A new free app called ‘The Vineyard Advisor’ is now available  for download to Apple and Android smartphones to help vineyard managers make recommendations on about 350 grape problems nationwide.

The app provides important information on grape diseases, insects, nematodes, weeds, environmental stresses, physiological disorders, and more.

Recommendations on control strategies and action thresholds, pesticides, natural controls, cultural practices, and organic materials are included.

The Vineyard Advisor app can be downloaded at no charge at Apple’s iTunes and Google Play (Android).

Leading the development of the app is Texas Tech University Viticulture Professor Ed Hellman while he held a joint appointment as viticulture Extension specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

Today, Hellman works full time at Texas Tech, expanding viticulture and enology teaching and research programs in the Texas Hill Country.

Pesticides: The app has the most current list of all pesticides labeled for use on grapes to control a specific problem, retrieved from the Environmental Protection Agency’s label database. Full labels are available in PDF format for most pesticide products. 

Weeds: Weed management recommendations provide cultural practices and general recommendations, plus suggestions to control difficult weeds, or those with a tolerance to herbicides.  The most current list is provided of all herbicides labeled for use on grapes to control specific weeds. 

The Vineyard Advisor began as a project funded by the American Vineyard Foundation in 2014 which developed a working prototype. Subsequent funding from the State of Texas supported the development of the fully-functional mobile app.