The Laboratory is the National Reference Laboratory for plant health, for plant pathogens requiring quarantine (organisms that can be harmful to plants such as bacteria, viruses, phytoplasmas, nematodes, insects, mites and fungi that fall under EU regulations), for invasive plants and for GMOs.

It proposes methods for official adoption by the Ministry of Agriculture and coordinates the revision of analytical protocols. It calls on a network of 20 approved laboratories responsible for first-line detection.

National Reference Laboratories (NRLs)

Bacteriology, virology and GMO detection

The Bacteriology, Virology & GMO Detection unit has five NRL mandates in its three fields of competence. As part of these mandates, it carries out expert appraisal work to support the authorities in decision-making; it also develops and validates official analytical methods and coordinates a network of approved laboratories by regularly organising inter-laboratory proficiency tests. It performs numerous specific analyses for regulated and emerging organisms and has developed a diagnostic service in bacteriology and virology aiming to prevent any new emerging threats.

The unit's five NRL mandates are as follows:    

• GMOs in maize (vegetative parts) and in potatoes, beets, rice, cotton, wheat and vegetable species (seeds and vegetative parts);
• All bacteria except those covered by other mandates*;
• Phytoplasmas in all matrices;
• All viruses except those covered by other mandates*;
• Viroids in all matrices.

Service catalogue (PDF) – Angers unit 

General terms of service provision (PDF) – Angers unit

Analytical recommendations (PDF) – Angers unit

Test application form (.docx) – Angers unit

Agreement on proof (.docx) – Angers unit

 * See the Ministerial Order appointing national reference laboratories in the areas of veterinary public health and plant health (Ministerial Order of 30/03/2022).

Entomology and invasive plants

The Entomology and Botany unit has two NRL mandates:

NRL for plant-parasitic and beneficial insects and mites in all matrices

Every year, this NRL identifies thousands of samples belonging to more than 500 different taxa. These are specimens intercepted in ports and airports, as well as during official controls in France for the monitoring of regulated or emerging organisms (including vectors). The NRL therefore helps to identify, as early as possible, any incursion of an insect or mite that is not yet considered to be a regulated or emerging pest but could potentially become one. These identifications are also necessary for issuing phytosanitary certificates for export, and are required by the competent authorities responsible for issuing plant passports. Based on this experience, it develops tools for recognising and identifying insects and mites using morphological methods (identification sheets, atlas of quarantine arthropods, etc.). This activity enables it to make a major contribution to drafting methods at European or international level (EPPO, International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)). The NRL is a partner in research programmes on topics such as plant disease vectors, current plant health crises (Xylella fastidiosa) or pests subject to a high level of vigilance (Bactrocera dorsalis, Spodoptera frugiperda, etc.).

NRL for invasive plants

This NRL is involved in epidemiological surveillance and phytopharmacovigilance activities focusing on emerging invasive plants, in France and other countries, that may constitute threats to plant health. It provides support to the National Biological Surveillance (SBT) network run by the Ministry of Agriculture. It also develops and improves protocols for monitoring weed flora (or flora in the margins around fields), analyses and interprets data, and participates in the scientific promotion of the results. The NRL develops knowledge on the biology, ecology and impact of these emerging invasive plants. These data are taken into account in pest risk analyses (PRAs) and also improve knowledge of invasion factors.

Service catalogue and general terms of service provision (PDF) - Montpellier unit

Test application form (PDF) – Montpellier unit

Recommendations for the collection and shipping of samples (PDF) – Montpellier unit

Fungi and oomycetes 

The NRL for fungi and oomycetes develops and validates reference methods for detecting the fungi and oomycetes listed in the European Plant Health Regulation as posing quarantine threats or any other threats, directly in the plants they parasitise. The new methods it develops aim to provide high analytical performance and very rapid results.  The NRL trains and supervises a network of approved laboratories for the implementation of some of these methods, regularly organising training courses and inter-laboratory proficiency tests.

Service catalogue (PDF) – Nancy unit

Recommendations for the collection and shipping of samples (PDF) – Nancy unit

Sample delivery form – Nancy unit

Agreement on proof – Nancy unit

General terms of analytical service provision – Nancy unit

Plant-parasitic nematodes 

The NRL for plant-parasitic nematodes in all matrices carries out expert appraisal activities to support public decision-making. It also performs analyses and coordinates networks of approved laboratories for the detection of plant-parasitic nematodes, and is required to develop and refine analysis methods in its sphere of expertise. Its analytical activities are focused on detecting nematodes of importance, whether officially regulated, included on quarantine lists, or emerging in France or countries outside the EU, and potentially posing a risk to plants in France.

Service catalogue and general terms of service provision (PDF) – Rennes unit

Test application form (PDF) – Rennes unit

Recommendations for the collection and shipping of samples (PDF) – Rennes unit

Agreement on proof (.docx) – Rennes unit

Plum pox virus, citrus viruses and potato viruses

The NRL for plum pox virus, citrus viruses (excluding citrus tristeza virus, assigned to the LSV-RAPT unit) and potato viruses manages an active network of laboratories approved for detecting plum pox virus using the official ELISA method. 

For the other viruses covered by the mandate, the NRL itself performs official analyses.

LSV Quarantine unit service catalogue (PDF) – Clermont Ferrand unit

Instructions for sending plant samples for laboratory analysis to the Quarantine unit (PDF) – Clermont Ferrand unit

Tropical pathogens

The Tropical Pests and Pathogens (RAPT) unit has two National Reference Laboratory mandates: NRL for viruses of banana and tropical plants, and NRL for bacteria of banana, citrus fruit and tropical plants.

These mandates give it a scope of action covering all of overseas France, the Indian Ocean area (as part of regional cooperation), metropolitan France and, more broadly, the European Union, for issues shared with tropical regions, in particular those affecting the citrus fruit and rice sectors. The NRLs have also developed international partnerships (South Africa, East Africa, Australia, etc.).

Analytical service catalogue (PDF) – Reunion Island unit

Test application form (.docx) – Reunion Island unit

General terms of service provision (PDF) – Reunion Island unit

Recommendations for the collection and shipping of samples (PDF) – Reunion Island unit

Precautions for shipping packages under LOA (PDF) – Reunion Island unit

Agreement on proof (.docx) – Reunion Island unit

European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) 

EURL for insects and mites                 

The Entomology and Botany unit holds the EURL mandate in consortium with the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). Like France, every other EU Member State has appointed an NRL for insects and mites. The EURL coordinates the network of these 27 NRLs. Its role is to ensure the accurate identification of regulated and invasive insect and mite species. The consortium can rely on broad knowledge for the identification of Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Thysanoptera, Hemiptera and Acari. Molecular diagnostics (barcoding and other PCR assays) can supplement or confirm morphological identification and in some cases help to obtain a more accurate identification. The EURL ensures the proper use of reference methods and validates them where necessary, disseminates technical information, organises annual proficiency tests and trains NRL personnel. The species monitored most closely are the 16 quarantine insect pests defined as priorities by the EU, although the EURL's work can extend to other pests listed in EU regulations, as part of the ongoing support it provides to the European Commission.  Visit the website of the EURL for insects and mites

EURL for pathogenic fungi and oomycetes in plants   

This EURL coordinates a network of 26 National Reference Laboratories, which it informs of diagnostic advances through workshops, training and literature monitoring. It promotes analytical methods for the detection of quarantine fungi and oomycetes of importance for the European Union. It also organises training sessions and inter-laboratory tests, to ensure they are correctly implemented in all Member States. It provides the NRLs of these Member States with access to a collection of reference fungi strains. Visit the website of the EURL for fungi and oomycetes

EURL for nematodes     

The European mandate for nematodes is held in consortium with the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO, Belgium). Its activities aim to provide scientific and technical support to the European Commission and the NRLs in the different European Union Member States, for implementing European plant health regulations. It provides the knowledge and tools required to ensure high-quality, uniform and reliable detection and identification of regulated and emerging plant-parasitic nematodes. In this capacity, the EURL coordinates the network of European NRLs. Visit the website of the EURL for nematodes