Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/333548
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m J u l y - A u g 2 014 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 5 9 Grape varieties that can be seri- ously affected include cabernet sauvignon, carignane, chardonnay, chenin blanc and Thompson seed- less. Less susceptible are riesling, semillon, petite sirah and zinfandel. California growers use more chemicals (sulfur and other fungi- cides) to control PM on an annual basis than for any other vineyard problem. Based on data from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR), 20.4 million pounds of sulfur were applied to wine grapes in California in 2012, out of a total of 26.3 million pounds of active ingredient for all wine grape pesticide applications. CDPR reported that sulfur accounted for 25% of all reported pesticide use on all agricultural crops in 2012. Although PM can be effectively detected and monitored for timing fungicide applications, and many effective fungicides (both organic and conventional) are available to prevent fruit losses, long-term sus- tainable solutions to PM control are being developed through breeding resistant vine material. At this year's UC Davis Wine Executive Program, Department of Viticulture & Enology professor Dr. have a different variety name, and the resulting wine could not be labeled as syrah. "If we want to solve the problem of controlling these diseases sustainably, we have to break this cycle of varietal branding," Walker said. Another issue is changing vineyard manage- ment practices. Since PM is con- Andy Walker mentioned current wine industry practices that are hindering the potential use of PM- resistant vines. One issue is that vine material bred with PM resis- tance – although it will have 97% parentage of common and desired vinifera wine grape varieties (syrah, for example) – will be required to + California grapegrowers apply more chemicals annually for powdery mil- dew (PM) control than for any other vine problem. + Breeding resistant vine material could provide the best long-term, sustainable solution for PM control. + PM can be predicted with a weather-based risk index model. + Fungicides with different modes of action offer a range of PM controls, from organic and biological fungicides to synthetic chemistries AT A GLANCE "Bird Gard kept the birds out all the way through harvest!" Jim Bernau, Founder/Winegrower Willamette Valley Vineyards, Turner, OR Keep Birds Out GUARANTEED! Try Bird Gard for an entire YEAR. If you are not completely satisfied with your results Simply return it for a full refund of your purchase price. 888-332-2328 www.BirdGard.com