CANFA Comment

7 Aug: France
Since the last update we went for a drive in the French countryside to Longue to vist LimaGrain where Jean-Jacques Poutoire, the research centre manager, met us to show us around. The farm land looked absolutely beautiful, the wheat was mostly harvested and the corn is still green. The rolling hills and little villages made quite a picture.

After the four hour bus drive we had group discussion with Jean where we introduced ourselves and he outlined the companies features and goals. We were treated with an excellent lunch, rolls and french red wine and tart. We then had a tour of the sheds looking at machinery and labs before visiting the nursery where they are growing different types of corn. They place paper bags on the male tussel for 1 day and after the female cobs is fertilised it is bagged until harvest to stop further contamination. A long process as each row must be daily checked as different plants come in at different times.

It was a long drive back to Paris arriving about 9 pm. We felt sorry for the French bus drivers keeping them from their Friday night activities but they were pleasant about it.

Main points of interest about Lima Grain
* Lima grain is a farmer cooperative that breeds corn at this centre.
* It also has an $14 million investment with GRDC and CSIRO called Arista which is investing in wheat varieties and is looking at developing an high amylose wheat (low GI and high fibre) that has many health properties such as reducing diabeties, colon cancer etc.
* At this research site they have two breeding programs, trial evaluation teams and seed production teams
* There are 14 breeding sites in Europe, 3 seed production sits in France (4000ha)
* It takes about 7 years to get to the production stage.
* They are getting about 1.5% genetic gain per year in yield. The corn averages about 8-9t/ha in France but they have got up to 20 t/ha in some experimental plots.
* Corn acreage is stable but slightly decreasing in France but increasing in Germany. This is mainly due to the nuclear energy ban and going to biogas to produce methane for electricity.
* The plot harvesters have automatic yield, moisture, protein etc so there is no need to bag each plot. I am sure the DPI would love that when they harvest the NVT trials.
* At Longue there is 22 permanent staff and 31000 hours of seasonal workers.

This ends an excellent but short trip to France. We had a wonderful time but in the morning we were on the plane again back to London - it is hard but someone has to do it!

Anne and Ray Williams