PIA SOYSTAINABLE (2023-2028)

Soya is the crop with the highest protein yield and is considered to be one of the best sources of plant protein, containing all the essential amino acids and relatively good protein digestibility. Growing soya emits few greenhouse gases and, for the time being, it is not very susceptible to pests and diseases. Compared with other cultivated legumes, soya therefore requires few plant protection treatments. France imports over 85% of its soya, and its current strategy is to increase local soya production to meet the needs of a fast-growing market. This strategy is part of the drive for food self-sufficiency and the agro-ecological transition, as soya is a multi-purpose crop that helps to increase biodiversity and improve soil quality. What's more, importing American soya grown according to an intensive model has dramatic effects on the environment (carbon cost of imports, pesticides, deforestation). So, with a view to improving our trade balance and our protein autonomy, we need to develop new non-GMO soya varieties in France that are adapted to the food market, local soil and climate conditions and climate change. In the context of global warming, one of the keys to expanding soya production in France is to move cultivation areas northwards.

The SOYSTAINABLE project (2023-2028, ANR-22-PLEG-003) is financed as part of the PIA4 call for tenders "Developing plant proteins and diversifying protein sources" Component 1 - Legume proteins. SOYSTAINABLE aims to promote high-quality, protein-rich food production in France by generating new resources and practices for locally adapted soya cultivation. SOYSTAINABLE aims to (1) create European collections of soybeans in the early maturity group with induced or natural genetic diversity, (2) improve the quality of soybeans for human consumption (digestibility, organoleptic characteristics) without affecting its physiology and tolerance to stress, (3) evaluate and develop locally adapted soybean varieties (early sowing, resilience to climate change), (4) capture the microbial diversity of French soils (participatory science) and optimise synthetic communities of microorganisms beneficial to soya in France, (5) develop agronomic modelling of soya cultivation to predict its performance at different locations in France and propose decision-making tools for farmers, (6) gain a better understanding of what is holding back the development of soya for human consumption in France and explore new uses for soya as an unprocessed 'fresh' product, such as edamame. Our aim is to restore the prestige of soya and increase French competitiveness in the emerging market for healthy soya-based food, using genetic, agronomic, socio-economic, food innovation and citizen science approaches, in particular with the support of world-renowned chefs. SOYSTAINABLE will be decisive in federating the R&D community working on soya, increasing French competitiveness in this market and helping to build sustainable diets based on plant proteins.

The IRHS SEED team is leading WP4, the aim of which is to understand the genetic and environmental determinants controlling seed vigour during early sowing.

Coordinator : Jean-Malo Couzigou

Partners: Toulouse 3 – Paul Sabatier University (LRSV), INRAE (IRHS, IPS2, LIPME, AGIR), EI Purpan, UniLaSalle, Caen Normandie University, LIDEA France, RAGT 2n, DE SANGOSSE SAS, Terres Inovia, Les Jardins de l’Opéra