Since the 1st of January 2019, the research activities in oilcrops genetics and genomics of the company Biogemma moved to a new company, Innolea, under the control of three major French seed companies in oil crops, LIDEA seeds, Limagrain, RAGT Semences, and the innovation fund for oil and protein crops, Sofiprotéol.
Innolea is supported by experienced teams and know-how developed for more than 20 years by Biogemma and benefit of the infrastructure of Mondonville (Haute-Garonne) site, which is now its headquarter, as well as the support of its shareholders.
Innolea’s direction was given to Monica MENZ, and the presidence to Sebastien CHATRE, the research director of RAGT 2n.
Innolea’s mission is to contribute to the improvement of rapeseed and sunflower by promoting their adaptation to stressful environmental conditions. For this reason, our work aims at identifying favorable genetic variations and developing tools to enhance them.
Our research includes the exploration of the natural genetic diversity of these two species as well as those close to them. We also increase knowledges of their physiology to better adapt their culture to changing environmental conditions.
Our projects focus on improving the adaptation of rapeseed and sunflower varieties to important issues for agriculture such as abiotic stresses (better use of water or nitrogen fertilizers) and biotic stresses caused by pathogenic fungi, parasitic plants or insect pests. By developing varieties with less needs in agricultural inputs (phytosanitary products, fertilizers, etc.) and water, these crops will be better adapted to future climates while more respectful of the environment. To identify favorable genetic variations, understand the mechanisms involved and provide the necessary tools for their exploitation, we use genetics, genomics, bioinformatics and innovative phenotyping approaches.
Innolea believes in the synergy of expertise and collaborative research. We are therefore involved in several collaborative projects. These project range from basic science supported by the National Research Agency, in collaboration with INRA and CNRS in France, but also in foreign countries, to more focused collaborations with other biotech companies on applied research projects. We participate to two "Investments for the Future” projects, Rapsodyn and Sunrise. We are also partners of projects supported by the ANR (OptiPag project) and the Seeds Research Support Fund for Oilseeds (FSRSO, France).
LIDEA Seeds is specialised in research, production and commercialisation of corn, sunflower, rapeseed, sorghum and soybean. Euralis invests every year 13% of its turnover in research. Cultivated on 4 million ha of land every year, LIDEA seeds genetics keeps growing.
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The fourth largest seed company worldwide, Limagrain is an international agricultural cooperative group founded and managed by French farmers. As a creator and producer of plant varieties, Limagrain distributes field seeds, vegetable seeds and cereal products.
RAGT Semences invests 18% of its revenues in innovative plant breeding selects. The company produces and commercialises seeds of major crops for food and feed all over the world.
Founded in 1983 from the initiative of growers, the investment and development company subsidiary of the AVRIL group, SOFIPROTEOL supports programmes of broad interest to secure the future of the oil and protein industry through the fund for strategic actions in oil and protein crops (FASO) managed for the interprofessional stakeholders.