Recently, Pierre Abad, Senior Scientist, former director of the Institut Sophia Agrobiotech (ISA) of the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAe), and Bruno Favery (Senior Scientist, Plant-Nematode Interaction team leader of ISA), and Professor Michaël Quentin of the University of the Côte d'Azur visited the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers (IVF) and signed a cooperation agreement. Zhai Yanning, deputy director of IVF, researchers of the Plant Disease research group and the scientific Research Department participated in the activity.

Dr Bruno Favery and Dr Michaël Quentin gave presentations entitled "Molecular dialogue of Plant-Nematode Interactions" and "Characterisation of plant plant targets of root-knot nematode effectors for the generation of disease-resistant crops", respectively. Participants asked questions, and the scene atmosphere was warm and active.

During the exchange session, Dr Li Yan introduced the research fields, achievements, talent teams, and platform construction of IVF. Dr Zhao Jianlong reported on the research progress of collaborating with the IPN team. Dr Mao Zhenchuan, PI of the Plant Disease group, thanked the French collaborators for their support to the group and looked forward to greater progress in project application, paper publication, and achievement output.

Deputy Director Zhai Yanning stated that IVF attaches great importance to international exchange and cooperation. The CAAS and the INRAe have a deep and close cooperation foundation. She hopes to take this cooperation as an opportunity to strengthen comprehensive cooperation with ISA and strive for greater breakthroughs in international project applications, graduate cultivation, and scientific research collaboration.

Finally, Deputy Director Zhai Yanning and Dr Bruno Favery signed a Memorandum of cooperation on behalf of both institute on the "Sino-French Cai Yuanpei Programme".