As part of its various research activities, Agroscope has collected numerous microorganisms isolated from various agricultural and food systems. The microbial collections built up over time not only encompass a vast taxonomic diversity of organisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, oomycetes, and microalgae, but also cover a wide variety of functions. Some of these microorganisms are pathogens of plants, animals, or humans, while others have biotechnological applications, such as biocontrol, the production of food for humans and feed for animals, and the synthesis of bioactive compounds of medical or agronomic interest. The microorganisms collected represent a heritage of Swiss microbial biodiversity and play a central role in many of the research projects conducted by Agroscope.
Agroscope’s collections are essential structures for preserving and maintaining these microbial resources and making them available to researchers within Agroscope, and more widely to the scientific community as part of collaborations. Activities relating to the preservation and maintenance of Agroscope’s collections have been grouped together in the ‘Microbes of Agroscope’ project (work programme 2022-2025, project 22.08.13.07.01).
The various microbial collections identified to date are presented here. These collections have different modes of operation, and the resources allocated to their maintenance are heterogeneous.
N.B.: Agroscope is not a supplier of microbial resources. However, the exchange of isolates is possible within the framework of collaborations and must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. For this reason, a detailed list of isolates is not provided. Please contact the collection managers for further details.
