Laurent Legendre

Laurent Legendre is a Professor of Plant Physiology at Avignon Université and conducts research at the INRAE PSH Unit (Horticultural Plants and Cultivation Systems). His work focuses on enhancing the efficiency of vegetable and fruit crops in water, nitrogen fertilizers, minerals, and synthetic pesticides. He is pioneering the introduction of tropical tuber crops like sweet potatoes in mainland France to address climate adaptation and health benefits. His research also explores organic farming practices, including compost, green manure, and crop associations within conservation agriculture frameworks.

Dr. Legendre has authored over 80 peer-reviewed articles and co-authored four books, two aimed at the general public. He emphasizes knowledge coherence in both research and teaching, driven by societal challenges in nutrition, health, and ecology. His projects include the ANR-funded AZODURE initiative, analyzing agroecological systems. The PSH Unit, part of INRAE PACA’s Integrated Horticultural Production research pole, works on Mediterranean horticultural systems to improve product quality and environmental sustainability. The unit is affiliated with the Tersys Federative Research Structure.

His teaching philosophy aligns with research, advocating for shared knowledge to maximize societal utility. He advises students to pursue passions with persistent inquiry and Cartesian skepticism.