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French researchers aim to protect 400,000 hectares of vineyards without the use of synthetic pesticides against downy mildew and powdery mildew over the next ten years. This is the ambitious goal of the new project "Vitiguard," supported by the seed supplier Cérience and the institutions Inrae, IFV, and the Mercier vine school.

With a budget of 3.3 million euros, the project aims to promote the agroecological transformation of viticulture over five years. It is financed by the French state and the investment bank Bpifrance.

"Our goal is to strengthen the natural immunity of the vines to enable cultivation without synthetic plant protection products," explains Denis David, Deputy General Director of Cérience.

The focus is on biocontrol and genetic innovation. The participants aim to optimize existing solutions: The effectiveness of the plant protection products "Messager" and "Belvine" developed by Cérience is to be improved by combining them with additional biocontrol and biostimulation products. Additionally, a natural additive is being developed to stabilize mixtures, prevent washing off by rain, and improve distribution on the leaves.

Furthermore, the genetic response of the vines to plant defense stimulators is being investigated. "Not all grape varieties respond equally strongly to these substances. Once we have identified the relevant gene sequences, these findings can be incorporated into the breeding of new, resistant grape varieties," says David.

Starting in the 2026 season, the new combinations of products will be tested in wine regions such as the Loire Valley, Champagne, Bordeaux, the southwest of France, and Languedoc. Both disease-prone varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and resistant new breeds like Floréal will be used.

In 2028 and 2029, large-scale field trials will be conducted in new facilities of three wineries. By 2035, the partners of the Vitiguard project aim to ensure that 400,000 hectares, more than half of the French vineyards, are managed with purely biological plant protection solutions and that new resistant grape varieties are included in the variety catalog.

(ru / Vitisphere)

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