Agronomic Minute: Being Proactive with Mite Control in Vineyards

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Mite control will become even more of a priority for growers with temperatures expected to rise in the coming weeks. Technical Services Manager for UPL North America, Katie Driver explained that heat can cause populations to take off. Staying on top of any signs of mites will be a critical component of managing the pest.

Pest Pressures

“Females are able to lay about 200 eggs in one sitting and mites create a large threat to vineyards across the state because they can reproduce so quickly,” said Driver. “Nothing can replace being proactive by diligently scouting the crop, determining your treatment threshold level, and getting in early with your miticide treatment before a spider mite population explodes.”

It has been a fairly colder start to spring, so typical timing for mite activity could be a bit delayed. However, temperatures are forecasted to pick up towards the middle of April, increasing the likelihood of mite populations growing. “Just being aware, paying attention to the weather, and monitoring your orchard is really going to be the key to managing mites,” Driver noted.

Predatory mites and other beneficial insects have an important role in managing mite populations in vineyards. Driver said that applying miticides before the vineyard canopy gets too dense can help prevent mite populations from proliferating underneath leaves. There are a variety of products available and getting adequate coverage is critical for good mite control no matter the material.

“Veto 30 SC Miticide is a new product that we just brought to market this year. This controls mites at all life stages. It’s registered in tree nuts and vines with a post-harvest interval of seven days,” said Driver. “It does preserve beneficials and predator populations and has a rapid knockdown with mortality occurring in as little as two hours.”

Listen to the full episode below.