by Layne Wade, Technical Service Manager, Arysta LifeScience

Fall is quickly approaching, which means fungus is top of mind for many grape growers. Rainfall brings familiar diseases to a vineyard, such as Botrytis bunch rot. Act fast to stop late-season Botrytis in its tracks.

Late-season Botrytis infections are most severe when relative humidity exceeds 92 percent, free moisture is present on the fruit surface and temperatures are in the 58 to 82 °F range, according to UC IPM. Infections on grapes can begin on the plant’s leaves, stems and bud axils, but as the berries mature they are increasingly susceptible to infection, with the peak of this susceptibility occurring near harvest.

Ripe berries can also attract fruit flies, which help spread Botrytis on their bodies from plant to plant. The fungal infection colonizes the surface of plant tissue and invades the top layers of epidermis cells. The invasion can cause epidermal cracks, where fungal growth produces mycelium and spores, resulting in a gray, velvety appearance of the infected grapes. Ripe berries that have experienced damage from insects, birds, machinery, etc. may become infected at any time because the juice in the berry can provide the necessary water and nutrients for fungal growth.

Grape growers looking for complete fungi protection for their vineyards should look no further than ELEVATE® and PH-D® Fungicides — two proven products that offer the protection needed against Botrytis bunch rot. These products should be used as part of a disease management plan to keep grapes healthy and thriving all season long.

ELEVATE is a protectant fungicide that binds with the waxy layer of the grape and disrupts the Botrytis life cycle from spore germination to the beginning of mycelial growth and colonization. ELEVATE is the only member of the FRAC group 17 fungicide class and, when used in a tank mix or rotation with other fungicides, delivers dependable and economical control from first bloom all the way to harvest. It has no impact on most beneficial insects and features a unique active ingredient, fenhexamid, with no known cross-resistance to other commonly used fungicides.

PH-D is a strong choice for prevention of Bunch rot caused by Botrytis and other secondary rot-forming fungi such as Cladosporium. PH-D is a FRAC group 19 fungicide with a 0-day pre-harvest in grapes and features a unique mode of action (MOA), making it an ideal addition to a rotational management program to aid in resistance management. It can be applied to grapes up to six times per year, when climatic conditions exist for the development of Botrytis and other disease infections such as Powdery mildew.

To learn more about the Arysta LifeScience portfolio of crop protection products, contact your crop protection retailer, visit www.arysta-na.com or call 886-761-9397.

^{Always read and follow label directions. ELEVATE and PH-D are registered trademarks of an Arysta LifeScience Group Company. Arysta LifeScience and the Arysta LifeScience logo are registered trademarks of Arysta LifeScience Corporation. © 2018 Arysta LifeScience Group Company. SPC-17108}