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Vines that are stimulated with UV rays suffer less from drought than those that are not. This was discovered by researchers from the French company UV Boosting, which produces UV systems. According to the company, irradiating vines with UV-C rays temporarily activates the production of salicylic acid. Plants also produce this naturally. It also improves their growth and yield when they are confronted with various types of stress. "This makes them more resistant to pathogens, extreme temperatures, high soil salinity and water stress," explains François Sement, Head of Biological Research and Development at UV Boosting.
Independent observers have recognised the effectiveness of the technology against downy and powdery mildew, frost and drought. Last year, for example, vineyards with Chardonnay, Jacquère, Merlot and Grenache vines in Switzerland and France were examined, all of which were affected by heat waves and a lack of rainfall.
"On plots of 0.5 to one hectare, they measured yield differences of nine to 42 per cent between the rows of vines that were or were not stimulated by UV rays," says François Sement. The analyses carried out by the Gironde Chamber of Agriculture during the harvest confirmed less water stress in the rows that the tractors equipped with UV boosting panels had passed by.
The positive results were confirmed by another trial: The Alsatian winery Dopff au Moulin used the technology in 2023 in four plots known for their varying sensitivity to water stress. In other trials carried out in the Spanish wine region of Penèdes, the technology showed its limits: "Between January and August 2023, only 170 mm of rain fell in Catalonia. Under these desert-like conditions, UV stimulation had no effect on yields. We weighed less than 500 grams of grapes per vine, regardless of the method used," concludes Sement.
(ru / Vitisphere)