TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of a Warning System for Early-Season Control of Grapevine Powdery Mildew
AU - Caffi, Tito
AU - Legler, Sara Elisabetta
AU - Rossi, Vittorio
AU - Bugiani, Riccardo
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - In several grape-growing areas of the world, including northern Italy, powdery mildew epidemics, caused by Erysiphe necator, are mainly triggered by the ascospores produced in overwintered chasmothecia. Growers in northern Italy usually control the disease with fixed-inter- val fungicide applications. A warning system was developed for early- season powdery mildew control based on (i) short-term weather fore- casts, (ii) a model that simulates the severity of each E. necator asco- sporic infection, and (iii) a mobile phone short-message system. This warning system was evaluated in six vineyards in northern Italy from 2006 to 2008, between bud break of vines and early berry develop-
ment; an unsprayed control was compared with “low-risk” and “high- risk” model-driven sprays and a calendar-based “grower” spray pro- gram. Use of the warning system reduced disease severity on leaves and bunches compared with the unsprayed control and resulted in the same level of control of powdery mildew as the grower’s spray pro- gram, with reduced fungicide applications and costs. On average, 5.7 sprays were applied following the grower’s spray program (with an average cost of 221 €/ha/year); use of the warning system reduced fungicide applications by 36% (low-risk program, saving of 56 €/ha/year) or 75% (high-risk program, saving of 161 €/ha/year).
AB - In several grape-growing areas of the world, including northern Italy, powdery mildew epidemics, caused by Erysiphe necator, are mainly triggered by the ascospores produced in overwintered chasmothecia. Growers in northern Italy usually control the disease with fixed-inter- val fungicide applications. A warning system was developed for early- season powdery mildew control based on (i) short-term weather fore- casts, (ii) a model that simulates the severity of each E. necator asco- sporic infection, and (iii) a mobile phone short-message system. This warning system was evaluated in six vineyards in northern Italy from 2006 to 2008, between bud break of vines and early berry develop-
ment; an unsprayed control was compared with “low-risk” and “high- risk” model-driven sprays and a calendar-based “grower” spray pro- gram. Use of the warning system reduced disease severity on leaves and bunches compared with the unsprayed control and resulted in the same level of control of powdery mildew as the grower’s spray pro- gram, with reduced fungicide applications and costs. On average, 5.7 sprays were applied following the grower’s spray program (with an average cost of 221 €/ha/year); use of the warning system reduced fungicide applications by 36% (low-risk program, saving of 56 €/ha/year) or 75% (high-risk program, saving of 161 €/ha/year).
KW - Erysiphe necator
KW - modelling
KW - Erysiphe necator
KW - modelling
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/62312
UR - http://dx.medra.org/10.1094/pdis-06-11-0484
U2 - 10.1094/PDIS-06-11-0484
DO - 10.1094/PDIS-06-11-0484
M3 - Article
SN - 0191-2917
VL - 96
SP - 104
EP - 110
JO - Plant Disease
JF - Plant Disease
ER -