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The role of the "Pôle Opérationnel Ressources Génétiques" is to manage UMR BioForA's plant breeding activities. This activity has been an integral part of UMR BioForA (A=Aimélioration) since its creation.
It represents a concrete application of the knowledge generated by research in genetics and physiology. It is not confined to plant breeding, since it includes issues of in situ and ex situ conservation of forest genetic resources, as well as expertise and advice to the Ministry in charge of forestry on the deployment of improved forest varieties.

Breeding work, in turn, generates experimental material for "fundamental" research. For example, most of the plant collections in the INRA nursery at Orléans are the result of collection and crossing work carried out as part of breeding programs. Similarly, the numerous field systems set up to compare provenances, progenies and clones of various forest species for breeding purposes are now an invaluable tool for research into the adaptability of species to new climatic constraints (Plantacomp network).

The species covered by the UMR BioForA improvement program are: poplar, Scots pine, larch, Douglas fir, wild cherry and ash. Each of these programs is managed by a researcher/engineer from UMR BioForA, with the aim of collective, interspecific management. Other species are the subject of more modest projects (see the page devoted to participative selection).