The French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) has an internationally recognized experience in many disciplines related to agronomy, crop protection (including the use of plant protection products), pest biology. INRA carries out mission-oriented research for high-quality and healthy foods, competitive and sustainable agriculture and a preserved and valorised environment.

Three INRA research units will be involved in this project:

1) the Sophia Agrobiotech Institute whose research projects are currently focused, in parts, on studies related to biological control, community ecology and Integrated Pest Management, with the aim of developing and optimising new plant protection strategies and more environment-friendly cropping systems.

2) INRA Avignon has outstanding long experience (>20 years) with microbiology and biological control of plant diseases to the evaluation and optimization of commercially available biocontrol agents against major pathogens of agricultural plants and a long history of collaboration with technical institutes and farmers' associations.

3) INRA Bordeaux focuses on mechanisms of grape pests and pathogens and integrated grape protection and is leading research on IPM in grapes in France.