By Blake Jackson
New York’s wine and grape industry is working to strengthen its commitment to sustainability while adapting to potential changes in disease management practices.
As more vineyards pursue certification through the New York Sustainable Winegrowing program, growers are searching for effective alternatives to traditional broad-spectrum fungicides that face increasing regulatory scrutiny.
To support the industry, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) has funded research focused on managing fungal diseases while reducing dependence on conventional chemical controls.
Recent studies led by Kaitlin Gold, assistant professor of grape pathology at Cornell AgriTech, and Dr. Michael Campbell of Penn State examined new strategies for controlling vineyard diseases.
“We designed our research with the goal of helping New York grape growers prepare for the expected loss of broad-spectrum fungicides,” Gold said.
Gold’s team evaluated combinations of conventional and biological fungicides in vineyards growing Chancellor and Traminette grapes. The research found that modern biological products can perform effectively when integrated into existing spray programs.
“Howler Evo in particular is so much better,” Gold said. “And using them with Lifegard and other biologicals creates incredible synergy. But it’s not cheap. Some of these sprays are $70 an acre.”
Meanwhile, Campbell’s research demonstrated that strobilurin fungicides may provide an alternative to products such as ziram and mancozeb for controlling Phomopsis disease.
“Our results support the use of strobilurins as an alternative to ziram and mancozeb,” Campbell said.
Gold believes growers can replace up to half of their conventional fungicide applications with biological products while maintaining disease control.
Although no single solution can eliminate disease pressure caused by New York’s climate, ongoing research is expanding options that help vineyards remain both environmentally and economically sustainable.
Photo Credit: istock-jimfeng
Categories: New York, Education, General