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The French wine-growing region of Bordeaux has launched a powdery mildew plan to unite all the industry's ways of working to combat the fungal disease. The plan is supported by the industry association CIVB and is funded with 500,000 euros for the current year. It consists of three parts.
In the first approach, research is to be intensified. The biological mechanisms of the fungus, especially its reproduction, alternative and biological agents, the effects of copper and other approaches will be studied. Projects will be evaluated in September and launched in 2024.
In the second work focus, winegrowers can participate voluntarily using simple protocols. Three topics will be studied here: phosphites, adjuvants and the impact of foliage walls. The third part of the plan is about communication and sharing the lessons learned.
In 2018, 2020 and 2021, winegrowers in Bordeaux struggled heavily with mildew. Laurent Charlier of the CIVB's technical department says of the new plan: "We were in a situation where powdery mildew was a one-off problem that could be managed. Now it has evolved into a situation where we have to learn to live with it and try to control it as best we can.".
(al / source: vitisphere)