Conséquences de l’utilisation de variétés de tournesol tolérantes aux herbicides sur la flore des agrosystèmes

The farming practices associated with the use of sunflower herbicide-tolerant varieties (HTVs) have raised concerns among public authorities, who have recommended monitoring the potential effects of HTVs on biodiversity. In this context, at the scale of three French departments, the vegetation of 239 sunflower fields and their margins was studied between 2017 and 2019. This lower weed diversity can be attributed to shorter crop rotations and higher herbicide use. Admittedly, the higher densities of A. artemisiifolia observed in plots with HTVs are the cause of the use of these varieties rather than the consequence of these practices. However, these practices do not seem to solve the problem…