Studies & Reports: Our selection of original articlesOur selection

Cadmium in Our Plates: Levers and Innovations to Limit Its Presence in Food

Cadmium, a metal naturally present in the environment, has become an unwanted element in our diet. Revealing an overexposure of the French population, the report published by Anses in March 2026 highlights the need to lower the cadmium levels in food. Solutions are emerging at the intersection of agronomy, genetics, and technology. Here, we review five of them to understand how they can help limit its presence in food.

Medical Cannabis: Canada Dominates Global Exports, Germany Fuels Consumption Growth

With over 275 tons of medical cannabis exported in 2025, Canada crushes international competition. Germany, whose market is expected to weigh nearly $1.5 billion by the end of 2026 and represent nearly 10% of the estimated $12.7 billion global market, has become one of the main drivers of global consumption growth, thanks to the rise of teleclinics. However, this momentum could be hindered by future regulatory reforms, according to Prohibition Partners, a leading platform dedicated to the professional cannabis market.

The End of the Single Agricultural Model

A recent study from the Ministry of Agriculture's Center for Studies and Prospective highlights a major shift: French agriculture is no longer structured solely by the size of farms or their productions, but by the increasing diversity of entrepreneurial projects that drive them.

AI: The New Engine of French Agriculture, Balancing Competitiveness and Sovereignty

An official report published at the end of 2025 identifies artificial intelligence as a strategic lever to enhance the competitiveness and sovereignty of French agriculture, far beyond a mere technological challenge.

Wheat and Barley: INRAE Investigates Gene History for Climate Adaptation

Researchers from INRAE, Clermont Auvergne University, and CNRS have analyzed 1,420 modern varieties of wheat and barley, as well as ancient wheats dating back 5,000 years, to trace the history of genes related to adaptation. A hundred common variants have been identified, opening new avenues for variety selection in the face of climate change.

Pangenome Selection: A Breakthrough for More Resilient and Productive Crops

A study published in Cell reveals that a pangenome-based selection strategy can reintroduce genetic variants lost during domestication. Tested on Tartary buckwheat, this approach has led to the development of lines that combine better altitude stress tolerance with higher yields, opening new possibilities for numerous crops.

Study Reveals Gaps in Sustainability Monitoring of Cocoa Farms

Soybeans, corn... the issue of banned pesticides in Europe for imports

The PLUVALUH Project: Towards Sustainable Agriculture with Human Urine

The PLUVALUH project, led by the Chamber of Agriculture of the Pays de la Loire, explores the use of human urine as a fertilizer in agriculture. Experiments in Angers and other regions aim to assess the technical and agronomic feasibility of this innovative approach, while analyzing its environmental impact and developing viable economic models. This initiative could transform human urine into a valuable resource for farmers, thus contributing to more sustainable and decarbonized agriculture.

Silica Nanoparticles Alter Plant-Insect Interactions in Corn

A recent study shows that the foliar application of silica nanoparticles (SiO2NPs) induces a legacy effect in the soil, reprogramming corn volatiles and reducing egg-laying by the fall armyworm. While plant growth remains unaffected, the findings suggest a soil-mediated feedback mechanism driven by nanoparticles, paving the way for innovative pest management strategies in agriculture.

What Economic Model for Agroecology?

On the occasion of the publication of a white paper dedicated to the economic model of agroecology, we revisit a question often relegated to the background: are the main barriers to its scaling still technical, or are they now primarily economic?

A New Generation Insecticide Sustainably Controls Cabbage Moth Populations

RNAi Could Enhance the Efficacy of Viral Bioinsecticides Against Pests

Researchers demonstrate that it is possible to increase the virulence of a baculovirus used in biocontrol by combining it with an RNA interference strategy. This approach could help overcome one of the main barriers to the development of bioinsecticides: their slower action compared to chemical insecticides.

Photovoltaics: A World Record of Over 30% Energy Conversion Efficiency for a Perovskite-Silicon Triple Junction Solar Cell

Kerem Artuk, former member of PVLAB and now R&D engineer in sustainable energy at CSEM (Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology), has been honored with the Claude Nicollier Award for his contribution to a perovskite-silicon triple junction solar cell, achieving an energy conversion efficiency exceeding 30%. This project, carried out in collaboration with EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) and other partners, marks a significant advancement towards next-generation photovoltaic technologies.