Catching cereal killers: a yeast-based approach to control mycotoxin contamination

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi infecting plants. These toxins contaminate cereals, causing vast economic losses and posing a serious threat to food and feed safety. The spread of these cereal killers is expected to increase as a result of climate change. Therefore, novel sustainable strategies for managing these pathogenic fungi are crucial. Our recent studies have shown a large functional potential of plant-associated yeasts to suppress mycotoxin production and inhibit growth of these cereal killers via volatile compounds. This project further builds on these findings and aims to identify the yeast volatile molecules that strongly suppress mycotoxin biosynthesis.