SAVE THE DATE: November 19, 2026—Symposium on Cover Crops and Pests
Join us on November 19, 2026, starting at 9:00 a.m., at the Salle de la Quintaine located in Chasseneuil du Poitou (86), for a symposium on cover crops organized by Cérience.
This event will be an opportunity to enjoy a friendly and enriching experience alongside our experts specializing in the interactions between cover crops, soils, and crops.
The morning will continue with a lunch provided by Cérience. The day will conclude with an activity of your choice: a tour of the Cissé plant (86) or a visit to the Cover Crops Expertise Center.
As agriculture undergoes transformation, cover crops are emerging as a major agronomic tool for advancing cropping systems. But beyond their role as ground cover, what real benefits can they offer in terms of crop protection, soil health, and weed control? How can they be effectively integrated into high-performing and sustainable agronomic strategies?
This symposium aims to examine the role of cover crops as valuable tools for enhancing the performance and resilience of cropping systems. Through the combined perspectives of our experts and discussions centered on real-world scenarios, we will explore their ability to promote natural regulation, improve soil biological functioning, and enhance weed control.
Discussions on this topic will focus on three main topics:
Roundtable 1: Cover Crops as a Primary Defense Against Pests
In the face of increasing pressure from pests, cover crops represent an agronomic tool worth exploring to enhance crop protection. By promoting plant diversity and biological interactions within the soil, they help stimulate natural control mechanisms and limit the spread of pests and diseases.
Research Question: To what extent can cover crops help reduce pest pressure—particularly from nematodes and soil-borne fungi—while strengthening the resilience of cropping systems?
Roundtable 2: Cover crops at the Heart of Soil Health Strategies
Soil health is a major challenge for the sustainability and performance of cropping systems. By adding organic matter, stimulating biological activity, and promoting the diversity of soil organisms, cover crops can play an essential role in soil function and balance. They offer opportunities to strengthen the resilience of cropping systems in the face of various stresses.
Research Question: How can cover crops help improve soil health and biological functioning in order to sustainably enhance the resilience of cropping systems?
From left to right: Bristle oat, purple vetch, Phacelia, and Berseem clover—four species commonly used as cover crops
Roundtable 3: Covering, Competing, Controlling: Cover crops as a Tool for Sustainable Weeding.
Given the challenges associated with weed control and reducing reliance on herbicides, cover crops serve as a complementary tool in weed management strategies. Through their ability to cover the soil, compete with weeds, and alter the conditions for weed growth, they can help guide the evolution of cropping systems toward more sustainable weeding practices.
Research Question: Which cover crop species, alone or in combination, can enhance weed control to help develop more sustainable weeding strategies?
INFORMATION:
Date: November 19, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Location: Salle de la Quintaine – CHASSENEUIL DU POITOU (86)
For more information, contact us!