Myriam Siegwart

Contact details

French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE)

Domaine Saint Paul, site Agroparc

CS 40509

84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France

Tel: +33 432 72 24 44

Email: myriam.siegwart@inrae.fr

Education

2002: Master degree, Specialty plant protection and crops breeding - Université de Pau et des Pays de L’adour, France.

2021: PhD thesis in Agronomical Sciences, speciality applied entomology ; entitled : « Combinaisons, caractéristiques et origines de mécanismes de résistance aux (bio)insecticides chez des insectes ravageurs des cultures »

Research topics

I am an entomologist, who studies adaptive phenomena in insects, usually pests. My main objective is to elucidate the origin, mechanisms and spatial arrangement of insect adaptations to anthropogenic selection pressures, mainly agricultural control methods. In other words, I study the resistance of insects to (bio)insecticides and other non-chemical control methods. I rely on the expertise of agricultural advisors and technicians who suspect new cases of resistance in certain insects. I confirm, or not, the presence of resistant phenotypes, then I try to elucidate the associated molecular mechanisms, the associated pleiotropic effects, the distribution of resistant phenotypes in France. The acquisition of this knowledge allows me both to recommend practices to producers and to study the phenomena of adaptations taking place over a short period of time allowing an observation on the scale of a human scientist's life. The second objective of my research is to develop new biocontrol methods for pests managment, sustainable in time and ecologically.

Main responsibilities

• From 2007 to 2022, leader of a plateform in my unit: "Insectarium"
• Since 2017, in charge of a mission for my Research Division “ Plant health and environment:

• • From 2017 to 2021 : Help to respond to urgent requests from partners, such as agronomic/ecologic crises (invasion of exotic organisms), or the emergence of new bio-aggressors
  • Since 2021 : Correspondent for my Research Division at the Public Policy Support Department
• Active member of the R4P network (Research and Reflection Ring on Pesticide Resistance)