An alternative approach to plant health: The procedural concept applied to common bean seed systems

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An alternative approach to plant health: The procedural concept applied to common bean seed systems

Stéphanie Klaedtke, Pierre M. Stassart, Véronique Chable

To cite this version:

Stéphanie Klaedtke, Pierre M. Stassart, Véronique Chable. An alternative approach to plant health:

The procedural concept applied to common bean seed systems. 4. ISOFAR Scientific Conference, 2014, Istanbul, Turkey. 1p., 2014. �hal-01458633�

A ^N A ^LTERNATIVE A ^{PPROACH TO} P ^LANT H ^EALTH

The procedural concept applied to common bean seed systems

Stephanie M. Klaedtke ^{1, 2} , Pierre M. Stassart ² , Véronique Chable ¹

1 INRA SAD, Rennes, France, eMail : stephanie.klaedtke@rennes.inra.fr / 2 Socio-Economy Environment and Development, Liège University, Arlon, Belgium

Introduction

Small scale organic seed producers market seed of traditional vegetable cultivars on a national or regional scale in Western Europe. For common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), several seed-borne pathogens represent a challenge to seed production. Common Bean Blight

(CBB), caused by pathogenic bacteria, is regulated as quarantine pest in the European Union. We hypothesise that different conceptions of plant health are confronted in debates concerning the management of CBB and seed quality. While some stakeholders define plant

health as "absence of disease" and objective, measurable entity, others argue for a salutogenic position focussing on more complex inte- ractions between plants, pathogens, other microorganisms and their environment in order to evolve towards health.

Perspectives and Challenges

In the debate procedure, the rules for debating are as important as the topics themselves. While the objective here is to develop an ap-

proach to plant health from the perspective of small scale organic seed producers, the link of this perspective with its wider framework will be made by including other types of stakeholders in the research. Working with local networks and artisan techniques entails very different management strategies than the large scale seed production on a global market. It is important to note that results of this form of research are situated and contextualized. A holistic approach to research which does not consider research results without their context calls for the participation of and active interaction between stakeholders (researchers included) in a research process that is not defined beforehand.

Materials and Methods

A procedural concept for the definition of plant health, proposed by Döring et al. (2011), is applied to the case of small-scale organic

bean seed production. Different conceptions can be incorporated by addressing a set of five topics. The aim is to develop an approach to plant health in partnership with concerned farmers and to reflect on the management of seed-borne diseases from their point of view.

Döring T F, Pautasso M, Finckh MR & Wolfe MS (2012): Concepts of plant health - reviewing and challenging the foundations of plant protection: Concepts of plant health. Plant Pathology 61, 1–15.

Ecological plant protection relies on interactions in the ecosystem to provide regulation of pathogens and may be more likely to embrace a salutogenic position. To explore

their understanding of phytosanitary issues, a qualitative survey will be realized with bean seed producers, researchers and other stakeholders, including topics such as

seed quality, seed and crop management strategies and forms of social organization.

The socio -technical network

Past research on common bean pathogens has lead to a wide range of scientific literature on the effect of pathogens on plant functions and on the development of pathogens under certain pedoclimatic conditions. It provides elements to better understand the pathosystem and to situate field observations.

Pathosystem and biology

The epidemiological development of pathoge- nic bacteria is strongly dependent on plant-

pathogen-environment interactions and far- mer practices. Since 2012, 4 traditional bean varieties and one commercial check are pro- duced and resown on 3 farms with contrasting pedoclimatic conditions in France and Luxembourg. The deve- lopment of seed-borne diseases in the

plant populations is assessed over 3

growing seasons. Epidemiological

aspects

Specific adaptation of crops to their environ-

ment and the interaction of plants and beneficial microorganisms are conside- red important factors for crop resilience in an alternative approach to plant health. In the field trials, the specific adaptation of bean cultivars is stu- died, as well as their interactions with symbiotic soil microorganisms (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Rhizobium sp.) and seed microbial communities.

Crop

environment

Small-scale organic producers of traditional bean cultivars are seldom interested in the genetic yield potential under optimal conditions, but rather in the adaptation to their local crop environment. Beyond grain yields and measurable product quality, the role of local agricultural systems and the importance of agro-biodiversity are only two topics that need to be discussed for individual communities.

Anthopocentric perspective

eprint number 24027

SOLIBAM (Strategies for Organic and Low input Integrated Breeding and Management - 2010-2014) is funded by the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under the grant agreement n.

245058. The PhD research is supported by the Fonds National de la Recherche, Luxembourg (project 5126594).