Plant health

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 have to be felled. ANSES is working to prevent the disease from spreading.

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 well as herbs and ornamental, forest and wild plants. There are currently no curative measures against this bacterium. To avoid the spread of the disease, therefore, contaminated plants must be grubbed up and destroyed, and the insect vectors controlled. Here is an update on the bacterium, and on what the ANSES Plant Health Laboratory (LSV) is doing to help combat this pest.

Between 1 and 3.5 million people in France are believed to be allergic to ragweed today. What is ragweed? When do pollen levels peak? Is ragweed present across France? Are there ways of keeping it from spreading? Here is our update on the situation.

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 studying vector-borne diseases transmitted to animals and the ability of vectors to transmit these pathogens.

The "One Health" concept was first put forward in the early 2000s, with growing awareness of the close links between human health, animal health and the overall state of the environment. It aims to promote a multidisciplinary, global approach to health issues. ANSES's work is fully in line with the One Health concept, and the Agency is coordinating several projects based on it.

Some toxic plants resemble edible plants and may be confused with them, not only in the wild but also in the garden or vegetable patch. Picking plants for consumption is not without risk: 250 cases of confusion are documented every year. ANSES and the network of poison control centres are drawing attention to the risks of mistaking toxic plants for edible ones. The Agency is calling for greater vigilance and has issued advice on avoiding the risk of poisoning.

The pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) is a microscopic worm that affects conifers, especially maritime pine. It is a particularly destructive parasite responsible for severe dieback in pine forests. Transmitted by an insect vector, its spread is mainly due to the transport of wood or plants. If this parasite were introduced into France, the Landes area would be at risk due to the widespread presence of maritime pine. As the National and European Reference Laboratory for identification of the pinewood nematode, ANSES has conducted several expert appraisals to assess the risks of introduction and establishment of the organism in France and to recommend management measures for pine wood and bark.

Biological pest control products include macro-organisms (invertebrates, insects, mites and nematodes) and plant protection products containing micro-organisms (fungi, bacteria, viruses), chemical mediators such as sex pheromones (chemical substances produced by insects that play a role in sexual attraction) and natural plant, animal or mineral-based substances. In a context advocating reduced use of plant protection products, biological control is one solution that has been identified for reaching the goals of the Ecophyto 2018 plan. For this reason, the marketing and assessment procedures need to be adjusted. Indeed, while the principles of biological control promote the use of processes and interactions that already exist in nature, these products can present risks for the environment. ANSES has therefore been asked to assess them.

What is the red palm weevil? The red palm weevil ( Rhynchophorus ferrugineus ) is a beetle that is a particular menace to palm trees. Originally from South and South-east Asia, it is now found in more than 60 countries, where it threatens date palms, ornamental palms and coconut palms. It has been present in France since 2006; it was first detected in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region (French Riviera) and has now become established in the Occitanie region and Corsica. The red palm weevil develops inside the stipe (trunk) of the tree, causing the palms to fall and the tree to die. It is often detected very late in palm trees, which is a major problem in the control of this pest. Once the palm weevil is established, the host tree dies after two to five years. In France, the main species threatened are the Date Palm ( Phoenix dactylifera ) and the Canary Island Date Palm ( Phoenix canariensis ). As it poses a global threat, an international action plan has been set up by the FAO to prevent the spread of the red palm weevil. In France, the red palm weevil has been classified as a Category 1 health hazard and has been the subject of a mandatory control strategy since 2010. This strategy is based on three key elements: monitoring and early detection of the presence of the pest; destruction of the contaminated plant or its infested parts; preventive treatments around infested palm trees to avoid any spread of the insect. ANSES’s work on the red palm weevil ANSES has worked on control of the red palm weevil on several occasions, in particular by assessing solutions for treating palm trees. It has also carried out an expert appraisal with a view to optimising strategies to control this pest..

Climate change is a reality on which there is broad consensus in the scientific community. Because of the inertia of the climate system, changes to the climate related to human activities will continue for many years, regardless of any measures taken today. Combating climate change, which is part of a more global environmental change, is therefore essential to limit its magnitude.

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 2018 plan to reduce pesticide use. Although they are of natural origin, these plant protection products still have to be scientifically assessed, in terms of their effectiveness and their safety to health and the environment, before they can be placed on the market. ANSES has set up a specific system to give priority to applications concerning biocontrol products, including shorter timeframes for their examination and reduced fees, with the aim of promoting their development.

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 activities in the fields of food safety and animal and plant health. Its core activity is the assessment of health risks in order to enable the public authorities to make informed decisions and in so doing to help ensure the health and safety of of the population both in its working and consumer activities