ABCYEAST

IMPACT

Adopting Nature-based solutions

DESCRIPTION

These days, one of the wine industry’s main challenges is reducing the use of chemical products to control vine diseases, while simultaneously ensuring the yield and quality of grapes and wines. The purpose of this project is to investigate and develop new yeast-based products with an agent to combat vine diseases of microbiological origin. These agents will be chosen from among yeasts native to the wine-growing environments of two collections: ENOLEV, owned by UTAD (University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, BioISI-UTAD), and ICONE, co-owned by Sogrape and PROENOL, obtained within the scope of a previous project (ICONE QREN-POFC project no. 4586) through a partnership between the two companies (FERMDIF project).

It is hoped that this project will create innovative products to enhance natural biodiversity and address the needs and expectations of the wine industry, namely by offering alternative methods for vine protection which are safe to end consumers and have less environmental impact, thereby promoting business sustainability.

ABCYEAST is co-promoted by project leader PROENOL, UTAD and ADVID (Douro Valley Winegrowers’ Association). Backed by Sogrape, its tests and validation are being conducted at the company’s vineyards in the Douro Wine Region.