-Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) crop is often labelled as environmental-friendly for many objective reasons: limited amounts of N fertiliser, no irrigation, and limited use of pesticides. In addition, sunflower has a potential for providing multiple ecosystem services in diverse cropping systems (e.g. pollinators feeding). However agroecological innovations have been less developed or disseminated than for cereals or oilseed rape. Based on results from the sunflower research consortium in Toulouse (Mestries and Debaeke. 2016. Journées d'échanges Tournesol, 28 et 29 juin 2016, Toulouse (France)), we illustrate some innovating and promising approaches for more agroecological practices in sunflower cropping. Our results suggested that: integrated crop management could be proposed to limit the use of pesticides and mitigate crop damages; cover crops could be used as biofumigants to control soilborne diseases in sunflower; intercropping sunflower with soybean could be a valuable option for maximizing resource-use efficiency in low-input environments; sunflower yield could be maintained at good level in very low input cropping systems. Previous examples point out how agroecological principles could be applied to sunflower crop to improve its production in low-input conditions, and enhance the ecosystem services deliverable by this oilseed crop.Keywords: cultural control / intercropping / ecosystem services / cropping systems / low-input Résumé -La culture de tournesol : respectueuse de l'environnement et agroécologique. La culture de tournesol (Helianthus annuus L.) est souvent qualifiée de respectueuse de l'environnement en raison de sa faible dépendance aux apports d'engrais, à l'eau d'irrigation et aux applications de pesticides en végétation. Par ailleurs, le tournesol contribue à de nombreux services écosystémiques au premier rang desquels l'alimentation des pollinisateurs. Cependant, très peu d'innovations agroécologiques ont été mises en avant sur cette culture contrairement à ce qui a été développé en céréales ou en colza. En nous basant sur les travaux récents du consortium de recherche sur le tournesol basé à Toulouse (Mestries et Debaeke. 2016. Journées d'échanges Tournesol, 28 et 29 juin 2016, Toulouse (France)), nous illustrerons plusieurs approches innovantes et prometteuses pour augmenter la performance agroécologique de la culture de tournesol. Ainsi nos résultats montrent que : des méthodes de protection intégrée peuvent être proposées pour limiter l'application de pesticides et atténuer les pertes de rendement ; des cultures intermédiaires (brassicacées) pourraient être utilisées pour la biofumigation des sols et le contrôle de maladies telluriques en tournesol ; l'association culturale avec le soja pourrait constituer une option intéressante pour maximiser l'utilisation des ressources en bas intrants ; le rendement du tournesol peut être maintenu à un bon niveau dans des systèmes à très bas niveaux d'intrants. Les exemples précédents illustrent comment les principes de l'agroécologie peuv...

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Three inoculation methods were evaluated for effectiveness to cause sunflower premature ripening (PR). Evaluations were conducted on a sunflower (Helianthus annuus) cultivar susceptible to PR in replicated, multilocation experiments under greenhouse conditions. Plants were inoculated with Phoma macdonaldii, either with mycelium, conidia, or infected residues at the stem base or with buried residues. Disease severity (DS) was measured by percent girdling necrosis at the stem base and percent final PR; the infection spread was assessed using the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). Inoculation with mycelia or 1 × 106 spores/ml caused significantly more DS and PR than lower spore concentrations or infected residues (P < 0.05). Amending soil with residues induced root necrosis but no PR. P. macdonaldii was mainly isolated at the stem base and above but rarely on root systems. Microscopic evaluations showed that hyphae colonized mainly the cortex and vascular stem tissues. The overall results demonstrated a clear role of aerial infection in PR compared with soilborne inoculum, and that inoculation at the stem base with a spore suspension could be used for screening genotypes for resistance to PR.

The aim of this study was to characterise the sequence of traits that influence the response of rice morphogenesis to a shortage in carbohydrate supply and to its recovery. Plants were grown under 70% shading or full-light exposure for distinct periods during the vegetative and early reproductive phases in field and controlled environments. Lower organ vigour (i.e. higher specific leaf area and specific stem length), sugar concentration, tiller emergence and leaf elongation rate; higher leaf blade to sheath length ratio and preferential assimilate allocation to sink (elongating) leaves, were observed soon after the onset of shading. Organ vigour was affected before any appreciable effect on tiller emergence was noted. All the processes resumed after the shading removal, which coincided with a boost in sugar concentration; however, the extent of recovery in organ vigour and tillering depended on the growth stage at which shading was applied. It is concluded that crop response to changes in carbohydrate supply at the early stage favoured leaf area production by adjusting transient reserve levels and biomass allocation. Results of this study provide further insights into the role of soluble carbohydrates in plant and crop phenotypic plasticity and, thus, into the value of such processes in plant growth models. (Résumé d'auteur

In order to make more efficient plant breeding and gain in competitiveness, the sector of oil-protein crops decided to intensify agronomic research on sunflower crop. The “Sunflower” Joint Technological Unit (Unité Mixte Technologique (UMT) “Tournesol”, in French) was launched in the Toulouse area in 2006, associating closely INRA and Terres Inovia. First focused on improving oil production through an agronomic approach, the UMT was renewed in 2011 with a broader partnership and a more assertive orientation towards the development of decision-making tools. The objective of this paper is to highlight the relevance and productivity of this user-oriented research facility. The main results relate to (i) the co-construction of a simulation model (SUNFLO) that can be parameterized and manipulated by Terres Inovia engineers, (ii) the joint exploration of supra-field scales and new methods for agronomic diagnosis and yield forecasting based on remote sensing, (iii) the tuning and dissemination of operational decision rules, (iv) the production of essential knowledge on emergent and/or damaging fungal diseases, as well as on complex interactions between genotype, environment and crop management. After a concluding symposium in 2016, new requests for sunflower research were formulated by the participants. They also advocated for a diversification of crops to consider in order to better meet the needs of the whole oil-protein sector.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is one of the three most productive oilseed crops worldwide. Soilborne diseases limit yields and are challenging to manage. The fungi Verticillium dahliae, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Macrophomina phaseolina can survive in the soil for many years and spread. Following the ban on fumigants, biofumigation, which consists of growing, chopping and incorporating a Brassicaceae cover crop to allow biocidal compounds production in the soil, may be an alternative. Biocidal effects of the hydrolysis of glucosinolate into active compounds, such as isothiocyanates, have been shown in laboratory studies, but the effectiveness of biofumigation varies more in the field. The present study reviews the main factors that determine effective biofumigation to protect sunflower. Since the toxicity of isothiocyanates to pathogens varies widely among the latter, we reviewed studies that assessed the suppressive effect of products of glucosinolate hydrolysis on V. dahliae, S. sclerotiorum and M. phaseolina. Farmers can use many mechanisms to increase isothiocyanate production, which may protect sunflower crop effectively. Increasing biomass production and chopping the cover crop during mild temperatures and before rainy periods could increase biofumigation effectiveness. Further field experiments are needed to confirm the potential of biofumigation to control soilborne diseases of sunflower and assess potential disservices to beneficial soil communities, given their potential key role in the control of soilborne pathogens.

In south-western France, sunflowers are usually grown in short rotations and after a long fallow period during which soils are left bare. This practice can favour diseases, caused by soilborne fungi, such as sunflower verticillium wilt (SVW), as well as nitrate leaching, both of which can decrease yields. Growing cover crops during a fallow period is an agroecological practice that could provide ecosystem services and mitigate SVW. A Brassicaceae cover crop that causes biofumigation produces glucosinolates and liberate biocidal compounds that might regulate SVW biologically. Moreover, the green manure effect of the Fabaceae might increase soil mineral nitrogen (SMN). To go further, mixtures of Brassicaceae and Fabaceae might mutualise the benefits that each cover crop has in sole crops. A four-year field study in south-western France tested Brassicaceae (brown mustard, turnip rape and fodder radish) and Fabaceae (purple vetch) in sole crops or a mixture with two or three species during the fallow period, followed by biofumigation, and sunflower crop. The cover crops were characterised, SMN was measured, the SVW and yield were assessed and compared to those of the crop grown on soils left bare during the fallow period. Purple vetch as a sole crop cover crop significantly increased SMN before sunflower sowing but only in 2019. Fodder radish as a sole crop reduced SVW severity significantly, overall, 80 days after sowing, except in 2019, when weather conditions were unfavourable to biofumigation. Purple vetch as a sole crop also reduced significantly SVW severity in 2017 and 2020. Finally, sunflower yields after cover crops were higher than those after bare soils, only after purple vetch as a sole crop in 2020, with a mean increase of 0.77 t ha−1. Mixtures of Brassicaceae and Fabaceae sowed at these densities resulted in an intermediate SMN level between those in sole crops and the bare soil and they did not significantly decrease SVW or increase yields. Our results suggest that cover crops, especially fodder radish or purple vetch, and biofumigation can provide ecosystem services for sunflower, instead of leaving soils bare during the fallow period. However, the extent of ecosystem services is markedly affected by soil and climatic conditions as well as other management practices.

In France, premature ripening (PR) is a widespread damage of a fungal disease of sunflower caused by Phoma macdonaldii. Previous results indicated that girdling canker at the stem base, caused by P. macdonaldii, was its primary cause. Previous studies have reported the influence of nitrogen and water supply on the incidence and severity of PR but an additional study was required to analyze the effect of plant density on the level of attack for a more comprehensive cultural control of PR. In a 2-year field study (2008 and 2009) in Toulouse (France), a susceptible cultivar (cv. Heliasol) artificially inoculated at star bud stage with P. macdonaldii was grown at three plant densities (4, 6.5 and 9 plants m −2) factorially combined with three N fertilization rates (0, 50/75 and 150 kg N ha −1) and two water regimes (irrigated and rainfed). P. macdonaldii symptoms were scored weekly to calculate the area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) and percentage of PR plants. Microclimatic conditions were monitored using thermo-hygrometers within the crop. The fraction of photosynthetically active radiation intercepted by the canopy (fPARi) and leaf area index (LAI) were measured at anthesis. Plant water status during the disease progression was characterized by crop simulation (SUNFLO) and N status at anthesis was assessed from shoot N content (Nm) analysis and N Nutrition Index (NNI) calculation. Increasing plant density resulted in a greater proportion of PR plants, and this proportion increased further when N was applied at 150 kg ha −1 , the highest rate, and the crop was not irrigated. Despite differing canopy development, differences in microclimatic conditions between density levels were too small to explain the PR differences. However plant N concentration and diameter at stem base were closely related to PR incidence. Thin plants (grown at high density) with non-limiting N supply were the most susceptible to premature ripening. This study opens new avenues for the control of PR through crop management and emphasizes the key role of plant morphology in the development of the disease. Stem base diameter is a morphological trait that could be manipulated through crop management (plant density, N fertilization) and probably breeding in the future when developing integrated disease management systems in sunflower.