Focus on the “Z” project, a biodiversity-based design towards pesticide-free orchards

Abstract

How can we redesign orchards and reinforce the ecosystem service of pest (senso lato) regulation to produce fruit in pesticide-free orchards? Stakeholders of the fruit sector and the territory were involved in a co-design approach developped by the INRAE Gotheron in the “Z” (Zero pesticide) project to tackle such complex question. The objective is to consider within time and space a range of fruit tree species and cultivars, companion plants and habitats to limit the arrival, the development and the dispersion of pests in the orchard, and fruit damage. This led to redesign the diversity and spatial arrangement of the orchard in a pest-suppressive design while favouring natural enemies of pests. Plant design also considered operational and agronomic dimensions, to ease work and optimize resource sharing among plants, respectively. A circular orchard was planted in 2018 at Gotheron. The challenge is now to manage it, to carry out a multicriteria evaluation through time, and to analyse ecological processes at stake. This exploratory design is still young to produce results validated over time but the general approach yet supports a multi-actor dynamics and exchanges that contribute to the agroecological transition.