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Plant health

Plants can be threatened by diseases, pathogens or pests. These have an impact on health, the economy, food and biodiversity. Through its expertise, ANSES helps to prevent the emergence of diseases and pests, combat invasive plants, and reduce the impact of pesticide use in order to preserve the diversity of plant species and crops.

News

17/09/2025
News

Two new reference mandates for ANSES's laboratories

On 15 July, ANSES was given two new mandates to support the authorities in preventing and managing health crises. In the area of animal health, it...
16/07/2025
Expert assessment

Copper as a fungicide in agriculture: health, environmental and socio-economic challenges

Copper compounds are commonly used as fungicides in conventional and organic agriculture. Following the European re-approval of copper as a plant...

Decryption

06/11/2025

The pinewood nematode: a threat to conifers

The pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) is a microscopic worm that develops in conifers, particularly those of the genus Pinus, which can lead to the decline of the affected trees. In…
03/03/2025

Canker stain : a fungus that threatens plane trees

Introduced into France in the 1940s, canker stain of plane trees has been spreading ever since, especially in the southern part of the country. No treatment is available, so the infected plane trees…
30/10/2024

One Health for living beings and ecosystems

The One Health concept aims to promote a multidisciplinary, holistic approach to health issues. Where did this approach come from and what does it involve? How does ANSES apply it when carrying out…
03/04/2024

Facilitating access to biocontrol solutions: products and macro-organisms

Biocontrol is one way of facilitating the substitution of synthetic plant protection products by alternatives. Although they are of natural origin, these solutions still have to be scientifically…
22/02/2024

Insects that are harmful to plants

While some insects are essential for plants, others can be detrimental to their health and destroy gardens, forests, wood and crops. In view of climate change and increased international trade, it is…
22/02/2024

The red palm weevil, a pest native to Asia

The red palm weevil ( Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is a beetle that is a particular menace to palm trees. Native to South and South-East Asia, it became established in the south of France in the early…
19/07/2022

Xylella fastidiosa, a threat to olive trees and hundreds of plants

Xylella fastidiosa is a phytopathogenic quarantine bacterium that can infect more than 600 plant species, affecting major agricultural crops such as grapevines, citrus fruits, almonds and olives, as…
05/01/2021

Research on vectors undertaken at ANSES

Some arthropods (a family that includes insects and arachnids) such as ticks and mosquitoes can transmit pathogens that cause diseases in animals, plants and/or humans. Several ANSES laboratories are…
27/11/2017

Facilitating the marketing of biocontrol plant protection products

Biocontrol is one of the solutions that could facilitate the substitution of synthetic plant protection products by non-chemical alternatives, with a view to achieving the goals of the French Ecophyto…
30/07/2015

ANSES: a brief outline

Created on 1 July 2010, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) is an independent scientific body which performs its risk assessment, reference and research…
18/02/2013

ANSES’s work with plants

ANSES calls on the expertise of its various entities to apply a cross-disciplinary approach to plant health issues.
18/02/2013

Corn rootworm

The corn rootworm is an insect that grows on maize roots and plants. Damage is caused mainly by older larvae that attack the brace root of the plants. These attacks result in nutritional deficiency…

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