The rain this year was a welcome change from the dry growing season in 2016. But with wet weather comes a higher chance for grape diseases.

Powdery mildew is a microscopic fungus that has the capability of devastating vineyards before you realize it’s even there. According to Oregon State University Extension, scouting for powdery mildew should be an important part of overall vineyard management plans. Finding the first occurrence of this disease can help growers know when to start or adjust fungicide programs and determine where to concentrate resources.

There are several management practices used to manage powdery mildew, including:

• Fungicide use. Rather than starting too early and wasting unnecessary applications, growers who frequently scout their vineyards can wait until disease is found and tailor a spray program to fit those needs.
• Canopy management. Finding powdery mildew early can help growers focus limited resources where and when they are needed, and make timely adjustments in prebloom shoot thinning, sucker removal, shoot positioning, or fruit-zone leaf removal. Combining these practices can also reduce canopy density, allow better spray penetration, and increase air circulation, all of which propels management success.
• Taking quick action. Under favorable conditions, powdery mildew may reproduce in as little as five days. Frequent scouting and quick management decisions, followed by timely action, are essential to combat this disease.

To enhance grape disease management programs, Syngenta offers Aprovia® fungicide for broad-spectrum disease control. With the power of one active ingredient, Solatenol® fungicide, Aprovia inhibits infection and helps prevent the spread of existing disease all while providing excellent control of powdery mildew at a low use rate. Aprovia also demonstrates excellent activity on many other diseases in grapes such as black rot and leaf spot.

Aprovia fungicide is currently approved for use in most states. To learn whether Aprovia is approved for use in your area, visit this page. For more information, talk to your Syngenta representative.

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