Modern genetic diagnostic methods not only allow the reliable identification of agriculturally important organisms; they also enable the genetic characterisation of relevant traits, such as pesticide- and antibiotic resistance. In this project, methods of this sort are developed for on-site use, opening up new possibilities for modern plant protection.
‘Good’ microorganisms can promote plant growth and/or protect plants from pests, serve as an indicator of soil quality, or ferment milk in cheese production. Bioinformatic data analysis is a key requirement for comprehensively describing complex microbiomes and for making targeted use of individual, functionally relevant microorganisms.