Identifying Basic Constituent Order in Old Tamil: Issues in historical linguistics with Special Reference to

Why and how languages change over time have been the major concerns of the historical linguistics. The Dravidian comparative linguistics in the last few decades has arrived at excellent results at different levels of language change: phonology, morphology and etymology. However the field of historical syntax remains to be explored in detail. Change or variation in word order type is one of the most important areas in the study of historical linguistics and language change.

We can roughly identify two different views on the word order in Old Tamil: (1) Zvelebil claims in general a SOV word order, but adds "if not disturbed by stylistic or emphatic shifts…" (Zvelebil, K. 1997.43), (2) Andronov suggests a free word order (1991) and in a more recent work Suzan Herring proposes SOV as the basic order (Herring 2000). We are not sure to what extent the Greenbergian six-way typology (SOV/OSV/SVO/OVS/VSO/VOS), can be applied in the case of Old Tamil, despite its proved pertinence for several world languages. We need a vast empirical study before reaching any definite conclusion in the case of Old Tamil. In this paper on Tamil epigraphic texts, we will show that the constituent order is neither free nor strictly of SOV type and the variation in constituent order is motivated by pragmatic factors.

'This is the memorial of Santirananti Asirikar, [who] fasted for 57 days [and gave up his life]'

Introduction

Every language changes with time in the process of its transmission. This change leads to a new grammar. These natural and progressive changes in the language defy the adequacy of the traditional grammars for the description of the language of the literary and inscriptional texts. Considering previous works on Old Tamil, one has to admit that each kind of text, inscriptional or literary, in fact has its own underlying grammatical structure.

After T.P. Meenakshisundaram's path-breaking 'History of Tamil Language (1965)', we notice a number of linguistic studies on 'Old Tamil' both of Sangam and epigraphic corpora (Agesthialingom and S.V.Shanmugam , V.S. [START_REF] Rajam | A Reference Grammar of Classical Tamil Poetry[END_REF], A.Velupillai 1976, K.V.Zvelebil 1967). These studies have made important contributions in the area of Old Tamil linguistics.

However, much remains to be said on morphosyntax and syntax of Old Tamil.

Word order in the Dravidian family of languages, as well as in Tamil, has traditionally been described as SOV. But we need more detailed empirical studies before considering definitively what the basic word order is in Old Tamil. After Greenberg's publication of sixway typology of SOV/OSV/SVO/OVS/VSO/VOS [START_REF] Greenberg | Some universals of grammar with particular reference to the order of meaningful elements[END_REF], there has been an increasing interest among scholars on word order typology. These studies have resulted in considerable advancement in understanding the word order typology and have addressed a general question of to what extent the Greenbergian six-way typology can be applied to all languages (Lehman 1973[START_REF] Dryer | On the six-way word order typology[END_REF]). In the case Old Tamil, particularly in the language of Tamil inscriptions its pertinence is yet to be proved.

Data and Methodology

Data for this study were taken from three different types of Tamil inscriptions. We have analysed a total number of 37 inscriptions dating from 450 to 650 CE from our 'kalveṭṭu database'. Among them 35 are Hero stone inscriptions, one stone donative inscription (pulanguricci) and one copper plate chart (pallankoyil copper plate). In our present analysis we keep them distinct because we cannot consider them as a homogenous whole and each type may belong to a specific 'genre'. 2 One should be aware of the fact, that in general the inscriptional text is composed of 'complex sentences'. A same nominal argument may be part of argument structures of different verbs and may have different functions, like 'agent' and 'patient' depending on the event with which it is associated. Because of the complex nature of the argument structures of the inscriptional text, each text is segmented into contextually meaningful information units. Each information unit, representing an action verb and the participant(s), functions as a simple clause. In our present analysis, each complex clause is again divided into simple clauses. Our corpus is linguistically limited as it contains mostly declarative sentences whereas interrogative and negative sentences are very rare or almost inexistent. This limitation is naturally due to the content and nature of the epigraphic text.

The inscriptional text by definition is a legal document/deed, and is unambiguous, hence is different from other poetic or narrative texts for instance. In order to avoid any kind of confusion in our analysis, we stick to the following precautionary maxims: 1) the Tamil historical linguistics has to be studied from within the attested texts respecting regional and chronological constraints, 2) the totality of the Tamil inscriptional corpus does not constitute a single and homogenous genre and 3) the study of inscriptional texts requires appropriate and specific analytical tools.

Word order in Tamil epigraphic texts

The widely recognized constituent order for Dravidian family of languages is SOV (Zvelebil 1987, Herring Susan 2000[START_REF] Krishnamurthi | The Dravidian Languages[END_REF]. However, scholars have overtly recognized variation in the SOV order but have not made a detailed attempt to discuss about this variation [START_REF] Zvelebil | Introduction to the historical grammar of the Tamil language, Part I, Preliminary textual analysis[END_REF](Zvelebil .71, 1997.43.43) except Herring (Herring 2001). In her valuable work Herring has made two important remarks: 1) "[w]ord order is conditioned by the poeticality of the text…, and 2) SOV was the norm in Old Tamil…" (Herring 2001.199). Our data on inscriptional Tamil do not seem to coincide with her remarks. But, to our knowledge, no detailed study has been carried out on the syntactic structure of the Tamil epigraphic corpus. Our present study, carried out on a small corpus, is only a pilot survey while considering the vast amount of epigraphic texts available in Tamil.

The idea of a basic word order typology is primarily based on the syntactic relations between the verb and its nominal arguments (subject and object). This means that the concept of basic word order is essentially syntactic. On the contrary, in some languages word order is established exclusively on pragmatic grounds [START_REF] Thompson | Modern English from a typological point of view: Some implications of the function of word order[END_REF][START_REF] Marianne | Is basic word order universal?[END_REF]. A commonly accepted cross-linguistic generalization is that word order is of two types: Pragmatic Word Order (PWO) and Grammatical Word Order (GWO). For instance, in 'pragmatic word order' languages like Czech word order is used for pragmatic purposes, i.e.

to signal the information status of sentence constituents. In other words, the position of different constituents is conditioned by information structure and many other contextual factors. English, on the other hand, is a 'grammatical word order' language, which means that word order is used for grammatical purposes, i.e. to encode the grammatical relations within a sentence -subject vs. object- [START_REF] Thompson | Modern English from a typological point of view: Some implications of the function of word order[END_REF]. Many languages, in their historical development and in the process of grammaticalisation have shown shift in the word order from pragmatic to grammatical word order, i.e. from topic to subject.

In Tamil epigraphic texts we notice frequent constituent order variation. Our primary concern in this paper will be 1) to show that among several constituent order patterns noticed in our corpus no one order stands out as being significantly more frequent than any other order, and 2) to account for the constituent order variation in our corpus. We will concentrate in this paper only on the order of major constituents, the event (verb) and the nominal arguments participating in the events: the agent (subject) and the patient (object). There is a close correlation between the type (genre) of epigraphic texts and the clause types. To put things simply, we can say that the temple inscriptions, on donation, contain lengthy and large number of information unit, whereas the memorial stone inscriptions contain, generally speaking, short texts and the number of information unit is relatively less. In addition, the constituent order may vary depending on the number of arguments participating in the event.

Order of constituents in Tamil inscriptions (450-650 CE)

In this section, we will present the different types of constituent order in inscriptional Tamil of the early period. We have analysed three types of inscriptions as are available in our 'kalveṭṭu database' for the selected period. The present analysis will be relaying more on Hero stone inscriptions, as they represent 95% of our present corpus. Mithun has suggested several criteria for defining the basic word order (Mithun 1992). In our present analysis we choose frequency as principal criteria. Dryer considers "a particular order as basic in a language if it is at least twice as frequent in texts as the order or orders it contrasts with" (Dryer 1997.75).

In this count, V represents all verbal forms whether finite or non-finite and the post-verbal N is the salient or newsworthy information but is not part of the argument structure of the verb in the clause.

Frequency of constituent order in Pallankoyil copper plate (0550 CE)

Zvelebil has contributed a detailed analysis on the Pallankoyil copper plate [START_REF] Zvelebil | [END_REF].

In our present corpus this is the only inscription that shows an overwhelming evidence for verb finality and responds positively to Dryer's frequency criteria [START_REF] Dryer | On the six-way word order typology[END_REF]. The verb final clauses (75%) occur three times more than the non verb-final clauses (25%). However, this unique case does not justify a dominant [SV, OV =] SOV order in inscriptional Tamil. Frequency of constituent order in Pulanguricci inscription-P1 (0450 CE)

In Pulanguricci, three Tamil donative inscriptions were discovered and are considered as the earliest Tamil inscription of this genre, belonging to 450 CE circa (Subbarayalu 2001.1-6). Among the three inscriptions only one (P1) is well preserved and we are giving below the count of constituent order for this inscription. According to this frequency count, the Verb-final type (40%) is lesser than the Verb-Non final type (60%). Pulanguricci inscription, like the Pallankoyil copper plate, is a donative inscription but the frequency of constituent order is not the same in both cases.

Frequency of constituent order in Hero stone inscriptions (400-650 CE)

Hero stone inscriptions are different from the donative inscriptions and constitute a different type or 'genre'. In our corpus, all the inscriptions describe the erection of a memorial stone in honour of a dead hero in a dispute in general during cattle raid, cattle retrieval or in a battle. At the present state of our knowledge, none of the different constituent orders in inscriptional Tamil can be considered as basic, as Dryer had explained very clearly. 3 Lehman (1973.51) argued in favour of reducing the basic word-order types to two: OV and VO, on the ground that the (S) subject argument is deleted in most of the languages. In Dravidian, argument deletion, both agent (subject) and patient (object), is a common feature. [START_REF] Dryer | On the six-way word order typology[END_REF] had proposed, instead of Greenberg's six way typology, an alternative four-way typology, based on two binary parameters, OV versus VO and SV versus VS. The results presented in table 5, on the distribution of arguments, show clearly that clauses containing two full NP arguments are far less than those containing one argument. Our data suggest that 1) we should not neglect [START_REF] Dryer | On the six-way word order typology[END_REF] alternative proposal and, 2) forcing Tamil language "into the mold of any basic word order at all is at best descriptively unnecessary, and at worst an obstacle to the discovery of interesting universals" (Mithun 1992.15). 5 1 argument = 72.17% 2 arguments = 27.82%

Distribution of arguments in Tamil inscriptions

Constituent order variation in Tamil inscriptions

Even though scholars do not agree on the basic constituent order in Old Tamil, some have observed an important phenomenon of variation in constituent order [START_REF] Zvelebil | Introduction to the historical grammar of the Tamil language, Part I, Preliminary textual analysis[END_REF].71, 1997.43, Herring 2001). In the following section, we will show that the variation in constituent order depends on the pragmatic factors and we will focus our attention only on verbal clauses, both finite and non-finite.

Each component of the epigraphic text (invocation, eulogy, functional part, imprecation etc.,) fits in a linear order in the textual structure of the inscription. The place of different constituents in these propositions, in turn, are controlled by information structure and other contextual considerations. The term information structure is used to refer to various ways in which information, including propositional information and real-world knowledge, is linguistically encoded. Lambrecht suggests that the formal structure of sentences is related to the communicative situations in which sentences are used. He states that "this relationship is governed by principles and rules of grammar, in a component called information structure" (Lambrecht 1994.334). In the present analysis we use the saliency parameter as the major pragmatic factor. By salient information we mean 'important or key piece of information that the author of the inscriptions wished to convey his audience (readers). 4In (1) the patient argument (direct object) is not marked in accusative case but this nominal element carries the most important or salient piece of information. The patient argument is generally placed post verbally, occupying the clause final or focus position. The verb is, in such cases, in relative participle form and the object or the head noun is moved to the focus position. In a previous paper, we have made a distinction between syntactic and focused object based on the information structure [START_REF] Murugaiyan | Object of donation in Tamil epigraphic texts (10-11 th centuries): Exploring the interaction between syntax and information structure[END_REF]). 1. Chhs.1971-50 (618 CE) 'this is the memorial stone erected by the warriors of the village Kudal'

In (2), as in the previous example, the patient argument tēvakulam is not marked in accusative case and is placed in focus position. In addition, the genitive and locative cases are not marked either. The genitive relation is marked by the word order whereas the locative relation is understood contextually. Place nouns are inherently locative and it is not marked generally, but sometimes the place noun is in oblique case. In [START_REF] Zvelebil | Introduction to the historical grammar of the Tamil language, Part I, Preliminary textual analysis[END_REF], a verbal phrase occupies the clause initial position and the agent noun phrase is at the clause final position. The finite verb is preceded by a set of adverbial participles, describing a series of sequential actions. The writer and his identity (the proper noun), the salient pieces of information, are at the clause final position. Among the two nominals, the name of the writer rāma kārika""a , unpredictable to the audience, is at the right most part of the clause and occupies the highest position in the saliency hierarchy. 'This is the memorial stone of Korratai who was killed while retrieving the cow herds'

Herring has mentioned that "[w]ord order is conditioned by the poeticality of the text…" (Herring 2001.199) and also in her note 9 "'new' information postposing was a poetic feature in the older language". We are not sure whether the constituent order variation is constrained by verb finality and consequently 'information postposing'. Let us consider example (9) from the epic Kampa Rāmayaṇam (10 th CE). In ( 9), the verb, the salient piece of information, is fronted to the clause initial position. 'Saw I, the jewel of chastity (Sita)' will say Hanuman (to Rama)….

Conclusion

In this pilot survey, we presented a sample of constituent orders occurring in Tamil inscriptions. Constituent order in our corpus is particularly sensitive to discourse-pragmatic factors. In our data, various word orders are exhibited, but none of them stands out as being significantly more frequent than any other order. In the quantitative part of this study we showed that the frequency of clauses containing both agent (subject) and patient (object) arguments is not very significant. While considering the frequencies of the various word orders available in our data, the language of Tamil inscriptions does not concur with Greenberg's traditional six-way typology (SOV, SVO, OVS, OSV, VOS, VSO).

The constituent order in inscriptional Tamil is neither free nor strict SOV but is sensitive to pragmatic factors (saliency or newsworthiness). Word order variation in the early Tamil epigraphic texts is pragmatically motivated. The less salient (given or predictable) information appears sentence initially; while the salient piece of (new, unpredictable) information is positioned sentence finally. In fact, alternative word orders do not merely result from 'stylistic' changes but are motivated by explicit and specific constraints on the placement of salient piece of information.

Abbreviations:

  the temple that was built by (….) Enkuman, the son of velmarukan (…) in the district of Nollaiyur' In 1 & 2 the objects of creation respectively kal and tēvakulam, being salient piece of information, are placed in post-verbal focal position but are not marked in accusative case.

TABLE 1b . Pallankoyil. Verb non-final = 25%

 1b

	No	type	occurrence	Percentage
	1	SOV	5	33.33%
	2	SV	4	26.66%
	3	OV	4	26.66%
	4	OV	2	13.33%
	Total		15	100
		TABLE 1a. Pallankoyil. Verb final = 75%
	No	type	occurrence	Percentage
	1	SVO	1	20%
	2	OVS	1	20%
	3	VO	3	60%
	Total		5	100

TABLE 2 . Pulangurucci. Verb final = 40%

 2

	No	type	occurrence	Percentage
	1	SV	2	33.33%
	3	OV	4	66.66%
	Total		6	100
	No	type	occurrence	percentage
	1	SVO	1	11.11%
	2	VO	5	55.55%
	3	VS	2	22.22%
	4	OVS	1	11.11%
	Total		9	100
		TABLE 2 b

. Pulangurucci. Verb non-final = 60%

TABLE 3b

 3b

	No	type	Occurrence	Percentage
	1	SV	22		47.82%
	2	SOV	12		26.08%
	3	OSV	08		17.39%
	4	OV	04		08.69%
	Total		46		100
		TABLE 3a. Hero stone. Verb final = 57.5%
	No	type	occurrence	Percentage
	1	VS	12		35.29%
	2	SVO	01		02.94%
	3	OSV	01		02.94%
	4	OVS	01		02.94%
	5	SPplN	19		55.88%
	Total		34		100
	Type of inscription	Verb final	Verb non-final	Total
	Pulanguricci		06	09	15
	Pallankoyil		15	05	20
	Hero stone		46	34	80
	Total		67	48	115
	Percentage		58.26%	41.73%

. Hero stone. Verb non-final = 42.5%

The frequency count for Hero stone inscriptions is almost like that of Pulanguricci inscription.

It is important to note that the frequency count varies from one type of text to another. The results presented in Tables 1, 2 and 3 are summarised in table 4 below which gives a global view of the frequency of constituent order. According to Dryer's frequency criteria, neither verb final nor verb non-final constituent order could be considered as basic in inscriptional Tamil.

TABLE 4 . Summary of constituent order

 4

  The proper noun Kinangan has different syntactic relations, unique argument of the intransitive verb pa a 'to die' and is in genitive possessive relation with kal 'the memorial stone'. As in the previous example, the genitive possessive relation is indicated by the word order, as the case marker is absent. The noun kal 'memorial stone' being the salient piece of information, it is placed in the focus position, which is normally the predicate position. The nominal kal 'memorial stone' is not part of the argument structure but however is the salient piece of information.

	3. āvaṇam, Pulanguricci inscriptions (450 CE) [VS]
	kē u	vantu	kū#i ā	ōlai e%utuvā	ama kārika""ā
	listen.adpl	come.adpl	say.past.3.ms	writer		pn
	'Raman Kaari kannan, the writer took notice came and reported [the order]'
	A complex sentence like (4) is challenging. 4. Dhar.1972-21-82 (609 CE) [SV-VSN]
	vā"ikaru ūru	ko a		pa āru		ki"a ka	kal
	pn	village	capture.inf	kill.past.3ms	pn	stone
	'this is his memorial stone of Kinangan (who is) dead while vanikaru invaded the village'
	The relation between the predicate position and the focus position will be made clearer in the
	following examples (5) and (6).
	5. Chhs.1971-62 (0550 CE) [SV]
	ma u atiraicaru	cēvakaru	katavacātta	pa ā
	pn		servant	pn		kill.past.3ms
	'Katavacattan, the servant of Maru atiraisaru was killed'
	6. Dhar.1972.23-93 (600 CE) [SVVN]
	ko ā ai to u		mī u	pa ā		kal
	pn	cow herds	retrive.adpl	kill.ppln	stone

  This verse describes the episode in which Hanuman went to the forest in search of Sita who was captivated by Ravana. The most important and expected information is that Sita was found alive by Hanuman. So the author of this epic has highlighted this verbal element by the left dislocation technique. This well known passage is an excellent of example of left dislocation of the verb (verb fronting) which conveys the

	salient piece of information.
	9. ka" a e	ka pi ukku a"iyai ka"ka āl (…..) e u a uma pa uvā
	see.past.1s	chastity.dat	jwel.ac	eyes.inst (….) that anuman tell.non past.3.m.s

  3. third person; adpl. Adverbial participle; caus. Causative; inf. Infinitive; inst. Instrumental; m. masculine; obl; oblique; pln. Place name; pn. Proper noun; ppln. Participial noun; rp. Relative participle; s. singular; vbln. Verbal noun.

This is a revised version of the paper presented at the World Classical Tamil Conference, Coimbatore, India,

Copper plate charts and the stone (temple) inscriptions are both donative inscriptions and one may assume that these two types of inscriptions are of the same genre. But as we are not aware of any detailed analysis of the language of these two types of inscriptions, we prefer to consider them as two distinct 'genres'.

« If no order is most frequent over most texts, however, or if the order varies from genre to genre or text to text, we should probably not describe any particular order as the basic order (in the sense of most frequent order)… »(Dryer 1997.72).

The notion of saliency may be compared to the concept of newsworthiness used by Mithun (Mithun 1992).

"Technically any finite verb can function as participial noun and therefore in Classical Tamil, many such verb forms provide two interpretations, one as a finite verb and the other as a participial noun".[…] More specifically, when a finite verb form is used like a noun, it is referred to as a "participial noun".(Rajam 1992.644)

Example (5) shows a subject-predicate structure. The finite verb is placed at the clause final position, reserved usually for this function. But in (6), the clause final (focus) position is occupied by the noun kal 'memorial stone' preceded by the participial noun. 5 The participial noun has exactly the same morphological form as the finite verb in (5). The participial noun form is frequently used in hero stone inscriptions thus permitting additional information, which constitutes the potential piece of information. The salient piece of information occupies the clause final position but not the verb. This shows that the information structure has more prominence than the syntactic relation.

Examples ( 7) and ( 8) constitute each an inscription. In such cases, the context and the location in which the inscription is situated become crucial to understand the meaning of the inscriptions. The inscription in ( 7) is engraved on a slab set up in the Street. The beneficiary, in dative case, is placed clause initially. In (7) the most important or salient information is the 'slab' which was made in memory of pirativi vi a ka [r], but paradoxically this element is deleted. Quite often we need extra linguistic information, the worldly knowledge or previous (shared) knowledge, to account for this type of deletion of arguments. However, while one reads the inscription, in situ, standing before the monument, the monument by its presence becomes the old or known information or predictable. Known or old information is not focalised. However, from structural point of view, one may argue that the lexical item corresponding to the salient information is deleted.


Raphael Belmin

François Casabianca

Jean Marc Meynard

A crop model as an "intermediary object": Lessons from a participatory research on the agronomical bases of PGI Corsican Clementine typicity

Keywords: Clementine, acidity, cropping systems, participatory research, intermediary object

In this article, we build on an on-going participatory research conducted in Corsica to report the use of a heuristic cropping system model as a mediating tool to assist researchers and actors in the understanding of a challenging scientific problem: The agronomical determinism of the acidity of Corsican Clementine, acidulous taste being a strategic typicity attribute for this terroir product. The collaborative research included the participative conception and refinement of an acidity model, the use of the model to design an empirical validation method called Regional Agronomical Diagnosis (RAD), and the up-coming use of RAD's first results to refine the model. Iterations between actors' knowledge, model, and farm survey may continue in the 2 following Clementine campaigns, leading to a step-by-step convergence between model and reality. Our acidity model opens up perspectives for Corsican stakeholders, since it could be used in further participatory research to design innovative cropping systems in adaptation to emerging challenges such as climate change, or new varieties. However, the use of a model to understand an agronomical variable or to orientate field observation is not new. What is new is the fact of using such model as an intermediary objet in a participative device. Through its intrinsic infrastructure, the model structured interactions between actors, researchers, and experimental device, and it enabled convergence of representations between opposed epistemological postures. If the model appeared to be predictive, it would suggest that in localized agri food systems, local knowledge are crucial resources which can be channeled by researchers by using intermediary objects as mediating tools in the perspective of addressing complex scientific problems.

1) Introduction

Understanding agronomical bases of typicity: a challenge for SYAL stakeholders

Localized agri-food systems' sustainability relies on the capacity of its stakeholders to emphasize and maintain products typicity through qualification processes. A poor understanding of agronomical bases of typicity can put localized agri-food systems into a position of vulnerability, especially when broad changes such as climate upheaval affect GI production area. In the case of non transformed agricultural products, such links are difficult to establish because products quality depends on numerous and complex factors (e.g. climate, soil, agricultural practices). This article introduces methods and first results from a participatory approach employed by researchers to build a shared understanding of the typicity of a terroir product: the Corsican Clementine.

1.2) Interest of participatory approaches in agricultural science

An epistemological and social revolution led to the recognition of stakeholders' knowledge and skills as legitimate to contribute to research problems resolution [START_REF] Gasselin | Pourquoi conduire une recherche action en partenariat ? 31-39[END_REF]. This idea has spread in agricultural and rural development research, and it is increasingly recognized that participatory approaches based on local knowledge are an option if sustainability and development goals are to be reached (IAASTD, 2008). Thus, participatory approaches are mobilized in a diversity of thematic contexts. To give just a few examples, such approaches are often mobilized in farming system research, livelihood systems studies, participatory plant breeding, or diagnosis and design of cropping systems [START_REF] Sellamna | La recherche action des origines à nos jours. 23-29[END_REF]. Collaborative approaches are often combined with cropping system research in the understanding of unsatisfactory agronomical performances or in the design of innovative technical itineraries [START_REF] Lavigne Delville | Jachères, fertilité, dynamiques agraires, innovations paysannes et collaborations chercheurs/paysans. Fondement pour des recherches-action en milieu paysan sur la fertilité des terres[END_REF].

1.3) A heuristic model as tool of participatory research structuration

Researchers mobilize a diversity of tools in participatory approaches, ranging from simple artifacts (cross-tabulation, map, black board) to complex models. In this article, we report the use of a heuristic crop model as a mediating tool to assist researchers and stakeholders in the understanding of a challenging scientific problem: The agronomical determinism of the acidity of Corsican Clementine, acidulous taste being a strategic typicity attribute for this terroir product. The article shows that the model acted as an "intermediary object" contributing to knowledge co-elaboration, and to the convergence of actors' representations on the acidity determinism. The main function of the model was to structure mutual exchanges between actors, researchers, and an experimental device. It did so by providing a normativeand evolving -framework channeling heterogeneous actors' inputs, driving empirical observation, incorporating field observations, and by allowing constructive dialogue between holists and reductionists.

1.4) Analytical framework of the model's role in the participatory process

To understand the model's role, we analyzed our participatory research as a process along which multiple interactions between and among actors, artifacts, and institutions led to the convergence of actors' representations on fruit acidity determinism, and to the generation of new knowledge. First, to analyze interactions between actors, researchers, and experimental device, we considered the acidity model as an "intermediary object" carrying embedded rules, which acted as a frame enabling and constraining perceptions, interactions and inputs during the participatory construction. The concept of "intermediary object" forms part of a research tradition putting emphasis on the materiality of things in social sciences. It especially inherits from the actor-network theory [START_REF] Callon | Eléments pour une sociologie de la traduction: La domestication des coquilles Saint-Jacques et des marins-pêcheurs dans la baie de Saint-Brieuc[END_REF][START_REF] Latour | Une sociologie sans objet? Remarques sur l'interobjectivité[END_REF], and the notion of "boundary object" [START_REF] Star | Institutional ecology, translations' and boundary objects: Amateurs and professionals in Berkeley's Museum of Vertebrate Zoology[END_REF]. According to [START_REF] Vinck | De l'objet intermédiaire à l'objet-frontière. Vers la prise en compte du travail d'équipement[END_REF], intermediary objects are material or immaterial artifacts that are produced, mobilized, and exchanged by actors, and which participate in framing action and interactions through processes of representation, translation, and mediation. Recent works have reported the use of intermediary objects to analyze or monitor situations of mediations between heterogeneous actors (see [START_REF] Mcintyre | Représentations spatiales et développement territorial[END_REF] for an illustration). In this article, we analyze how the rules embedded in an intermediary object (a crop model) could structure mobilization of local knowledge by researchers in a participative process. Then, to assess to what extent the model had contributed to the convergence of actors' representations on fruit acidity determinism, we compared the initial perception of each actors' groups with the final shared understanding synthesized in the model. Initial perception of each actors group was analyzed in the light of sociology and institutional theory. For each group, we identified patterns of institutions which shape awareness and interpretation of reality, and coordinate in return actors' perception of and knowledge on acidity determinism. We used the distinction proposed by [START_REF] Scott | Institutions and organizations[END_REF], between regulative rules (i.e. explicit and formal rules such as laws), normative rules (i.e. internalized through social process such as norms or professional identity) and cognitive rules (i.e. the frame through which meaning or sense is made, such as paradigms and ontological posture).

The development of this article is organized as follow: In part 2, we explain how has emerged the Corsican Clementine acidity issue. In part 3, we describe the construction of the participative research (actors, main steps, and experimental device). We then introduce the outcoming acidity model (part 4).

In part 5, we analyze model's contribution to the structuration of interactions between actors, researchers, and experimental device, and to the convergence of actors's representations on fruit acidity determinism. In part 6, we discuss possible implication of the use of crop models to strengthen participatory approaches.

2) Emergence of the Corsican Clementine acidity issue

2.1) Acidity: A crucial but poorly understood quality attribute for Corsican Clementine

Corsican clementine has been recognized as a PGI in 2007, leading to a revival of the sector after a period of decline in the 90s. The reputation of the "Clementine of Corsica" is due to several criteria of fruit quality such as the presence of long leaves in fruit crates, a specific color, and a slightly acidulous taste. As foreign competition increasingly imitates external attributes of Corsican clementine (e.g. presence of leaves in crates), the long term success of the PGI relies on the capacity of local stakeholders to strengthen and sustain other attributes of specific quality, first and foremost the high acidity level. Moreover, the process the defense and management organization recently embarked to obtain a red label makes it all the more urgent to understand the bases of fruit acidity, since the red label specification requires even lower variability and higher threshold in fruit acidity. Although local stakeholders agree that "slightly acidulous taste" is a crucial typicity factor for Corsican Clementine, fruit acidity has remained an unchecked parameter in cropping systems and individual farmers' strategies. This paradox results from a lack of knowledge on the agronomical bases of fruit quality among farmers, extensions, and scientists. This is probably explained by the historical trajectory of local agricultural innovation system, which partitioned fruit quality questions into the field of varietal innovation, leaving aside cropping systems aspects. Moreover evidences show that there are a significant spatial, intra and inter annual fluctuations in fruit acidity within the PGI zone, as well as an effect of agricultural practices on acidity [START_REF] Belmin | Projet Clémentine: Le Diagnostic Agronomique Régional appliqué à l'analyse de la variabilité de l'acidité de la clémentine de Corse. Oral presentation[END_REF].

2.2) The Corsican Clementine GI area under broad changes

In a context of global changes affecting the PGI zone, this difficulty in objectifying the combined role of climate, soil and practices in the construction of fruit acidity challenges Corsican stakeholders. First and foremost, Mediterranean zone is affected by climate change, with suspected consequences on Corsican clementines' acidity (Pailly; 2014). The 2013 IPCC report indicates that in this geographical area, observed changes since the middle of the 20th century include an increase in droughts' frequency and intensity, extreme precipitations, as well as a decrease in cold nights and frosts. On their side, local farmers and experts assert that fruit acidity is trending down for around 15 years, due to climate upheaval. However, as far as we know, no available scientific data could demonstrate a decrease in Corsican clementine acidity, nor any link between climate change and clementine quality variation. The fact remains that a possible trend reduction in fruit acidity caused by climate change is a rising issue in the PGI area. Climate is not the only broad change affecting production basin and (possibly) fruit quality. There is a quick evolution of agricultural practices with yield and fruit size as the main cropping system performance criterion. These technical changes include annual pruning, weed management, fertilization, as well as harvesting methods. PGI Clementine quality change may also be driven by new varieties and root stocks such as SRA535 or tetraploid root stocks. Such changes are also possible because the PGI specification provides a flexible frame, leaving room for much variability in agricultural practices.

3) A participatory research to understand Clementine acidity variability

Researchers implemented in 2013 a participatory research aiming at better understanding the variability of Corsican Clementine acidity. The participatory research included actors' mobilization, the co-conception of a heuristic acidity model, the use of the model to design an empirical validation method called Regional Agronomical Diagnosis (RAD), and the use of RAD's first results to refine the model. Thus, knowledge on fruit acidity was constructed and refined through organized iterations between model, actors, and on farm survey.

3.1) Creation of a participatory device

We began by designing a participatory research device involving a diversified panel of actors chosen according to their current or historical function in the clementine production basin (Table 1). The core of the device was a working group involving citrus consultant, technicians, agronomists, and researchers from 2 disciplines (ecophysiologists, and geneticists). Interactions with working group's members included 3 workshops as well as individual interviews and field visits. In parallel we consulted 13 farmers through individual interviews, field visits, and participant observation.

3.2) Participatory conception and refinement of a heuristic acidity model

In a first workshop, we identified possible acidity drivers through brainstorming. Participants were asked to say what are, according to their empirical or theoretical knowledge, the main factors involved in the variability of Clementine acidity. The information gathered during the workshop was complemented through individual interviews and field visits with farmers, technicians, and experts. In a second step, we integrated data into a first conceptual crop model. The various data collected so far were graded and organized in an agronomical model, mobilizing and adapting concepts such as yield components [START_REF] Boiffin | Elaboration du rendement et fertilisation azotée du blé d'hiver en Champagne crayeuse. I. -Protocole et méthode d'étude d'un problème technique régional[END_REF][START_REF] Meynard | Diagnostic sur les causes de variation du rendement du blé dans une petite région. La fatigue des sols[END_REF] and yield elaboration compartments (Sebillotte, 1995). Inspired by the notion of yield component, we divided the elaboration of final fruit acidity into simple components whose formative period is shorter than the one of final production, and that only depend on a limited number of factors. Acidity components were considered as (semi) independent variables, well identified in the tree cycle. The various factors influencing acidity components were identified, and placed together with the components themselves into 5 interacting compartments: climate, permanent environment, non-permanent environment, agricultural practices, and physiological status of the tree. This first-generation model was then confronted with stakeholders' knowledge through a second workshop and using bilateral meetings. The information collected so far led us to build a second-generation model by introducing new acidity components, and by clarifying the factors influencing each component.

Researchers 2

Researchers are geneticist and ecophysiologist employed by public "publish-oriented" organizations. Geneticist produces scientific knowledge on citrus genome and phylogeny, and selects new citrus rootstocks and varieties responding to identified challenges (disease resistance, yield, caliber, fruit quality). Ecophysiologist produces scientific knowledge on complex interactions between genotypes, phenotypes and environment in citrus.

3.3) Use of the model to design a regional agronomic diagnosis

The revised heuristic acidity model was used as an input to co-construct an empirical validation protocol using an approach called Regional Agronomical Diagnosis (RAD). [START_REF] Boiffin | Elaboration du rendement et fertilisation azotée du blé d'hiver en Champagne crayeuse. I. -Protocole et méthode d'étude d'un problème technique régional[END_REF] and [START_REF] Doré | Methodological progress in on-farm regional agronomic diagnosis[END_REF] introduced RAD as a methodological framework for identifying and ranking limiting factors for crop yield (or other variables relating to crop quality and environmental impact) on the regional scale : RAD consists in monitoring a set of measurements in a network of fields cultivated by farmers using current cropping practices. Thus, we mobilized RAD approach in the context of a participatory process, so as to test and refine heuristic model, and to identify the factors explaining the variability of fruit acidity. During the second workshop, stakeholders were introduced to the RAD approach, and they were asked to propose selection criteria's for plots as well as concrete field observations. Researchers structured the discussion using the second-generation acidity model as a starting point. 21 plots were selected and field observations were conceived so as to characterize each acidity component, as well as the main factors suspected to influence them.

3.4) Use of regional agronomic diagnosis' first results to refine the model

In the near future, concrete observations through RAD will lead researchers and working group participants to criticize the second-generation model, and build a third generation model. In turn, this will contribute to the improvement of field observation procedure for the next campaign.

In conclusion, actors were mobilized by researchers in the co-elaboration of 2 successive generations of acidity model: A first model was constructed by incorporating actors' inputs into a crop system framework. A second generation model was then constructed by confronting first model to actors' knowledge, and used as a starting point to conceive an on-farm survey using RAD approach. The upcoming third generation of model is to be constructed through confrontation between second generation model with first results from RAD. These iterations between model, actors knowledge and farm survey may be implemented again in the 2 following Clementine campaigns, and lead to a stepby-step convergence between model and reality. To the top of our knowledge, it is the first time RAD is conceived through a participatory approach, on the basis of a crop model constructed itself through a collaborative work. Nevertheless, the idea that actors' knowledge is valuable in such inductive approach was already there. [START_REF] Doré | Methodological progress in on-farm regional agronomic diagnosis[END_REF] mentioned that an option for researchers carrying out RAD is to integrate the farmers' knowledge into the identification of relevant measurements, and into data interpretation.

4) Introduction to the model

The second-generation acidity model took the form of a semi coherent set of hypotheses regarding acidity components, their interactions throughout the tree physiological cycle, as well as the various factors influencing the variability of each component. In other words, the variability observed in fruit acidity could be theoretically explained by the condition of elaboration of a limited number of semiindependent processes or "components" (noted C1-C8 following the order in which components were identified in the participatory process) well identified in the tree cycle, each component being driven by

C3 -Flowering dates (beginning and end)

C3 determines field-side fruits' acidity because it influences the duration and environmental conditions in which C1, C2, C7, and C8 are elaborated.

C3 is triggered by soil temperature increase in spring (NPE*)

Soil temperature increase in spring (See above "Temperature accumulation")

C4 -Harvest dates

C4 determines field-side fruits' acidity because it interfers with the process of acidity decrease (C1). In Corsica, Harvest is usually done through 2 to 4 stages.

C4 and C5 depend on sociotechnical determinants (e.g. market demand), but also on the percentage and nature of colored fruits at a given moment (PS)

Percentage and nature of colored fruits at a given moment (PS*) are driven by coloring speed (C6)

C5 -Quantity and types of fruits removed at each harvest stage

C5 determines field-side fruits' acidity because fruits from one parcel vary a lot in acidity -mainly according to their specific size (see C7) and degree of ripening (see C1) -, while only a fraction of the available fruits are harvested at each stage. C5 has also effects on the acidity of the fruits harvested at the next stage.

C6 -Coloring date

C6 determines field-side fruits' acidity because it is a driver of harvest date (C4), although decorrelated from the process of acidity decrease (C1). In practice, coloring date often constitutes a limiting factor to the harvest start.

C6 is accelerated by decrease in orchard temperatures, increase in daynight range of temperatures (NPE*), and abundant nitrogen and potassium nutrition during ripening period (PS*).

Orchard temperatures (See above "Temperature accumulation")

Nitrogen and potassium nutrition (See above "Mineral nutrition")

C7 -Size distribution of fruits

C7 determines field-side fruits' acidity because each plot shows a large range of fruit sizes, while large-sized fruits are generally less acid than small fruits. Acid citric content of fruits seems to be diluted as fruit size increases.

C7 is driven by accumulation of temperatures above 13°C (NPE*), and by carbon, mineral, and water nutrition during the filling period (PS*). C7 is also driven by flowering quality, by the number of fruits per tree (see C8) and by nature of fruit-bearing shouts (PS*)

Flowering quality is driven by the nature of flower-bearing shoots (diameter and length) (PS*), by pruning (AP*). Nature of fruit-bearing shouts result from nature of flower-bearing shoots. Carbon nutrition is driven by the relationship between total leaf surface and number of fruits during filling stage, which depends on mineral and water nutrition and temperature accumulation (see above).

C8 -Number of fruits per tree

C7 determines field-side fruits' acidity because it influences size distributuon of fruits (C7) and acidity level of each fruit before maturation (C2).

C8 is driven by flowering intensity and physiological fall (PS*).

5) The model as an "intermediary object"

The use of such a crop model to understand variability of agronomical variable or to orientate field observation is not new. Nor is the analytical distinction we made between various components and 5 compartments of acidity elaboration. What is new is the fact of using such representations as a mediating tool between the research team and his partners. In this part, we show that the model acted as an "intermediary object", enabling mutual understanding and representations convergence between opposed epistemological postures. To do so, we considered the acidity model as an "intermediary object" carrying embedded rules, which acted as a frame enabling and constraining perceptions, interactions and inputs during the participatory construction (Figure 2). We can say that two rules are embedded in the model's structure, and have acted together as a normative framework structuring dialogue between actors, researchers, and experimental device. The first rule derives from the compartmental structure of the model (that is to say the analytical distinction between the 5 compartments of climate, permanent environment, non-permanent environment, plant status, and agricultural practices). The second rules stems from the choice of dividing the whole process of fruit acidity elaboration into a limited number of "components" (components are semiindependent processes observable at a specific period in a particular compartment of the cropping system). We show below that these 2 rules have been playing together, by structuring the capitalization of heterogeneous information, the co-conception of an empirical validation device, and the successive model refinement in the light of results from field observation. Models' structure has facilitated the incorporation of heterogeneous pieces of information into a coherent analytical framework. First, actors' inputs were varying from theoretical knowledge on agronomical or physiological mechanisms to account of empirical experiences and isolated observations. Actors' contributions were regarded a priori as valid, provided that the group reached a consensus. Using model's systemic frame, researchers attributed each mentioned mechanism to an acidity component (or to an elements directly or indirectly determining the elaboration of one component). This was especially useful after the first workshop, when we built the first generation model by reviewing consistent quantity of diversified and rambling data. Then, the component analysis helped actors to overcome complexity (at the beginning of the process researchers were confronted to remarks such as: "everything is inextricably connected"), and successively focus actors' attention on well identified processes. Thus, actors were asked to explain which elements of the cropping system were involved in the elaboration of each identified components of fruit acidity. This approach was used to design the second generation model: during the second workshop and bilateral meetings, where actors could easily refine the model because component analysis channeled their inputs and perceptions. Third, models' compartmental structure was helpful because it helped researchers in the overcoming of analytical shortcuts or confusions. Fourth, the rules embedded in the model's structure enabled the objectivation of actors' inputs when "colored" by their ontological postures. For instance, it was a mediating tool to encourage actors to translate prescriptions into objective processes. The models' structure has not only facilitated the incorporation of heterogeneous data. It has also directly driven the participative selection of the field observations to be implemented. Acidity components were used so as to identify periods and kind of field observations, and compartments were used to identify where to implement observations. For instance, in the case of C1 (acidity draw down rate during ripening), the representation given by the model encouraged researchers to monitor evolution of fruit quality (sugar, citric acid concentration, and juice percentage) for each fruit size on the 21 plots of the farm network, from 1 rst October to early January. This was combined with other field observation such as meteorological conditions (weather stations), water nutrition state (delta C13 analysis of fruits sampled in October and December, completed with calculation of full water balance), soil permeability, slope, deepness of rootlets, grass cover, and irrigation regimes.

5.2) Contribution of the model to the convergence of actors' representations

The model's infrastructure also allowed researchers to put together different representations of fruit acidity into a single coherent framework. In fact, actors in the participatory device had all significant knowledge on fruit acidity, but this knowledge was always somehow biased by their specific institutional pattern (e.g. epistemological posture, paradigms, cognitive framework…). In this part, we show how the model could act as an "intermediary object", helping mutual understanding between actors, and representations convergence. Each actors' group introduced in part 3.1, was characterized by patterns of institutions which shape awareness and interpretation of reality, and coordinate in return actors' perception of and knowledge on acidity determinism (Table 3). To build this analysis, we used the distinction between regulative rules, normative rules, and cognitive rules introduced in part 1.5 of this paper. To simplify, we found that the participative device opposed actors with reductionists and holists epistemological posture. On the one hand, reductionists envisaged fruit acidity elaboration at the tree level, considered "environment" as a black box, and couldn't upscale analysis at the cropping system level. On the other hand, holists believed that fruit acidity resulted from a wide and inextricable range of inter-linked factors, but incapable of grading factors' relative importance. During workshops and bilateral meetings, the model acted as an "intermediary object", helping dialogue and mutual understanding between reductionists and holists. In fact, this is again the 2 rules Daily routines of orchard observation leading farmers to qualify each single plot according to its caliber, yield, and fruits taste.

No idea on how agricultural practices determine fruit acidity.

Rootstock, variety, and "plot effect" as the main fruit acidity drivers.

Fruit acidity results from the year's meteorological condition.

Technicians, agronomists, and citrus consultant

European legislation encourages technicians and agronomists to focus their attention and efforts on phytosanitary pressure reduction.

Most agricultural practices involved in acidity construction are routinised, leading technicians and agronomists to focus on phytosanitary issues.

Holistic epistemological posture leading to consider the complex interactions between soil, plant, climate and practices in fruit quality construction.

Fruit acidity results from a wide range of inter-linked factors.

R&D agents

Research programs and funding focused on varietal innovation and genotype x environment interactions.

Clear disciplinary boundaries leading to reductionist posture

Available genetic diversity as a starting point for any R&D programs

Varietal innovation as a recognized way of improving cultivated citrus.

Reductionist epistemological posture:

plant phenotype results from interactions between genotype and the black-box of plant environment.

Fruit acidity is a physiological process resulting from interactions between genotype and plant environment. On-tree variability of fruit quality is the main level of analysis.

embedded in the model (compartmental structure and component analysis) which have allowed putting these different epistemological postures together. Reductionists, who were focused on the tree level and on the interactions between genotype and the black-box of environment, could bring significant inputs by identifying some physiological mechanisms involved in fruit acidity elaboration (mainly C1, C2, C6, C7, and C8 located in physiological status compartment). In other worlds, reductionists were the one identifying the first acidity components. Holists, who had a systemic representation of agro-systems, tried to mobilize reductionists' inputs and upscale the analysis at the cropping system level. Thus, holists could explain to what extent each single components identified by reductionists could be driven by interacting climate, permanent environment, and non permanent environment, and agricultural practices. At the conclusion of the first years' participative process, we noticed a beginning of convergence between actors' representations on fruit acidity determinism. At the end of third workshop, it appeared clearly to everybody that fruit acidity was the result of a limited number of semi-independent processes (the acidity "components"), each observable at a specific period. Although at this stage, precise effect of the various cropping systems elements on the construction of acidity components was unclear, it seemed possible to grade it through a farm survey.

6) Discussion and conclusion

In the purpose of strengthening localized agri-food systems, there is room for innovative participatory research devices and tools able to emphasize and maintain products typicity through qualification processes. This paper reported an on-going participatory initiative designed by researchers to better understanding the variability of Corsican Clementine acidity, an important typicity attribute of this terroir product. The collaborative research included the co-conception of a heuristic acidity model, the use of the model to design an empirical validation method called Regional Agronomical Diagnosis (RAD). The acidity model took the form of a set of hypotheses regarding acidity components, their interactions throughout the tree physiological cycle, as well as the various factors influencing the variability of each component. At the Corsican level, the model opens up perspectives for researchers and stakeholders. It could be used in further participatory research to design innovative "acidity oriented" cropping systems in adaptation to emerging challenges such as climate change, new varieties, or increasing competition of the international market of Clementine. Such technical references could feed the qualification process by allowing the definition of the practiced involved in fruit acidity rather than limiting the PGI specification to product-quality objectives. Apart from the model itself, we could identify other outputs from the participative research process. Although the challenge of uncontrolled fruit acidity was pending, it had not been collectively formulated before the research starts, leading actors to "stick their head in the sand". The participatory research process contributed to the shared recognition that a better agronomical control of fruit acidity is needed (and probably possible) in order to face climate change and to facilitate adoption of a quality label more demanding than the PGI. In other words, the participative process led to a beginning of "construction of the acidity problem" as a medium term challenge for the Corsican basin. More generally, our methodological approach could be used by researchers to strengthen other origin based qualification processes through a better understanding of the complex interactions between, place, people and products.

The effectiveness of our model may be assessed according to 2 criterions, the first one being the ability of the model to act as an intermediary object enabling local knowledge mobilization. We demonstrated that the rules embedded in the model could structure interactions between actors, researchers, and experimental device, channel actors' inputs, and enable representations convergence between opposed epistemological postures. The second effectiveness criterion would be the predictive capacity of the final model. At that point, we couldn't answer yet because the provisional model is still under construction, and may be subjected to other iterative refinements. If the model appeared to be predictive, it would suggest that in localized agri food systems, local knowledge are crucial resources which can be channeled by researchers by using intermediary objects as mediating tools in the perspective of addressing complex scientific problems.

  specific factors. According to the model, acidity of the fruits from a given parcel results from the meeting of harvest dates (C4) and % fruits harvested at each date (C5) with a long process of acidity decrease (C1) in a diversified cohort of fruits showing a wide range of sizes (C7), maximal acidity reached before ripening (C2), and coloration date (C6). Harvest dates and % fruits harvested at each date are partly constrained by coloration process. Maximal acidity reached before ripening and fruit size repartition are driven by flowering dates (C3), and by the number of fruits per tree (C8). Thus, C1-C8 are observable acidity components, which interact along the tree physiological cycle. The construction of each acidity component is driven by observable stages, processes, or interactions, occurring all into the 5 interacting compartments of acidity elaboration listed below (see Figure1for a schematic representation, and Table 2 for exhaustive model): -Physiological status of tree (PS): This compartment gathers physiological status or processes directly or indirectly involved in the variability of acidity components. -Non permanent environment (NPE): This compartment gathers elements from environment which directly regulate tree's physiological status, and which may fluctuate at the month timescale under the influence of climate and agricultural practices. -Climate (CLIM): Climate influences physiological status of tree through modifications in nonpermanent environment (e.g. rainfall influences soil water availability). -Agricultural practices (AP): Together with climate, agricultural practices influence physiological status of tree through modifications in non-permanent environment (e.g. fertilization modifies mineral availability in soil), or even directly (e.g. pruning). -Permanent environment (PE): This compartment gathers cropping system elements which may not move at the time scale of the research, and which have effect on the interactions between the four other compartments (e.g. density of plantation, soil permeability).

Figure 1 :

 1 Figure 1: Representation of acidity components as described in second-generation model

Flowering

  intensity reflects flower induction, which is driven by orchard low temperature (NPE*) and nutritional stress (PS*) during ripening. Orchard low temperature (See above "Temperature accumulation"). Nutritional stress during ripening results from mineral nutrition (See above). Physiological fall is driven by mineral nutrition during flowering.

Figure 2 :

 2 Figure 2: The acidity model as an "intermediary object"

Table 1 : Main function of the participatory research device's actors Actors type Number Function in the production basin Farmers 13

 1 Farmers run capitalist exploitations of 10-20 hectares of Clementine, often associated with secondary crop such as grapefruit or kiwi.Technicians are employed by cooperatives, farmer groups, or chamber of agriculture. The main part of their work consists in following up individual farmers, and providing technical advice on pest management, fertilization and irrigation regime.Citrus consultant is a highly skilled consultant providing extension to farmers and technicians in Corsica and in all Mediterranean area. He is used to intervene on questions of variety and root stock choice, pruning methods, and pest management. Citrus consultant has developed his skills through variety/root stocks evaluation in experimental or farmers plots.Agronomists are employed by R&D "farmer-oriented" organizations. They implement ex situ experimentation programs to assess the effect of single technical acts on yield, caliber, and fruit quality. They currently develop and spread innovative weed and pest management techniques derived from agro ecological approaches.

	Technicians	6
	Citrus consultant	1
	Agronomists	2

Table 2 :

 2 Acidity components and the factors determining components variability

* PS: Physiological status of tree; NPE: Non permanent environment; CLIM: Climate; AP: Agricultural practices; PE: Permanent environment

Table 3 :

 3 Attempt to analyze how institutions coordinate actors' perception of Clementine acidity.