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The collections of the BRC Carrot vegetable comprise 85% of scientific resources and 15% of heritage resources: 3131 carrot accessions (of which 194 wild or 40% heritage resources) and 706 accessions of tuberous chervil. The collections are of three types: seeds for all collections, DNA for a significant share, and cryopreserved embryos for a small part of scientific resources. The coordination of the BRC vegetable Apiaceae activities is ensured by E. Geoffriau, and relies on a steering committee made up of an operational cell (quality assurance approach, database management, collections management, resources multiplication and characterization, experiments monitoring) and a scientific cell (genetics and improvement of the species, genetic diversity and evolutionary genetics, determinism of traits of interest, in vitro culture and alternative conservation methods).

The BRC vegetable Apiaceae is part of the national working group (INRA-CIRAD) plants BRC. The BRC coordinates the national network of Carrot and other Daucus genetic resources (7 companies and 3 professional organizations), hosts and manages the network collections. The BRC provides expertise and resources in the CTPS (variety registration and maintenance controls). The BRC has projects in partnership with seed companies, and provides scientific support to participatory breeding process of organic vegetable growers. Knowledge and management of wild carrot populations is done in collaboration with national botanical conservatories (Bailleul, Porquerolles, Corsica ...). At European level, the BRC is the French representative on the ECPGR working group Umbelliferae, which it has coordinated from 2008-2013.

The cultivated and wild relatives resources held by the BRC are the subject of research on the extent and structure of diversity, the knowledge of the evolutionary history of the species, the study of trait determinism through QTL mapping or association genetics. The BRC has developed expertise in production and conservation of carrot seed and resources characterization and assessment.

Contact : emmanuel.geoffriau@agrocampus-ouest.fr