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The interest in developing varieties of superior organoleptic and nutritional quality meets the demands of the sector and consumer expectations. The stability of product characteristics is an important issue for the success of product differentiation. For this purpose, QuaRVeg intends to identify the genetic and environmental factors influencing the organoleptic and nutritional quality criteria of the carrot, second most important vegetable species in France. Leaf blight due to the fungus Alternaria dauci (Ad) is the most damaging foliar disease on carrot, occurring in all regions of the world where carrots are grown (Fig.1). Losses due to this disease can reach 100% as well for vegetable production as for seed production. Carrot varieties that would be highly resistant to Ad is a major challenge for breeders and producers. In this context, QuaRVeg objective is to decipher Carrot resistance to Ad and to look for complementary mechanisms to be cumulated by breeders in order to release higher resistant varieties.
The team scientific orientation focuses currently on the understanding of the response mechanisms to biotic and abiotic stresses in carrots in relation with the role of specialized metabolites and their impacts on product nutritional and organoleptic quality and resistance to diseases.

Link to research topics:

Bases of varietal adaptability, Environmental factors and Genotype x Environment interactions driving nutritional and organoleptic quality traits (Caroqual and Gesiiqua projects).  

Roles played by specialized metabolites, including terpenes and phenylpropanoids, in resistance to Alternaria dauci (Metabocar, Restox, Aldautox and Flarescad projects).

Compatibility and complementarity of resistance to Alternaria dauci with mechanisms of plant defence stimulation by biocontrol (Optima European project).

Impact of breeding for resistance or of biotic or abiotic stresses on the nutritional and organoleptic quality of the product and its impact on human health (Inumamet and Alterqual projects).

Extent and organization of diversity - valorisation of genetic resources (Carrot diverse  and EVACarrot projects).

Biological Resource Centre “Carrot and other vegetable Apiaceae”.