Montpellier Scientific Community

Experimental units and stations

The following experimental units (EUs) and stations form one of the oldest, most original and unique research facility of its kind in Europe.

EU Gotheron: 61 ha, 85 km north of Avignon [UE Gotheron]

Use of knowledge and implementation of integrated protection strategies for stone and pip fruit species under conventional and organic farming conditions

Agronomic and technological phenotyping of plant material; application of varietal innovation techniques (apricot)

EU Melgueil: 72 ha, 12 km south-east of Montpellier [Melgueil]

Conservation of genetic resources of large-scale crop species (maize, sunflower and durum wheat) and a model species (Medicago truncatula) by the setting up of Biological Resources Centers (Centres de Ressources Biologiques, CRB)

Open field phenotyping for analysis of the structure and evolution of genetic diversity (durum wheat, maize and sunflower)

Open field phenotyping for the analysis and architectural management of fruit species (apple, olive)

The Chapitre Estate: 103 ha, 15 km south-west of Montpellier

Open field phenotyping for analysis of the quality of grape berries and tolerance to vine plant pathogens (powdery mildew and downy mildew)

Integrated protection of grape vines and management of vineyard soils by setting up innovative crop management sequences

EU Vassal: 29 ha, 5 km east of Sète

in situ conservation of the world collection and the Grapevine Genetic Resources Centre (Centre de Ressources Génétiques de la Vigne: 4500 varieties, mainly Vitis vinifera)

EU Pech Rouge: 170 ha and 4000 sq. m of experimental buildings

Research and experimental work for the wine sector in liaison with several joint research units (mainly SPO) and professionals: innovative grapevine management techniques development and validation of new winemaking processes at the pilot scale: separation techniques, fermentation management, etc.

Transfer and use of innovative actions in oenology

The Lavalette Estate: North of Montpellier

A nearby facility for open field phenotyping is to be set up soon at the La Valette installation.

Greenhouses and chambers

The experimental facilities consist of a set of greenhouses, controlled environment chambers and tunnel greenhouses at each of the sites, providing environments that can be more or less closely controlled and under confinement conditions ranging from S1 to S3:

S1 greenhouses: 3387 sq. m ( Montpellier), 8031 sq. m ( Avignon);
S2 greenhouses: 1840 sq. m ( Montpellier), 202 sq. m ( Avignon);
S3 greenhouses: 330 sq. m ( Avignon);

Controlled environment chambers: 665 sq. m ( Montpellier), 654 sq. m ( Avignon);

Tunnel greenhouses: 5300 sq. m ( Avignon).