecherche pour le dveloppement)mandated Agropolis Internationalto sign an agreement betweenEMBRAPA and the regional multi-institutional consortium

I

The idea emerged from Brazil.

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Ana

Viegas/

EMBRAPA

EMBRAPAS Labex Program

Brazil is now the main scientific partner of the Montpellier

agroenvironment cluster, in which one research unit in four isinvolved in an ongoing cooperation with one or more Brazilian

research and training institution. In this setting, the Labex-EuropeProgram is an instrument to pave the way to new synergies

for the scientific teams. The presence of experienced Brazilianresearchers and network leaders, who are highly familiar with the

Brazilian research system, is a direct and high quality source ofinformation.

Joint interest projects are proposed by hosted Brazilian researchers.These projects were found to be excellent contributions as

these scientists are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the

stakeholders in both countries. The established collaborationsare ongoing and even being diversified. The Labex Program is thusan instrument for the strengthening and diversification

of established partnerships but especially an opening towardscollaborations with excellence research teams. One of the tangible

results is the creation of the International Advanced Biology

Consortium (CIBA, p.36), which pools Brazilian and French partnersfor the purpose of improving plants of interest for tropical and

Mediterranean agriculture. Labex is therefore also a complementto standard cooperation tools. Although virtual communication,

with all of its advantages, is now omnipresent, joint work as part ofa team within the same laboratory can bind links of a completely

different type.

A successfulpartnership experience

Based on the work started by researchers of the Labex-

Europe Program, EMBRAPA is now developing thisstrategic partnership model not only in France but also in

other European countries, especially England (Rothamsted

Research Station, p. 34-35) and Germany (Julich Institute,p. 13). A Labex researcher was hosted in the Netherlands(Wageningen University, p. 32) for 4 years and other hostcountries are targeted in the future.

As EMBRAPAs Labex Program has been efficient in one

direction, it could also operate well in the otherthis is

the aim of the Inverse Labex project, tested by foreignsenior researchers in EMBRAPA research centers in Brazil.

In addition to the many IRD and CIRAD researchersposted in various EMBRAPA centers in Brazil, a Korean

RDA researcher, two ARS/USDA researchers and an

English researcher from the Rothamsted Research Station,associated with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences

Research Council (p. 35), have been hosted in differentlaboratories. Soon, a German researcher from JulichInstitute (p. 13) may come to an EMBRAPA research centreas well. The Brazilian Labex model has also inspired othercountries: in March 2012, Agropolis International signed

a partnership agreement with INTA (Instituto Nacionalde Tecnologa Agropecuaria) in Buenos Aires to host thefirst LabIntex offices in Montpellier, which is based on

EMBRAPAs Labex Program (p. 45).

Pedro Arcuri (EMBRAPA, Brazil), Yves Savidan (IRD, France)& Paula Dias (Agropolis International, France)

A model that can be used for other partnershipsin Montpellier, Europe and elsewhere

WEWANTOUREMBRAPARESEARCHERS, ANDNOTJUSTOURSTUDENTS,TO RUBSHOULDERS WITHLEADINGTOP-NOTCHSCIENTIFICRESEARCHTEAMS

INPROGRAMSTHATAREATTHECUTTING-EDGE, EACHINITSSPECIFICFIELD,ASREGARDSNEWTECHNOLOGIESANDINNOVATION.

Eliseu Alves & Francisco Reifschneider (EMBRAPA)

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Some key dates in the historyof EMBRAPAs Labex Program 99 Page number

Color refers to chapter

LEGEND

2010 - 2013Genomics, plant biotechnology andmolecular plant-microorganisminteractionsFunctional genomicanalysis of interactions betweenMycosphaerella graminicola and wheat(Alexandre Amaral)

34

1998Beginning of

EMBRAPAs LabexProgramFirst

laboratory withoutwalls set up in the

United States

5

2002Inauguration of

EMBRAPAs Labex-Europe at Agropolis

International(Montpellier, France)

5

2002 - 2005Natural resourcemanagementSpectralreflectance used tomap soil properties(Jos Madeira)

18

Agrifood technologyNew sources of plantenzymes isolated fromBrazilian biomass(Regina Lago)

24

Plant genomics andbiotechnologyFunctional analysisof drought and salttolerance in rice(Ana Brasileiro)

302005 - 2008Agrifood technology

Possible alternatives tochemical methods for theconservation of minimallyprocessed plant products(Helosa Filgueiras)

25

2006Beginning of a Labex-Europe positionat WageningenUniversity(Netherlands)

32

2006 - 2010

Plant-microorganisminteractions.MusaForeverProgram(Manoel Souza)

32

2007 - 2009Natural resource

managementAssessment ofthe agroenvironmental impacts

of perennial crop basedfarming systems

(Geraldo Stachetti Rodrigues)

18

2008Founding of the International

Advanced Biology Consortium(CIBA)Franco-Brazilianscientific collaboration

36

2009Inauguration ofEMBRAPAs Labex-KoreaPartnership

with the RuralDevelopmentAdministration

12

2009 - 2011Agrifood technologyImpact of information and

innovations on consumerfood choices and on theirwillingness to pay(Rosires Deliza)

26

Agrifood technologyBacterial spore resistanceto thermal stress(Amauri Rosenthal)

27

2010Natural resourcemanagementDynamics ofrural areas based on landusechange interpretation(Margareth Simes)

20

2012Beginning of a Labex-Europeposition at Jlich Institute(Germany). Developmentof high throughput plantphenotyping methods(Paulo Herrmann Jr.)

13

2012Inauguration ofLabex-ChinaPartnership with theChinese Academy ofAgricultural Sciences

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EMBRAPAS Labex Program

The Labex-Europe Program institutionalizeslong-term scientific and technical cooperation

between EMBRAPA, Agropolis International

institutions and other European centers ofexcellence in agricultural research. The presence ofBrazilian researchers in these research centers highlights

EMBRAPAs strategic decision to advance its knowledgeas well as Brazils interest and dynamism in terms of

partnerships in joint research projects and monitoring

new scientific discoveries on this continent.

The scientific links remain established via researchnetworks and clusters after the scientists return to Brazil,

often giving rise to new projects. The Labex-EuropeProgram is an international cooperation instrument

which, with the support of the Agropolis International,frees it from the long bureaucratic procedures required

for the approval of international scientific cooperationprojects. The Labex-Europe Program has shown itsstrategic asset of being able to strengthen the quality

of research carried out by EMBRAPA by allowingits researchers to work in centers of scientific and

technological excellence. Although it'sa small program, a feature to be kept as

it is essential for effective coordination,

the Labex-Europe has enabled Europeanresearchers to deal with new researchissues and with challenges associated with

emerging countries undergoing technicaland scientific development.

By being involved in looking for new technologies andresponses to problems affecting tropical agriculture,

they have made progress in gaining the knowledgerequired to cope with global agricultural challenges in a

setting of climate change, urban population growth anda need to develop technologies to ensure sustainable

agricultural intensification while also being environment-friendly. Finally, application of knowledge generated by

international cooperation will contribute to combatingpoverty worldwide.

Contact: Elisio Contini, [email protected]

A word from Dr Elisio Contini,the first coordinator of EMBRAPAs Labex-Europe

Since EMBRAPA was founded,research and scientific cooperation

capacity building has been pivotalto fulfill its vision: natural resource

management associated with innovativeknowledge-based technologies as the basis

for intensive, sustainable and highly efficient

agriculture.

Our most valuable asset is thus our team

of more than 2000 PhD researchers (or scientists) and theirscientific networks. This is why EMBRAPA developed the

virtual laboratories abroad concept, the Labex Program,about 15 years ago.

As a former coordinator of its US branch, I have witnessedits symmetrical scientific cooperation performance. Now

that we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Labex-Europe office being set up in Montpellier, the results

presented in this publication are evidence that the decision

taken by our former directors to count on the supportof Agropolis International and its members, in order to

coordinate the presence of our researchers throughout thecontinent, was strategic.

EMBRAPA is therefore extremely thankful for theiracceptance of the Labex concept. Scientific cooperation

explains part of the Brazilian agricultural achievements.In 40 years, EMBRAPA became a network of 47 research

centers, spread throughout Brazil and covering our fivebiomes.

Over this period, crop yields increased steadily by up to 4%per year in Brazil, representing an overall increase of 200%,

whereas the increase in land available for agriculture onlyincreased by around 30%.

Brazil preserves land from agricultural use. It has around 60%of its territory legally classified as indigenous land, biological

reserve or natural park, while at the same time it is one ofthe leaders in biofuel, plant fiber and food production.

Nevertheless, in a global setting where there is increased

demand for agriculture that has to cope with climate change,soil acidity, emerging diseases and many other urgent

challenges, R&D institutions must now work togethertowards developing sustainable intensification practices

and biotechnologies in order to increase productivityand provide environmental services such as biodiversity

preservation and water quality.

Labex-Europe, despite its small size, has already obtained

results that fulfill EMBRAPAs vision by creating or

strengthening scientific networks and new scientificknowledge. Therefore, Labex-Europes results significantly

contribute to harmonizing economic development andenvironmental conservation. In this setting, agriculture

becomes a solution, not a problem, towards buildinga more sustainable future.

Contact: Pedro Arraes Pereira, [email protected]

A word from Dr Pedro Arraes Pereira,Director-President of EMBRAPA

'LABEX-EUROPESRESULTSSIGNIFICANTLYCONTRIBUTETOHARMONIZINGECONOMICDEVELOPMENTANDENVIRONMENTALCONSERVATION'

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The world is changing, thus implying that what we

currently call globalization is simply a transition froma Western oriented world to a multipolar world

within which emerging countries are claiming theirrightful place. Is this not what Southern Cone countriesare doing with their high ambitions of becoming global

stakeholders in agriculture and food sectors? And is itnot what they are involved in doing by encouraging their

agricultural research institutions to collaborate moreeffectively with the best research teams worldwide, and by

setting up platforms in the United States, Europe and Asia?EMBRAPA is a remarkable forerunner in this senseit has

been thriving in France and throughout Europe from its

base in Montpellier (France) for 10 years now! And nowthe Argentinian Instituto Nacional de Tecnologa Agropecuaria(INTA) is preparing to do the same.

I am delighted by these initiatives, as a result of whichBrazil has become a key scientific partner of Montpellier

research teams, and the relevance of its performancerecord is recognized and shared: joint programming

initiatives, researcher mobility, renewal of research focuses,

all through the pooling of temperate and tropical researchresources. Agricultural research is becoming globalized to

come up with appropriate solutions to food security andmalnutrition questions that are still pending at the outset

of the 21st century. Population movements and subsequentbehavioral changes, the threat of climate change, the need

to reconsider the allocation of

water resources for differentuses, and other imminent

uncertainties, will inevitablycontribute to renewing ourresearch agenda.

Agriculture is still vital for humankind, but keep in mind

that this is not a disembodied activityit involves men andwomen worldwide who care for their crops and livestock

every day. We also need to focus on what happens tothese people as a result of the changes that are under

waytheir professional and family lives, workload, income,

the future of rural areas in different regions, marked by thespecific historical and geographical settings, relationships

between the countryside which feeds them and the citieswhere populations throughout the world are increasingly

concentrated. Agricultural research should be focused onall of these issues so as to be able to foresee future trends

and investigate ways to safeguard the future in suitableways. Technological development alone will not guarantee

that the development will be sustainable, respectful of

the environment and the societies that it impacts. It ismy sincerest hope that all of these questions will be

addressed in our collaborations with the Brazilian teamsand facilitated by the presence of Labex EMBRAPA in

Montpellier!

Contact: Bernard Hubert, [email protected]

A word from Dr Bernard Hubert,President of Agropolis International

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International scope of EMBRAPAEMBRAPA, since its inception, has been acting in close collaboration with different international institutions. It also

created a Secretary for International Affairs (SIA) in 2009, which is directly linked to the cabinet for the Director-

President as a result of the increased worldwide demand for agricultural technologies and partnership proposals.

he Secretary forInternational Affairs (SIA)set up three coordination

areas: scientific, technologicalbusinesses and structuring projects.

The aim of scientific coordination,or knowledge interchangecoordination, is to enhance scientificpartnerships while consolidatingEMBRAPAs image as a top qualityagricultural research and innovationcorporation. This coordination

encompasses the entire LabexProgram (USA, Europe, South Korea,China) and bilateral agreementswith other agricultural researchinstitutes, universities and privatecompanies. It also encompassesmultilateral agreements withthe CGIAR Consortium (GlobalAgricultural Research Partnership),participants in PROCISUR(Cooperative Program for Agrifoodand Agroindustrial Technological

The structuring projectcoordination team seeks fundingopportunities from governments,institutions and internationalorganizations in order to promoteinitiatives, programs and projectsof interest for EMBRAPA and tomanage project implementationin partnership with internationalfunding agencies.

Since 2012, EMBRAPAs newstatus facilitates these activities

and strengthens its internationalstrategy by increasing theflexibility of SIA in scientific andtechnological business (patents,licenses) fields, and with respectto technical cooperation activitiesmanaged by the CooperationAgency of the Brazilian Ministry ofForeign Affairs.

Development of the Southern Coneof the Instituto Interamericano deCooperacin para la Agricultura) andother mechanisms involving severalcountries. The Labex Programaddresses the need for institutionaltools to enhance internationalcooperation, and to create meansto tighten strategic relationshipswith influential agricultural R&Dinstitutions in countries mostconcerned by this theme.

The technological businesscoordination team createdtechnology transfer offices in Africaand South and Central America.These mechanisms play importantroles in positioning EMBRAPA as apublic corporation able to discussand provide technological solutionsto major challenges in areas such assustainable agricultural production,global food security and climatechange.

TEMBRAPAs international cooperation mechanisms

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Labex-China

China

Labex-Korea

South Korea

Labex-Japan

Japan

Labex-Europe

France

Labex-Europe

Germany

Labex-USA

USA

EMBRAPA-Americas Project

PanamaVenezuela

EMBRAPA-Africa Project

Mozambique

Labex-Europe

England


Ghana


Mali


Senegal

Scientific cooperation

Technical cooperation

International scope of EMBRAPA

The Labex Program, as an international scientific cooperationmechanism, has its research themes determined by the EMBRAPADirectorate on the basis of its Strategic Plan, Brazilian governmental

priorities and the results of future scenario analyses. The priority Labex

research themes are listed below:

USA

Mechanisms for promoting innovation and new approaches tointellectual property issues

Genetic resource conservation, organization and exchange ofmaterial stored in germplasm banks

Genetic resources for 1st and 2nd generations biofuel productionGlobal climate change - Soil carbon dynamics and alleviationIntegrated pest and disease management

Precision agricultureAnimal health, integrated control of livestock diseases (avian and

porcine viruses, resistance to gastrointestinal parasites of sheep)Innovative uses for agricultural productsPlant breeding and biotechnology (resistance to bean and soybean

diseases)Food safety in dairy productsAdaptation to climate change (drought tolerance of crops)Nanotechnologies applied to agriculture and livestock productionNative Brazilian biodiversity prospection for bioactive compoundsClimate change - Impact of agriculture upon water resources

SOUTH KOREA

Plant genetic resource exchange and regeneration, cryopreservation

(strawberries and mushrooms)Assessment, selection and development of porcine germplasm to

enhance pork meat quality and weight gain of male pig breeding

strains1st and 2nd generation biofuel production from sweet sorghumMedicinal and aromatic plants and phytochemistry

CHINAGenetic resource exchange for germplasm banksOther themes, including biotechnology (to be outlined in 2013)

EMBRAPAs plan to develop low-carbon agricultural systems*,

attached to a broader program coordinated by the BrazilianMinistry of Agriculture, Food and Livestock Production**, is a driving

force behind its sustainable agricultural technology developmentstrategy. In this program, it is deemed that the increasing demand

for food, biofuels and fibers (in terms of quantity and quality)provides opportunities for the Brazilian agrifood industry, if it is

focused on ensuring sustainability. The Brazilian government stronglyurges investment in R&D while strengthening capacities to develop

expertise and innovations for sustainable agricultural production.

International scientific cooperation in this field is carried out withinthe framework of the Green Economy Initiative of the United

Nations Environment Program (UNEP)***.

Contacts: Luciano Nass,Knowledge Exchange Coordinator,

[email protected],

Carlos Eduardo Lazarini Fonseca,Labex-USA Coordinator,

[email protected],

Gilberto Schmidt,Labex-South Korea Coordinator,

[email protected],

Damares de Castro Monte,

Labex-China Coordinator, [email protected]*www.agricultura.gov.br/abc

** www.agricultura.gov.br*** http://unep.org/civil-society/Portals/59/Documents/GMGSF12-GE-Conceptual-Issues.pdf

Ongoing EMBRAPA projects: Labex-USA, South Korea, China

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The brazilian researcherPaulo Hermann Jr. (EMBRAPA)

is the most recent researcher for theLabex-Europe, selected in June, 2012.

Paulo Hermann Jr. is an electrical engineer

and M.Sc. with a PhD in Physical Chemistrywho has been selected to start the new

research theme, 'Development of high

throughput phenotyping methods'. His workas an EMBRAPA researcher deals with instrumentation applied

to agribusiness, like application of atomic force microscopy,

development of low cost sensors using conducting polymers tobetter evaluate fruit ripeness as well as nano-bio-sensors with

microcantilevers. He explained that the opportunity to be a Labex

researcher positioned at the Forschungszentrum Jlich will be used tobetter characterize biological functions and processes needed for

phenotyping crop species, especially those for tropical environments.

Contact: [email protected]

The host laboratoryForschungszentrum Jlich -Plant Sciences Institute

The Plant Sciences Institute is a world-leading

institute in the emerging field of plantphenotypingthe quantitative analysis

of plant structure and function by using

non-invasive methods.

The aim is to bridge the gap between genetics and molecular techno-

logies on the one hand, and the breeding and knowledge-based plantmanagement on the other hand.

Important to note, the Jlichs Institute of Plant Sciences will reversely

implement a 'Labex Germany in Brazil'. The contract was signed

during the visit of the German Minister for Education and Research

Prof Dr Annette Schavan in Brasilia, October 5th

, 2012.

www.fz-juelich.de/ibg/ibg-2/EN/Home

Director of the IBG-2 and scientific correspondent:Pr Dr Ulrich Schurr,

[email protected]

The next ten years are open for the improvement of theLabex Program as an innovative mechanism for scientific

international cooperation. New institutional tools willenhance its high quality scientific partnership potential.

Two new operational mechanisms will soon be

implemented: Closer interaction between Labex Europe and

Labex USA through new institutional alliances and joint

projects to address global agricultural challenges. The LabexProgram may act as EMBRAPAs scientific interface with its

main partners on both sides of the Atlantic and Asia. Thisinterface will be linked to other EMBRAPA international

cooperation mechanisms through the Coordination forKnowledge Exchange office of the International Affairs

Secretariat. Some examples of such dynamic institutional

interactions are: the STAR-IDAZ Program* coordinatedby the UK Department of Environment and Rural Affairs

(DEFRA) in which EMBRAPA coordinates activities in theAmericas**, with animal health being one of the research

themes of Labex-USA; INRAs metaprograms***; the GlobalResearch Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases****,

the Global Alliance on Food Security Research*****.

Creation of researchers clusters, i.e. a tool that isbeing designed to promote operational synergy between

Labex researchers currently working abroad and research

teams in Brazil working on the same theme. Previous

experience has already demonstrated the potential ofresearch clusters. The idea is simple: Labex researchersbegin their research as described in a joint interest project.

Depending on how the work progresses and/or fundingopportunities that arise, the concerned researcher may

contact the International Affairs Secretariat which, incollaboration with EMBRAPAs R&D Department, will

look for other researchers within the Brazilian National

Agricultural Research System who could be potentiallysuitable for the new opportunity. This type of cluster

mechanism enhances resource use efficiency and improvesresearch governance.

* STAR-IDAZ FP7 Global Strategic Alliances for the Coordination of Research on the MajorInfectious Diseases of Animals and Zoonoses:

www.star-idaz.net

** http://embrapa-labex-usa.com/Public/Default.aspx*** INRAs metaprograms: www.inra.fr/les_recherches/metaprogrammes

**** Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases:

www.globalresearchalliance.org***** Global Alliance on Food Security Research: www.gafsr.wur.nl/UK

Innovative international scientific cooperation mechanisms:Labex-USA and clusters

Labex-Europe in Germany

Labex-Europe is being hosted atForschungszentrum Jlich* close to Aarchen inGermany, which is one of the largest researchcenters of the Helmholtz Association, which

includes 18 research centers in Germany. Theagreement was signed in Berlin in January 2012.

The scientific cooperation themes will focus onthe development of advanced high throughput

plant phenotyping methods and on sustainable

development in a green economics setting(bioeconomics).

The Labex Program will provide a platform for

cooperation between Brazilian and Germanresearchers from the Jlich Research Center, the Bioeconomy Science

Center and other research institutions. The aim is to increase crop yieldsand quality while minimizing the resource footprint. The implementation ofthe Labex shows the intensity of the science partnership between Germany andBrazil, leading science nations in Europe and Latin America, concentrating theirefforts to address future challenges and to contribute to a sustainable supply offood, renewable mater ials and bioenergy. The Brazilian-German Year of Science,Technology and Innovation 2010/11 has strengthened this partnership and led tothis concrete cooperation supporting agro-research in the context of bioeconomy(Annette Schavan, German Minister for Education and Research).

The results will be used to design integrated and sustainable productionsystems for the bioeconomy of food, for renewable resources and

bioenergy.

Contact: Ulrich Schurr, [email protected] the source article:

www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/UK/EN/2012/12-01-20labex.html* www.fz-juelich.de/portal/EN/Home/home_node.html/

Cludio Lucas Capeche/EMBRAPA

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International scope of EMBRAPA

The Labex Program is structured through agreements

signed between EMBRAPA and its international partners:

A framework agreement with the partner institution*enables coordination of the program, defines the

intellectual property conditions and eventual conflict

solution mechanisms. EMBRAPA directors preselect the institution to

potentially host the Labex researcher. EMBRAPA launches an in-house call to select senior

researchers on the basis of their Vision Statementaction plan, professional qualifications and knowledge of

foreign languages.

Discussions are then engaged between the Labex

researcher, his/her scientific correspondent and the

Labex coordinators with respect to signing a renewable2-year Common Interest Project contract.

The researchers overall performance is assessed onceyearly by an evaluation committee made up of staff from

EMBRAPA, the partner institution* and invited scientists.The overall coordination of each Labex is also evaluated

yearly by a commission.

*Agropolis International, for Labex-Europe

The Labex operational mechanism

Labex Program Coordinators must devote up to 30% of

their time to research, in addition to their administrativeand prospecting tasks. The research themes that Labex-

Europe Coordinators have focused on so far includeagricultural economics, organizational arrangements in

public research and rumen microbiology, as described inthe publications list. This research has been accomplished

directly or through the supervision of graduate or

postdoctoral students.

Another important activity is the creation of opportunitiesfor further international research cooperation. One

example is the International Colloquium for RumenMicrobiology, organized by the Labex-Europe within the

largest Brazilian animal science congress, i.e. the AnnualMeeting for the Brazilian Animal Science Society in July

2012.

This event brought together nine scientists from four

continents to present the state-of-the-art in this field, whichis crucial for the development of technologies allowing

for high animal productivity with a reduced environmentalimpact (methane emissions, land use) and higher efficiency

(low production costs and high feed conversion).

Through this event, several direct contacts were made

between the many Brazilian research groups present andthe leaders of some of the most important research teams

in the world, thus creating potential research, training andtechnological development opportunities.

Research activities of Labex-Europe Program Coordinators

Coordinators of the Labex-Europe Program,from left to right: Pedro Arcuri (2009-2013),Luis Vieira (2005-2008) & Elisio Contini (2002-2004)

Marcos

Esteves/

EMBRAPA

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K

atia

Piche

lli/EMBRAPA

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Natural resource managementNatural resource management tailored to and associated with knowledge-based technologies is a prerequisite forsustainable, efficient and intensive agriculture. This association provides a unique opportunity for development in

harmony with environmental conservation. Agriculture thus becomes a solutionnot a problemwhen biodiversity and

environmental conservation are taken into full account.

ver the last 40 years, cropyields and agriculturalarea have increased by 4%

(200% overall) and 30%, respectively,in Brazil. Agricultural technologydevelopment has reduced extensiveagricultural land use. Indigenousland, biology reserves and naturalparks officially account for 60% ofall land in Brazil. The Low-carbonAgriculture Program that has beenunder way for 2 years in Brazil hasprovided the necessary fundingand incentives for farmers to adoptsustainable agricultural practicesand technologies.

The Brazilian agriculturalresearch system, coordinated byEMBRAPA and including over70 universities and agriculturalresearch institutions, is developingsustainable agriculturalintensification practices to boostproductivity while generatingenvironmental services. Newtechnologies and policies arebeing developed under this systemto ensure that this Low-carbonAgriculture Program becomes aneconomic reality. Research has

contributed to the development ofother forest protection policies andimpact reduction practices, leadingto a reduction in deforestation in theAmazon region.

system indicators for environmentalmanagement of rural activities. Theteam used an integrated approachto assess palm oil according tointernational environmentalcertification standards and sensostrictu sustainability criteria. Thisresearch was aimed at developingindicators for tree crop-basedsystems: ecological integrity,economic vitality, social equityof rural production activitiesgeared towards promoting localsustainable development. This workconsolidated the partners scientificadvance with respect to agriculturalsustainability.

Remote sensing and imageanalysis methods are now essentialtools for agricultural and land-usemonitoring. The Labex Programhosted Dr Margareth Simes toshare expertise and methods withTerritory, Environment, RemoteSensing and Spatial Informationjoint research unit (AgroParisTech,CIRAD, IRSTEA) in Montpellierand study land use and landcover dynamics assessment for asustainable agriculture. The results

will generate reliable tools tosupport public policymaking duringthe crucial transition from extensiveagriculture to an ecologicallyintensive model.

The Labex Program has contributedto natural resource managementthrough the work of three scientists:

Dr Jos Madeira, the firstLabex scientist focusing on thistheme, joined the research teamof the Laboratory for the Studyof Interactions between Soil,Agrosystems and Water Systems(INRA, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro)to study the hydrology of cultivatedenvironments. His work involvedmodeling interactions betweenagricultural management practicesand environmental indicesthrough model development and

validation and the development ofvegetation indices for crops with adiscontinuous canopy (vineyards,orchards, etc.). Image analysisdata, obtained in collaborationwith the Remote Sensing Centerin Montpellier (France), were usedin this research. The developedmodels describe water flows and theimpact of management practices inmicrocatchments where intensiveagricultural land use is under way.

The Labex Program then hosted

Dr Geraldo Stachetti Rodriguesin the Performance of Tree Crop-Based Systems research unit(CIRAD) to carry out an impactstudy and develop integrated

O

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Integrated index of palm oil crop

sustainabilityAn environmental management methodintegrated with a sustainability index was

developed for palm oil cropping (CIRAD/Labex collaboration). This evaluation tool

was tested in Brazil and then on largeestates and smallholdings in Indonesia to

verify its relevance in different productionsettings. It was presented at various

workshops as a decision aid for preparing plantations

for certification. It was also the focus of internationalnegotiation for the improvement of the palm oil sector.

Performance indicator system for traditional

agroforestry (TAPIS)The Characterization and evaluation of the agroecological

performance of associated cropping systems in thehumid tropics project developed the TAPIS indicator

system (CIRAD/Labex collaboration) using data from

Cameroonian agroforestry systems. It incorporatesagroeconomic and agroecological performance indicators

that are used to classify plantations and providerecommendations to enhance sustainability.

Methodological platform for sustainability

assessment

As part of the Environmental Accounting, SustainabilityIndicators and Environmental Management of Rural

Activities program (Labex/INRA collaboration),this platform was developed to study the energy

and economic performance of the banana sector in

Guadeloupe.

Contact: Geraldo Stachetti Rodrigues,

[email protected]

ACTIVITIES

Geraldo Stachetti

Brazilian scientist hostedJos Madeira (EMBRAPA) stayed for nearly 3 yearsat LISAH (April 2002-February 2005) to study thecontribution of the spectral reflectance of soils in the

mapping of soil properties.


Modeling management practiceenvironmental qualityinteractions

Models developed to calculate vegetation indices of deciduous crops (vines)

via remote sensing enable simulation of complex systems (microcatchmentswith intensive agricultural land use) for the purpose of assessing water flows,

associated inputs and the impact of management practices.

Contact: Jos Madeira,[email protected]

ACTIVITIES

Jos Madeira

Did you work in collaboration withBrazil in general and with EMBRAPAin particular before a Labex researcher

joined your team?We had hosted Brazilian doctoral studentsand visitors, including an EMBRAPAresearcher, but not within a formalframework like that of Labex.

What conclusions do you draw from theexperience? What has this collaborationcontributed to your team?Jos Madeira, the EMBRAPA researcher,had a precise idea that we developed withhim, i.e. using the spectral reflectance

of soils that can be observed by remotesensing to map soil properties, knowledgeof which is extremely limited worldwide.The results were very positive andprompted the continuation of thisline of research. We organized the firstinternational workshop devoted to digital

soil mapping, an event that severalBrazilian researchers attended.

Now that the Brazilian scientist hasreturned home, is there any follow-up and/or consequences in terms ofpartnerships between your team andBrazilian institutions?

We planned to develop a joint projectwith EMBRAPA on the environmentalassessment of the impacts of sugarcanegrowing, an activity that is increasing

worldwide and in Brazil as a result ofthe need for biofuels. A first versionof the project, including an EMBRAPA

and Campinas University laboratory, iscurrently on hold as it has been hard tofind an experimental site that meets thedesired scientific and operational criteria.

Contact : Marc Voltz, [email protected]

I N T E R V I E WMarc Voltzis aformer Directorof the FrenchLaboratoire dtudedes InteractionsSolAgrosystmeHydrosystmewhich hosted aBrazilian researcherfor 3 years.

Natural resource management

Host laboratoryLISAH joint research unit

Laboratoire dtude des Interactions Sol,Agrosystme et Hydrosystme

(INRA/IRD/Montpellier SupAgro)

70 scientific and technical staffDirector: Jrme Molenat,[email protected]

www.umr-lisah.fr

Scientific correspondent:Philippe Lagacherie, [email protected]

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Brazilian researcher hostedGeraldo Stachetti Rodrigues (EMBRAPA)stayed for 2 and a half years at the internal research

unit Performance of Tree Crop-Based Systems (March2007-September 2009) to participate in thedevelopment of a tool to assess agroenvironmental

impacts of industries based on tree crops.


Host laboratoryPerformance of Tree Crop-Based Systems

internal research unit(CIRAD)

21 scientific and technical staffDirector: ric Gohet, [email protected]/ur/systemes_de_perennes

Scientific correspondent: Jean-Luc Battini,[email protected]

I N T E R V I E W

Jean-Luc Battiniandric Gohetarerespectively the former and currentDirector of the French internal researchunit Performance of Tree Crop-BasedSystems which hosted a Brazilian

researcher for 2 years.

Did you work in collaboration with Brazilin general and with EMBRAPA in particularbefore a Labex researcher joined your team?In recent years, without developing formalcollaborations, our internal research unit hashad regular contacts with Brazilian researchinstitutions such as CEPEC/CEPLAC (cocoatree research), the Campinas AgriculturalInstitute (coffee tree research), as well as withEMBRAPA research centers in the Amazonianregion of Manaus (natural rubber and oilpalm research, Rio Urubu research station).Our research unit also provides agricultural

expertise to oil palm and natural rubberagroindustries in the Amazonian region ofBahia.

What conclusions do you draw from theexperience? What has this collaborationcontributed to your team?This experience was highly positive, but tooshort. The active collaboration of GeraldoStachetti within our team, working onagroenvironmental impact assessment,opened our eyes to the importance of takingsocioeconomic factors and integrated

analysis of all types of indicators intoaccount. We tested the agroenvironmentalimpact management program developed byGeraldo at EMBRAPA (APOIA method) onsome of our oil palm agroindustrial partnersestates.

Now that the Brazilian scientist hasreturned home, is there any follow-up and/or consequences in terms of partnershipsbetween your team and Brazilian

institutions?Yes, of course. I am no longer the Director ofthis internal research unit, but this morningI spoke with Dr Maria do Rosario LobatoRodrigues, one of the heads of the EMBRAPAoil palm research program at Manaus, who iscurrently being hosted by the research unitfor a stay to conduct sabbatical research inecophysiology.

Contacts: Jean-Luc Battini,[email protected]

& ric Gohet, [email protected]

Environmental performance indices obtained in many

case studies (n=177) carried out using the APOIA-NovoRural method gave rise to an interesting hypothesis

and a valuable environmental management working

premise. A broad range of different production scalesand agricultural sectors were taken into account in these

studies, while considering five sustainability dimensions:(i) landscape ecology, (ii) environmental quality,

(iii) economic values, (iv) sociocultural values,and (v) management and administration.

The results show that the relatively greater importanceof the management and administration dimension could

be explained by the influence of the farmer profile,the managerial capacity and institutional relationships

on all of the environmental impact factors. This meansthat the development and adoption of environmental

management tools, such as the APOIA-NovoRural

indicator system, could be a priority initiative forpromoting sustainable agriculture.

For further information: Rodrigues G.S. et al., 2010.

Contact: Geraldo Stachetti Rodrigues,[email protected]

APOIA-NovoRural method:Environmental Impact Assessment of Rural Activities

Environmentalperformancein

dices

Performance indices (n=177)

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.00.50

0.55

0.60

0.65

0.70

0.75

0.80

0.85 (i) landscape ecology(iia) atmosphere(iib) water(iic) soil(iii) economic values(iv) sociocultural values(v) management and administration

Jean-Luc Battini ric Gohet

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I N T E R V I E WJean-Philippe Tonneauis Director ofthe Spatial Information and Analysis forTerritories and Ecosystems joint researchunit which hosted a Brazilian researcherfor 2 years.

Did you work in collaboration with Brazilin general and with EMBRAPA in particular

before a Labex researcher joined your team?Some CIRAD and TETIS researchers havebeen collaborating with EMBRAPA for over 25

years, but on topics (agroecology, territorialdevelopment, production systems) thatdiffer from those accounted for in the Labexagreement. One of our scientists is postedat a research site in the Amazon region,in partnership with EMBRAPA Eastern

Amazonia (Par). The goal was to integratespatial information obtained by remotesensing in programming and planningactivities carried out within this framework(agroecological zoning, citizenshipterritories).

What conclusions do you draw from theexperience? What has this collaborationcontributed to your team?The results together with Margareth havebeen highly positive.We have establishedcloser ties with EMBRAPA research centersthrough workshops geared towards

information exchange and the developmentof international projects. From a moreoperational standpoint, this collaborationfostered exchanges on methods for imageanalysis and processing (small plot patternsin Africa/large plot patterns in Brazil). Shealso enabled us to focus on operational waysto combine spatial and landscape analysismethods.

Now that the Brazilian scientist hasreturned home, is there any follow-up and/or consequences in terms of partnershipsbetween your team and Brazilianinstitutions?Many cooperation initiatives are under

way (involvement of a hosted scientist incosupervision of the doctoral studies of aKenyan researcher). The remote sensingmethods developed could be tailored tosmallholdings in Brazil. A project wassubmitted under the Fondation Agropolis/CAPES call for projects on interactionsbetween agricultural practices andbiodiversity. A project on the qualificationof MODIS phenological products viaagroclimatic modeling and field data wasapproved by the French Programme Nationalde Tldtection Spatiale.

Contact: Jean-Philippe Tonneau,[email protected]

Brazilian researcher hostedMargareth Simes (EMBRAPA) stayed for2 years at the joint research unit TETIS (October2010-October 2012) to study the potential of using

remote sensing data for monitoring agricultural

systems and low-carbon agriculture land use dynamics.

Contacts: [email protected]@[email protected]

Host laboratoryTETIS joint research unit

Spatial Information and Analysisfor Territories and Ecosystems

(AgroParisTech/CIRAD/IRSTEA)90 scientific and technical staffDirector: Jean-Philippe Tonneau,[email protected]

http://tetis.teledetection.fr

Scientific correspondent:Jean-Philippe Tonneau

Natural resource management

Contributing to the Labex program was a rewardingexperience, especially via: i) capacity building

(supervision of African, Brazilian and French students),ii) participation in an international research network

on land-use change dynamics, and iii) project submissionfor European funding. These initiatives enabled EMBRAPAresearchers and universities to participate or have a leadership

role in projects undertaken within the framework of thisnetwork and will lead to an extension of this scientific

partnership in future Labex activities.

Three cooperation priorities were delineated with theEuropean partners, associating advances in remote sensing

with the guidelines of the Brazilian Low Carbon Agriculture

program.Remote sensing-based agricultural land-use

dynamics: use of low-cost temporal satellite imaging data to: monitor agricultural land-use change dynamics;

locate areas where sustainable agricultural productionsystems are set up, including integrated forestry-agriculture-

livestock production systems or two-crop systems.

This work is carried out by semiautomatic generation of

land-use maps and by satellite image indexing with theaim of analyzing variations in agricultural practices and the

sustainability of the Brazilian agricultural system.

Approved project: Qualification of MODIS phenological

products via agroclimatic modeling and field data,

funded by the National Spatial Remote-sensing Program-

EMBRAPA,CIRAD UMR TETIS, IRD UMR Espace-DEV, UMRGETS (CNRS, IRD, CNES, University of Toulouse).

Biodiversity and agricultural

production:biodiversity, as a sustainableagricultural practice component (as defined

by EMBRAPA in the Amazon region), and its

role in mitigating climate change, are studiedthrough a multiscale approach involvingremotely-sensed temporal profiles combined

with sustainability indices and land-use modelling.

The approved ROBIM (Role of Biodiversity in Climate

Change Mitigation) project, funded by the European

Commission (FP7) and involving 12 international researchinstitutions, is important for the financing of REDD+ tropical

forest projects.

The international workshop on Territorial dynamics in theAmazon by remote sensing(Montpellier, January 2012) led tothe set up and submission of joint research projects geared

towards enhancing the integration of Franco-Brazilian teamsworking in the Amazon and broadening current scientific

networks.

Environmental indices for agricultural system

sustainability assessment: research carried out by the

EMBRAPA scientist Rodrigo Ferraz, as part of a cosuperviseddoctoral thesis (Labex, University of Rennes 2/Costel in France

and the Rio de Janeiro State University in Brazil), generated asystem of indicators to assess the hydrological sustainability

of sugarcane plantation development and its impact onenvironmental services. This is especially important for Brazil,

where biofuel production is rapidly expanding.

Contact: Margareth Simes,

[email protected]

COMMENT & RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Margareth Simes

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21

1. Sustainable development reserve of Uatum(Amazon)

2. National forest reserve of Tapajs (Par)

3. Agricultural region with sugarcane plantations,South of Goias

1

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3

1

2

3

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and its control. The proposedapproach involved comparativesensorial physiology. Her work,

carried out in collaborationwith Dr Sylvie Issanchou, dealtmainly with assessing consumerreactions to new food productswith improved nutritional qualities.Their work included participationin the TrueFood project*, partiallysponsored by the EuropeanCommission, and the use ofadvanced experimental economicstools.

Concomitantly, Dr AmauriRosenthalworked with theLaboratoire de Gnie des ProcdsMicrobiologiques et Alimentaires(INRA, AgroSup Dijon) headed byProf Patrick Gervais. The aim wasto study the effects of high pressureand microwaves on bacterial spores,which represent a major challengein food processing as outbreaksof these organisms could lead to apublic health hazard. This researchgenerated insight into the role of thespore water content on cell viabilityand spore inactivation mechanisms.

* www.truefood.eu

abex-Europe hascontributed to foodtechnology research

through four researchers:

The first researcher, Dr ReginaLago, a fat and oil specialist,collaborated with the joint researchunit Agropolymer Engineering andEmerging Technologies (CIRAD,UM2, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro),whose overall aim is to gain greaterinsight into the functionalitiesof plant products and theirconstituents so as to enhance theirfood and nonfood performances.The Brazilian castorbean plant,Ricinus communis, was selected dueto its biofuel potential or as a sourceof vegetable oil of high quality andvalue for industrial chemistry.

Then, Dr Heloisa Filgueiras,a postharvest physiologyspecialist, was the first Labex-Europe researcher postedoutside of Montpellier. After abrief collaboration with PatrickVaroquaux (INRA), she workedat the University of Avignon and

INRA on a joint interest projectentitled the Effects of vegetableconservation pretreatments under

modified atmospheric conditions.A research partnership wasestablished with the Laboratoire de

Physiologie des Fruits et Lgumes(UAPV), with Huguette Sallanonas scientific correspondent, toimprove the quality of vegetableproducts from farm to fork bydeveloping the entire Fruit andVegetable sector. There were tworesearch focuses: studying theresponse of plants and their fruitto environmental conditions, andenhancing postharvest fresh fruitand vegetable conservation. Thework spanned a broad range, frommangoes to endives, with the aimof studying possible alternatives tochemical conservation of minimallyprocessed vegetables. The objectivewas to control metabolic processesin order to hamper enzymaticdarkening and senescencewhile preserving the functionalconstituents.

Lastly, two scientists took charge ofthe Agrifood Technologies themein Dijon. Dr Rosires Delizajoinedthe team of the Centre des Sciences

du Got et de lAlimentation (CNRS,INRA, University of Burgundy)which studies food behavior

Agrifood technologies

L

Brazil i s a major global player for several staple food products and an exporter of manufactured food products.

One of EMBRAPAs priorities is thus to enhance the competitiveness of Brazilian agriculture via t he added value

of agricultural products while ensuring food security and safety. Agrifood technologies was an obvious choice

as a Labex-Europe research theme because of EMBRAPAs long-standing tradition of excellence with respect to

food processing and security.

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BECOMINGAMEMBEROFA LABEXTEAMISANIMPORTANTCHANGEOFLIFE. We are senior scientists with

a family and career and thereforehave much to gain, but we also leave much

behind.

The establishment of Labex in Franceenabled the development of prospecting

activities aimed at enhancing the dialoguewith other EMBRAPA stakeholders, especially by

producing notes and drawing up technical reports on new

findings and disseminating them within networks in Brazil.Discussions have been under way, but the reactions have

not measured up to the actions despite the fact that theinformation is always read and analyzed.

The choice of a theme for selecting a researcher must

take into account the relevance and position of the themeat the frontier of knowledge and the existing or growing

critical mass at EMBRAPA and of the Brazilian research

system. The researchers work thus has more chanceof success, which does not mean that he or she does

not need to be proactive. The EMBRAPA's InternationalRelations management and the scientific management

thus have a role to play so that the Labex scientists cancontribute to developing scientific relations with Europe.

As the technology of oils and fats was my research field,

Jean Graille (CIRAD) was my French correspondent. He

retired a month later. The IATE joint research unit was thencontacted. The laboratories and the pilot plant that were

set up still host the Lipid Technology Laboratory (CIRAD).

We provided support for a CAPES-COFECUB* projectcoordinated by the Agricultural Instrumentation Center

(EMBRAPA). We worked on the castorbean plant which

became very popular a year later in Brazil on account ofits bioenergy and fine chemistry potential. The results ledto publications even after my return to Brazil. A student

(University of Rio de Janeiro) worked on the projectfor 6 months and a patent request was submitted (seePublications, p. 38-41). A doctoral student (University ofCampinas) received training from the Lipid research teamat the Institut des Membranes in Montpellier.

At that time, the centre did not have sufficient research

potential with respect to oils and fats and the impact ofmy stay could have been more significant. After my return

to Brazil, I focused more on international relations andbecame Director of the EMBRAPA Food Technology

Center in April 2008. I still have links with the IATE jointresearch unit. We presented a joint project at the ConselhoNacional de Desenvolvimento Cientfico e Tecnolgico. I wasinvited to Paris by theAssociation Franaise pour ltudedes Corps Gras to give a talk on castor and jatropha oils.Two researchers specializing on oils and fats were hiredto be able to develop joint projects and establish closer

relations with CIRAD and other French teams in the

sector.

Contact: Regina Lago, [email protected]

* CAPES: Coordinao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior BrazilianMinistry of Education / COFECUB: Comit Franais dvaluation de la Coopration

Universitaire et Scientifique avec le Brsil

COMMENT

Regina Lago

Brazilian scientist hostedRegina Lago (EMBRAPA) stayed for nearly 3years at the IATE joint research unit (October2002-October 2005) to identify new plant

enzyme sources isolated from Brazilian biomass

(development of a castorbean lipase extractionprocess) and processing castor oil to generate lipid

derivatives of high nutritional value.


Host laboratoryIATE Agropolymer Engineering and Emerging

Technologies joint research unit(Montpellier SupAgro/INRA/UM2/CIRAD)78 permanent scientific and technical staff

Director: Hugo De Vries,[email protected]://umr-iate.cirad.fr

Scientific correspondents:Stphane Guilbert, [email protected]

& Pierre Villeneuve, [email protected]

I N T E R V I E WPierre VilleneuveandMichel Pinaare researchers at the AgropolymerEngineering and Emerging Technologies

joint research unit which hosted aBrazilian researcher for 3 years.

Did you work in collaboration with Brazilin general and with EMBRAPA in particularbefore a Labex researcher joined yourteam?Not with Brazil in general. However,before the arrival of the Labex researcher,the IATE joint research unit conducted acontractual study in collaboration with ProfDaniel Barrera-Arelano of the Universityof Campinas on sugarcane bagassedevelopment.

What conclusions do you draw from theexperience? What has this collaborationcontributed to your team?This experience was a source of mutualenrichment, especially on account of RginaLagos in-depth understanding of thechemistry of fats and oils.

This collaborationwas also highlyproductive in termsof publications andpapers presentedat internationalconferences, and withrespect to studentexchanges and humanrelations.

Now that the Brazilian scientist hasreturned home, is there any follow-up and/or consequences in terms of partnershipsbetween your team and Brazilianinstitutions?

We are still in contact and exchanges withProf Rgina Lago are ongoing. However,no concrete initiatives are currently under

way due to our current focuses of research,especially with respect to castorbean plants,

which is no longer one of our priorities.

Contacts: Pierre Villeneuve,[email protected]

et Michel Pina, [email protected]


Pierre Vileneuve

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Brazilian scientist hostedHeloisa Filgueiras (EMBRAPA) spent 3 years(November 2005-July 2008) with the Fruit Physiology

team of the Scurit et qualit des produits doriginevgtale joint research unit (INRA/UAPV), and thenwith the research team of the Laboratoire de Physiologiedes Fruits et Lgumes (UAPV) to study possiblealternatives to chemical conservation of minimally

processed vegetables.


Host laboratoriesSQPOV joint research unit

Scurit et qualit des produits doriginevgtale (Plant product safety and quality)

(INRA/UAPV)49 scientific and technical staff

Director: Catherine Renard,[email protected]://tinyurl.com/umrsqpov

Scientific correspondent:Patrick Varoquaux (retired)

Laboratoire de Physiologie des Fruits et Lgumes(Fruit and vegetable physiology laboratory)(UAPV)

10 scientific and technical staffDirector: Huguette Sallanon,

[email protected]://agrosciences.univ-avignon.fr/fr/mini-site/

miniagro/recherche.html

Scientific correspondent: Huguette Sallanon

I N T E R V I E W

My arrival in June 2005 to replace Rgina Lago wasLabex-Europes first experience in posting a scientist

outside of Montpellier in the Scurit et qualit desproduits dorigine vgtale joint research unit (INRA/

UAPV). The research project was then focused on the

interface between in natura and processed foodstuffsand on possible alternatives to chemical conservation of

minimally processed vegetables.

As the internal reorganization of INRA changed thepriorities of the Avignon center, Labex agrifood technology

activities were moved to the Laboratoire de physiologie des

fruits et lgumes (UAPV). The initial line of research wasthen strengthened, as a consequence of more rigorousrequirements concerning the presence of residues and astudy was conducted on the use of chlorine in the food

industry.

The UAPV team initially did not know EMBRAPA welland had little international experience despite its high

scientific level. This partnership also coincided with the

launching of the Ple Europen dInnovation Fruits et Lgumes(European Innovation Cluster for Fruits and Vegetables)

and the end of all INRA research (Avignon center) onvegetables in natura. Despite this, the fact that EMBRAPAwas present enabled UAPV to strengthen its image as a

research institution and to establish closer links with theagricultural research cluster in Montpellier (especially

with CIRAD via the Qualisud joint research unit). Itspartnership was strengthened with the Universit BlaisePascal(Clermont-Ferrand, France). Through the project,relations were developed with the Dutch Universities

of Radboud (Nimgue) and Wageningen (WUR) and,

through the latter, with the Europeanlaboratory LaserLab Europe (Italy).

In addition, five Brazilian scientists

(from the EMBRAPA agriculturalinstrumentation and food industry

centers, So Paulo State University,Jaboticabal, Cara Federal University)

were invited by UAPV to set up, inits Fruit and Vegetable Physiology

Laboratory, methods and technologiesdeveloped and/or adapted in Brazil.

INTERNATIONALRELATIONSHAVEBEENONGOINGWITHSEVERAL EMBRAPACENTERSAND BRAZILIANUNIVERSITIESSINCEMYRETURN. A project to promote Brazilian tropicalfruits (CAPES/WUR) made it possible to continueresearch by scientists from EMBRAPA and different

Brazilian and European universities until 2010 (FluminenseFederal University, Paraba Federal University, two WUR

laboratories, the European LaserLab platform).

Labex Europe enabled UAPV to become part of the

Franco-Brazilian doctoral school and to draw up theagreements required for joint thesis supervision. The

partnership activities of EMBRAPA and CIRAD havebeen followed up by a postdoctoral position and visits by

EMBRAPA researchers and Brazilian partner institutions.I also participated in the UAPV Masters and Doctoral

programs on Produce Quality Management and in severalsteering committees for doctoral students.

Contact: Heloisa Filgueiras, [email protected]

COMMENT

Heloisa Filgueiras

Huguette Sallanonis Director of theScurit et qualitdes produitsdorigine vgtale

joint researchunit which hosteda Brazilian



joined your team?No, we had no previous collaborations withBrazil.

What conclusions do you draw from theexperience? What has this collaborationcontributed to your team?This collaboration was highly rewarding.We were very lucky, as a laboratory, tohost a scientist with such long-standingresearch experience. Heloisa Filgueirasboosted our insight on postharvest aspectsof fruit crops, especially tropical fruit. We

were thus able to develop research on pre-prepared mango processing, co-superviseseveral doctoral theses and were awardedseveral Franco-Brazilian cooperation

tenders. We developed many exchangeswith other Brazilian partners and hostedeight confirmed researchers, post-doctoralfellows and doctoral candidates from Brazilfor stays of a few weeks to several months.Heloisa Filgueiras stay was highly beneficial

for us, both scientifically and culturally.The entire laboratory has discovered Brazil,stayed there and everyone hopes to return.

We would all have liked her to stay longerand the laboratory was sad when shereturned to Brazil.

Now that the Brazilian scientist hasreturned home, is there any follow-up and/or consequences in terms of partnershipsbetween your team and Brazilianinstitutions?

Yes, we have remained in contact withHeloisa Filgueiras and with other Brazilianresearchers with whom we have had

exchanges. A professor from our laboratoryis currently on a trip to Brazil, which is nowa preferential country for the developmentof UAPVs international relations and,of course, we hope to continue thispartnership.

Contact: Huguette Sallanon,[email protected]

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I became involved in different

European research projects rightafter my arrival at the Centre desSciences du Got et de lAlimentation

(CSGA). The TrueFood* project was aimed

at gaining further insight into consumers

perceptions, expectations and attitudesconcerning innovations in traditional

product manufacturing processes and theirwillingness to pay for them (e.g. using high hydrostatic

pressure to lower the salt content in Serrano ham).

Experimental economics tools, combined with sensorialanalysis, enabled an assessment of consumers willingness

to pay for low-fat, low-salt chips (CSGA partnership

with theAlimentation et Sciences Sociales research unitand six private French laboratories). French consumers

attitudes towards foreign meat were also studied in aproject (partnership with the Purpan Engineering School).

The ongoing VinPest project is aimed at understandingconsumers views concerning pesticide use in wine

production (collaboration with the cole de Commerce deDijon, Institut de Management du Vin, Bureau Interprofessionneldes Vins de Bourgogne, Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vinsde la Bourgogne, Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay).This research is being continued through a Brazilian

postdoctoral fellow. Labex also enabled me to submitseveral proposals after my return to Brazil.

MYPARTICIPATIONIN EUROPEANPROJECTSIMPROVEDBRAZILIANRESEARCHNETWORKS, INCLUDINGTHOSEOFDIFFERENT EMBRAPARESEARCHCENTERSANDUNIVERSITIES.Coorganization of the 6th Ibero-American Sensory

Analysis Symposium (2010) and the 10th Sensory ScienceSymposium (2013, Brazil), highlights the cooperation

capacity of Labex. Dr Sylvie Issanchou and I have visitedseveral EMBRAPA research centers, which has given rise

to new collaboration opportunities. I have establishedcontacts through the INRA network, especially with

the INRA Clermont-Ferrand-Theix center, supplyinginformation derived from the Brazilian scientific community

conducting research in the human nutrition field and open

to capacity building opportunities.

Contact: Rosires Deliza, [email protected]

* Traditional United Europe Food: www.truefood.eu

COMMENT

Rosires Deliza

Brazilian scientist hostedRosires Deliza (EMBRAPA) spent 2 years withCSGA (May 2009-July 2011) to study the impact ofinformation and innovations on consumers food

choices and their willingness to pay.


Host laboratoryCSGA - Centre des Sciences du Got

et de lAlimentation(Center for taste and food sciences)

(CNRS/University of Burgundy/INRA)72 scientific and technical staffDirector: Luc Pnicaud,

[email protected]/csga/index.php

Scientific correspondent: Sylvie Issanchou,[email protected]

I N T E R V I E WSylvie Issanchouis a researcher at theCentre des Sciences du Got et delAlimentation which hosted a Brazilian



joined your team?Prior to Rosires Delizas stay, my team andI had no collaborations with EMBRAPA orgenerally with Brazil.

What conclusions do you draw from theexperience? What has this collaborationcontributed to your team?This experience was highly positive. It isobviously very interesting for a team to host

an experienced researcher in terms of boththe research and international outreach.Rosires Deliza was involved in differentteam projects, focusing on the issue ofconsumer acceptance of innovations.

We benefited from her experience in thisfield, especially with respect to quality-

oriented approaches. She was also involvedin attracting other researchers to ourlaboratory.

Now that the Brazilian scientist hasreturned home, is there any follow-up and/or consequences in terms ofpartnerships between your team andBrazilian institutions?

Yes, there is a promotional follow-up in the form of publications on theresearch projects in which Rosires Delizaparticipated during her stay. Moreover,Rosires Deliza is still involved in anexperimental assessment of consent tothe reduction of pesticide use in wineproduction (VinPest project funded by theFrench Ministry of Ecology, SustainableDevelopment and Energy), a project that

kicked off during her stay and which willcontinue until late 2013.

Contact: Sylvie Issanchou,[email protected]


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Results showing the HHP technology effect on the willingness to pay forSerrano ham by French consumers.

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Host laboratoryPMB research team

Microbiologiques et Biotechnologiques(Microbiological

and biotechnological processes)(formerly the Laboratoire de Gnie des Procds Microbiologiques et Alimentaires)

(University of Burgundy/AgroSup Dijon)20 scientific and technical staff

Director of PAM joint research unit:Patrick Gervais, [email protected]

www.umr-pam.fr

Scientific correspondent: Patrick Gervais

I N T E R V I E W

I participated in Labex-Europe in the team of theLaboratoire de Gnie des Procds Microbiologiqueset Alimentaires (now the Procds Microbiologiqueset Biotechnologiques research team). My research

was focused on bacterial spore resistance to microwaves

and high pressure in dehydrated foods and shed newlight on the role of the internal spore water content

on cell viability and potential inactivation mechanismson technological development. Brazilian students were

involved in this research via the CAPES/BRAFAGRI *program. The International Food Safety Group, linked with

the International Commission of Agricultural Engineering,

was founded and organized its first workshop entitledFood sanitary security: advances and trends, with around ahundred participants from all continents.

Because of the presence of Brazilian researchers,discussion meetings were held on scientific cooperation

opportunities and new research proposals concerningnew food conservation technologies and the

encapsulation of bioactive molecules. The 2nd workshop

was held in Valencia (Spain, 2012) and another is plannedfor 2013 in Brazil.

The brokerage events of the EuropeanCommission Biocircle** project should

also be mentioned. A research proposal

in partnership with the Cyted***program aimed at promoting Ibero-

American native fruits as a source offunctional ingredients was submitted by

the University of Monterey (Mexico)and the Instituto del Frio (Spain) inorder to facilitate cooperation andinteraction between research groups working on

functional foods in Latin America. As a Labex researcher,

I also organized missions (scientists and Brazilianmanufacturers in the fruit processing sector) in industries

and European research institutions as ANINTEGRALPARTOFTHE BRAZILIANGOVERNMENTALINNOVATIONANDTECHNOLOGICALDEVELOPMENTPROGRAM****WHICHISAIMEDATCREATINGTECHNOLOGYPARKS.

Contact: Amauri Rosenthal,

[email protected]* http://capes.gov.br/cooperacao-internacional/franca/capesbrafagri

** www.biocircle-project.eu

*** www.cyted.org**** www.abdi.com.br/Paginas/Default.aspx

COMMENT

Amauri Rosenthal

Patrick Gervaisisthe Director of theProcds Alimentaireset Microbiologiquesjoint research unit

which hosted aBrazilian researcher for2 years.

Did you work in collaboration with Brazilin general and with EMBRAPA in particularbefore a Labex researcher joined your team?No.

What conclusions do you draw from theexperience? What has this collaborationcontributed to your team?From a research standpoint, Dr Rosenthalcosupervised the work of two Brazilianscientists. He also initiated an internationalFood Safety workshop within the frameworkof a working group of the International

Commission of Agricultural Engineering,which was attended by around a hundredscientists.All of these activities fullycontributed to the scientific outreach ofour team and I am delighted with ourparticipation in EMBRAPAs Labex-Europe

program.

Now that the Brazilian scientist hasreturned home, is there any follow-up and/or consequences in terms of partnershipsbetween your team and Brazilianinstitutions?Two Franco-Brazilian cooperation programs(BRAGRAGRI and BRAFITEC) involvingEMBRAPA and AgroSup Dijon are under way.

We are also collaborating with Dr MarciaPedrini, Natal University, who workedfor a year as a postdoctoral fellow on thecellular vectorization of active molecule andplasmids via osmoporation.

Contact: Patrick Gervais,[email protected]

Brazilian scientist hostedAmauri Rosenthal (EMBRAPA) spent nearly2 years with GPMA (2009-2011) to study bacterialspore resistance to thermal stress.


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British and Brazilian scientists to

develop international networks andenhance insight on this crop.

This theme is now associated withthe development of high throughputphenotyping procedures, whichwill be the first Labex theme tobe studied in Germany from 2013(p. 13). EMBRAPA is extendingLabex-Europe by developing thistheme in collaboration with theJulius Khn Institute (JKI), FederalResearch Centre for CultivatedPlants (Germany), in order to merge

Brazilian tropical plant scienceexpertise with the plant health andproductivity expertise of JKI. Thisresearch will be aimed at developingnoninvasive methods and processes(image analysis, NMR, sensors, etc.)to enhance plant breeding, assessthe biological resource potentialand identify biological traits andfunctions that could be applied inagriculture.

* New methods for interpreting genotypingand phenotyping data derived from the germplasm

of major crops.

n the light of these global

challenges, EMBRAPAdecided to develop anadvanced plant biology program,in line with the rapid progress inmolecular tools and the developmentof omic science*. Over the last10 years, three Labex-Europeresearchers have been working onthis theme with three crops that arecrucial with respect to food securityin Brazil and elsewhere:

Rice is a staple food in Brazil.Many initiatives have focused on

improving its tolerance to differentabiotic stresses (drought, salinity,etc.). This trait is hard to improvein conventional genetic selectionprograms. Enhanced molecularinsight into genes involved inthe resistance/susceptibility toabiotic stress should facilitate thedevelopment of new varieties thatare better adapted to environmentalconstraints. Diseasesleaf streak, Panamadiseasethreaten bananaproductionin most growing regions. Theirmonitoring is costly and thepesticides used are toxic to humansand the environment. These threatsalso include banana bacterial wilt,

Moko disease and banana weevils.

Most bananas and plantains aresusceptible to at least one diseaseor pest and no farmers currentlygrow improved banana or plantainvarieties. Rothamsted Research (UK)is investigating virulence andpathogenicity mechanisms ofMycosphaerella graminicola, apathogenic fungus ofwheat of thesame genus causing Black Sigatokain banana, thus extending this firststudy. Brazil is still a net importer ofwheat, so this is a priority crop for

EMBRAPA. The research is gearedtowards understanding fungalvirulence on wheat plants, by meansof functional and comparativegenomics, to better manage cropsunder warm temperate conditionsin the South as well as tropicalclimate like in the central savanna-like Cerrado regions of Brazil. Inaddition, high temperatures areconducive to wheat infestation byMagnaporthe oryzaein Brazil, whichis related to Rice Blast, a majordisease worldwide. Climate changescenarios forecast European summerto be warmer, posing a wide rangeof challenges to UK crops thuswarranting collaborations between

Advanced biology and molecularplant-microorganism interactions

I

World population growth, especially in poor count ries, the conti nuous degradation of a rable land, reduced

access to drinking water and climate change are major challenges for agricultural production and food

security. Plant improvement is a key approach to address the need to increase agricultural production

while reduc ing the use of pest icides and fer tili zers, thus enabling the development of sustai nable

agricultural practices.

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Labex-Europe was an extremelyrewarding personal and professional

experience even though I was

faced with challenges almost daily.

I realized in my first months in Francethat my mission would reach beyondjust the work, that is, researchit was

necessary to create credibility withinthe Montpellier scientific community

and to perpetuate it, which was an even tougher taskabout the Labex Program concept. This was the first time