S15 - Session O2 - SYDRA: towards agroecological cider apple orchard systems

Authors: Anne Guerin *, Alice Denis , Nathalie Corroyer, Bruno Corroyer, Jean-Charles Cardon, Bertrand Cailly

SYDRA is a Dephy Expe research project, part of the French Ecophyto II plan, coordinated by the IFPC (French Institute for Cider Productions). The aim is to design, test and assess the technical feasibility and the economical, environmental, social and agronomic performances of 5 very low-phytosanitary-input cider apple orchards. These orchard prototypes are mainly based on agrosystem diversification (different species and varieties, sheep grazing in the orchards) and optimized for pest regulation. The project also aims to find new agroecological practices for the 9,000 hectares of french cider orchards curently planted for which the redesign is more limited. From conception and planting of those orchards to their monitoring and assessment, the project is based on multi-stakeholder and multi-agricultural sector participation, with an original multi-site network, entirely established under field conditions in commercial cider apple orchards spread out in the greater North Western France region.