Although different progresses in yield security were achieved, e.g. with an improved plant protection strategy (reducing the amount of copper by clay powder), yield and quality security in organic wine growing is still not on a comparable level as in conventional production.
Yield security in organic vine production is not sufficient due to high disease pressure on sensitive cultivars. The reduction of copper applications has a high priority – also for reasons of consumer acceptance.
Additionally different management practices for weed control, plant nutrition; plant formation and vine-making (oenology) are not optimized on a level as it is the case in conventional production.
Project aims: Develop or and test plant protection and management strategies to increase yield security of organic vine growing. Improvements in organic oenology techniques.
Methodology: Trials in precision trials and on On-Farm level in Switzerland, France, Italy and Spain. Microvinification.
Results: Different new natural spray products to prevent diseases were tested. Partly with positive effects. Novel prognosis models can contribute efficiently to apply more precisely and less organic fungicides (in particular copper).
The application of modern software to predict the infection risk of diseases has been shown to be helpful in terms of better timing of the applications. Consequent leaf-thinning of the grape zone can reduce disease pressure. Some new spray products (clay powder, plant extracts and resistance inducers) are tested. New systems of the alleyway-management with specific cover plants are tested, also for arid zones.
