(Cosmosmagazine) - In a discovery that could benefit the environment and provide a multimillion-dollar windfall for grape growers the world over, researchers from Italy’s University of Milan have identified a strain of wild yeast that is more effective than fungicides in preventing common grape moulds.

Yeasts are found in abundance on wild grapes. Farmed grapes tend to have a smaller number, but many wine-makers are these days experimenting with using them to ferment their crops.

The Milan study, published in open-access journal Frontiers in Microbiology, investigated the ability of some strains of wild yeast to restrict fungus-growth on the fruits.

"The 'wild' environment represents a huge and largely untapped source of biodiversity, which could provide a reservoir of helpful microbes for pest control," says co-author Ileana Vigentini.

Diseases such as fungal infections cost grape growers many millions of dollars each year, both in lost crops and expensive chemical controls. Meanwhile, many farmers are turning away from chemicals and are looking for more environmentally friendly solutions to disease outbreaks. Plus, many fungi are becoming resistant to chemical solutions, reducing their effectiveness.