Biotechnology and the challenge of sustainable agriculture

This course unit is offered to second-year Life Sciences students who wish to explore or deepen their understanding of how biotechnology can help address current and future challenges in the sustainable production of agricultural and agri-food resources.

Humans use the properties of photosynthetic organisms and microorganisms to obtain and transform multiple resources and services: food products for humans or livestock, therapeutic molecules, construction materials, etc. This use depends on natural conditions and its impact is likely to affect the environment in return, for example through the extraction or deterioration of limited and/or non-renewable resources (water, soil, etc.). It is therefore important, in order for this production of resources to be sustainable, that its organization (the concept of agronomy) incorporates knowledge of these impacts and draws on an understanding of the properties of plants and microorganisms to address these issues. The development and use of new biotechnologies in the fields of applied genetics and plant physiology, the use of microorganisms, and the favorable or unfavorable interactions between these microorganisms and plants are key components of these sustainable agronomy strategies.

- enrich general knowledge on the major challenges facing agricultural and agri-food production today

- Acquire basic disciplinary knowledge in the fields of plant biotechnology and microorganisms, their applications in the areas of efficiency and sustainability of "plant," "microorganism," and "plant-microorganism" production systems, and product quality and traceability.

- consolidate analytical and summarizing skills with regard to documents on the challenges of plant and microbial production and biotechnologies

- Develop reasoning skills that enable well-argued biotechnological solutions to be proposed for the challenges identified.

Skills targeted by the EU:

- Understand the major challenges currently facing agricultural and agri-food production, particularly with regard to "plant," "microorganism," and "plant-microorganism" production systems.

- understand the tools and approaches used in plant and microbial biotechnology that contribute to addressing these challenges

- use this knowledge and analytical skills to identify specific issues in a case study based on documents

- Use this knowledge and analytical skills to propose, based on documents, well-argued biotechnology strategies that could help address these issues.

- carry out this work in an organized manner, either individually or in groups

- communicate the summary results of this work in a clear and well-argued written report

Basic concepts of plant physiology and microbiology (high school and first year of a bachelor's degree in life sciences)