patron

ausone  cheval blanc  montrose  petrus

  

Context 

Downy mildew in vines, caused by Plasmopara viticola, remains one of the main threats to vineyards, particularly in Bordeaux.

To tackle this challenge, the Alexis Millardet Chair is developing an innovative approach combining fundamental research and practical solutions.

Its aim is to gain new insights into the pathogen in order to develop a preventive strategy for managing the disease, based on controlling the primary inoculum (prophylaxis).

The objectives of the Alexis Millardet Chair are:

  • to generate new knowledge on the pathogen’s sexual cycle and the dynamics of its inoculum in the soil;
  • to develop new tools for quantifying the forms in which downy mildew persists in the soil;
  • to develop new indicators of epidemic risk;
  • to devise control methods based on the management of the primary inoculum.

 

team members

François Delmotte, INRAE Research Director at the ISVV. His work focuses on the genetics and evolution of grapevine pathogens and pests, and he is a recognised expert in population genomics. His research programme aims to integrate evolutionary and ecological approaches into epidemiology to develop sustainable strategies for managing vine diseases, in particular downy mildew.

  • Lucie Andrianasolonirina, Research Engineer, Operational Division
  • Charlotte Poeydebat, Senior Lecturer, Bordeaux Science Agro
  • Laurent Delière, Research Engineer, INRAE
  • Xavier Burgun, Engineer, IFV
  • Paige Breen, PhD student (2023–2026)
  • Isabelle Demeaux, Research Technician, INRAE
  • Pierre Sauris, Assistant Engineer, INRAE
  • Marie Rodriguez, Research Engineer
  • Solène Durand, Research Engineer
  • Interns: Victor Marchal (DUT – 2024), Dilruba Khatun (M2 – 2025)

 

The multidisciplinary team brings together complementary expertise in microbiology, molecular biology, plant pathology and agronomy.

  • Institutionnel partners : INRAE, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, ISVV

 

scientific ambitions

To unravelling the mysteries of biology and generating new knowledge on:

  • the pathogen’s sexual reproduction phase;
  • the survival of its forms in the soil;
  • the mechanisms triggering outbreaks.

To design and validate innovative tools for:

  • to quantify the primary inoculum in the vineyard, using a combination of biological and molecular methods;
  • to study plant-pathogen-environment interactions using a new mesocosm-type experimental system;

From an operational perspective, the chair aims to:

  • to define new indicators relating to the germination of the primary inoculum present in the soil;
  • to develop a method for reducing the sexual inoculum by removing infected leaves in the autumn;
  • to measure the impact of cover crops in limiting the dispersal of oospores in the spring;

 

the alexis millardet is :

 

70 plots sampled

1,800 vines monitored each year

2,300 auger turns

3,000 vine plants grown in a greenhouse

17,000 floating discs used for biological testing

1,500 soil DNA analyses

 

Download the detailed description of the ‘Alexis Millardet’ Chair

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