Growers have gotten another tool for their toolbox for combatting common grape diseases. The recent rains that have come through California brought a fair amount of moisture to the vineyards and now as temperatures start warming up it creates an ideal environment for pathogens to thrive.
“The two main pathogens right now are going to be powdery mildew and botrytis,” said Garrett Gilcrease, Agronomy Service Representative with Syngenta Crop Protection. “With these little rains we’ve had and warmer weather, we have a very large canopy now. Therefore airflow, humidity, is kind of contained within the vineyard to a degree. It just promotes both of those pathogens within that type of system.”
Many growers addressing grapes disease in their vineyards are already well into their fungicide programs. Another option that growers can consider in their disease management program has just become available in California. Gilcrease noted that Miravis Prime can be an excellent material for grape growers looking to address issues of powdery mildew and botrytis.
“We’ve looked at different rates, different timings, different adjuvants, different crops, and every single scenario it performs extremely well,” Gilcrease explained. “Within the grape scenario, it’s not uncommon for Miravis Prime to lead any trial we put it in.”
The material has also been approved in California for use on other crops aside from grapes, including leafy greens and fruiting vegetables. With the current state of the agricultural industry and the economy as a whole, Gilcrease noted that having another tool available for crop protection could be even more important for growers.
“The grape market, fruit and veg market, even leafy veg market is not doing the best right now with the uncertainty and the change that we’ve had in the end-users with this shutdown. So, every grower is looking at their budget and sharpening the pencil,” said Gilcrease. “What we’ve seen out of trial work and the performance in the field with Miravis Prime is that you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.”
Listen to the full interview below.
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