Projects of the Horticulture Research Group
Long-term protection of the Fragaria and Rubus gene pool
Be it Lambada, White Pineapple, Wädenswil 6, Evergreen Blackberry or Red Raspberry from Zurich - the variety of colours, shapes and flavours of strawberry (Fragaria) and raspberry / blackberry (Rubus) is enormous. The long-term protection and maintenance of this gene pool is essential for future breeding as well as from a socio-cultural perspective.
The aim of the project is to establish both a primary collection of virus-free potted plants in an insect-proof greenhouse and a duplicate backup collection in the form of meristems, which will be cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen at -196°C..
Client: Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG)
Duration: 2019 - 2026
Further Information: Julia Lietha
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Local Adaptation and Sustainability in Grain Legume Cultivation with Soybean as a Proof of Principle (FoodN'Feed)
The project FoodN'Feed aims to fill the gap in the development of native microbial communities for Swiss-adapted sustainable grain legume cultivation by capturing the true nodule rhizobial community and associated root microbiomes for the three most relevant grain legume crops for Switzerland…
current, 04/2026 - 03/2030
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Development of a LAMP assay for selective amplification of DNA from living cells
The detection of bacteria using LAMP is well established and widely applied in clinical and veterinary diagnostics, as well as for pathogen detection in food safety and agriculture. The objective of this project is to focus on detecting viable bacterial cells in seed wash solutions. As a model…
current, 03/2026 - 05/2028
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SACC Swiss Apple Core Collection – Long-Term Preservation of the Genetic Resources of Old Swiss Apple Varieties
current, 02/2026 - 05/2031
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A regenerative mulch mat made from regionally sourced biomass using fungal binding and saprophytic fungi for sustainable urban agriculture…
MYCO-MAT is a biodegradable, mulch mat made from regionally abundant reed grass and bound by fungal mycelium. It is enriched with saprophytic fungi that support soil health. Designed for fragmented urban farming plots, community gardens, green infrastructure, and viticulture, it offers a practical…
current, 12/2025 - 12/2026
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PEATLESS – Overcoming barriers for the adoption of alternative substrates with less peat content to support the Green Transition in…
The project’s goal is to significantly reduce the use of peat in professional horticultural production systems and in the casing layer of mushroom cultivation. This is a key objective in terms of climate and biodiversity protection.
current, 07/2025 - 04/2028
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Development of a biofungicide based on actinobacteria strains isolated from extreme Moroccan ecosystems to protect and improve tomato…
Tomato is a vegetable crop grown in many countries, and its production is constantly increasing. Unfortunately, production can be limited by both abiotic and biotic factors. Fungal pathogens are one of the major factors that reduce crop yield. Botrytis cinerea is a phytopathogenic fungus that causes…
current, 12/2024 - 12/2027
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Loop-mediated isothermal amplification for real-time pathogen screening in soil
The aim of this project is to develop a real-time pathogen screening system for important soil pathogens using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technology. The process will involve the isolation and amplification of DNA from plant, seed or soil samples. A key challenge will be to…
current, 11/2024 - 12/2026
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Container for manure composting: Compost container with biofilter and heat utilisation
current, 07/2024 - 09/2027
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Development of a kit for the detection of leaf spot in turf grass
The objective is to develop a real-time pathogen detection kit for a range of turf grass leaf spot diseases. This kit will feature a straightforward process for DNA extraction and amplification through loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). It will enable semi-quantitative assessment of…
expired, 04/2024 - 12/2025
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Local food for the future (LOFT)
The project aims to improve vertical farming production and operational efficiency by combining innovative production know-how and technologies with enhanced sustainability. The approach will establish the feasibility and profitability of sustainable, year-round production of high-quality crops.
expired, 02/2022 - 01/2025
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Joint project "peat exit"
The start-up project will be used to finance various preliminary work in the field of R&D, which is a prerequisite for the launch of a joint project at national and international level. At a conference at the ZHAW in autumn 2019, the ZHAW was already mentioned as a "peat-free competence center". In…
expired, 01/2021 - 12/2021
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Participatory research to drive the transition to a resilient and efficient land use in Europe (AGROMIX)
The aim of the AGROMIX-project is to deliver participatory research to drive the transition to resilient and efficient land use in Europe. AGROMIX will provide practical agroecological solutions for farm and land management, and related value chains, that reduce uncertainties in assessing carbon…
expired, 11/2020 - 11/2024
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Alternative Monitoring of Spotted Wing Drosophila SWD
Development of traps
expired, 08/2020 - 08/2021
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KEF Strip - Preliminary Study on development of an "AgriStrip" for the Spotted Wing Drosophila, SWD
In cooperation with Bioreba AG, it is to be clarified whether it is possible to develop an "AgriStrip" (lateral flow device, such as pregnancy test) for the spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii. This requires literature research and preliminary laboratory tests.
expired, 01/2020 - 10/2020
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Vegan Agriculture
expired, 02/2019 - 02/2020
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Conservation collection of grapevine varieties Halbinsel Au
current, 01/2019 - 02/2027
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An integrated modelling and learning framework for real-time online decision assistance in Swiss agriculture
We are developing an agricultural risk decision assistant based on a unique model that can assess and visualize reliable weather and seasonal climate forecasts, soil data, and crop growth forecasts. Based on real-time and historical weather, climate, soil and crop data and novel learning algorithms,…
expired, 12/2018 - 11/2021
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Reduction of pesticides input in horticulture
This study examines the effects of "pesticide-free" cultivation methods of vegetables in comparison to IP production or cultivation according to BioSuisse guidelines by determining the effective production costs. In the ornamental part, the study compares the production costs of selected ornamental…
expired, 12/2018 - 11/2020
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Extension of the study on life cycle assessments for alternative substrates to peat
The aim of the research study is to extend the study by Eymann et al. (2015) of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) by selected substrate components and substrate mixtures which, based on defined criteria, have a high potential as peat substitutes. Analogous to the 2015 study, the…
expired, 09/2018 - 08/2020
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Implementation of aquaponic technology in Kunming, China: Construction of prototype for cultivation of fish and vegetables
This project proposes to introduce the Aquaponic technology (AP) to China’s urban population. The objective is to devise AP systems suitable for efficient food production on smallest surfaces, which will be implemented in urban areas. Two solutions should be developed: (i) a prototype greenhouse…
expired, 06/2018 - 05/2019