Project number: 26.30.16.04.08_BioYeast
BioYeast: Characterisation and testing of environmental yeasts for biocontrol applications
The BioYeast project aims to develop yeasts for crop biocontrol and food bioprotection. It addresses plant pathogens, pests, and spoilage organisms, including Listeria spp. in products like smeared cheeses and Bacillus spp. in plant-based alternatives. This research is particularly relevant as agriculture faces challenges from increasing resistance to synthetic pesticides and emerging spoilage organisms. Yeasts offer an attractive alternative to chemical treatments. The project involves valorising existing yeast collections, conducting proof-of-concept studies (e.g., field trials for apples and cherries, yeast-based seed coatings), and elucidating the underlying molecular mechanisms to develop a new generation of reliable and efficacious yeast-based products in Switzerland.