VITICULTURE
Get closer to a great vintage
Every wine grower wants to produce a premium product.
Weather conditions and winemaking skills aside, it’s vital to make the most of your vines and grapes in the vineyard.
Every grower, of course, has diseases and pests – you can’t avoid them. Left unchecked, they can cause severe losses in the current crop and in following years. But with Certis Belchim you can keep them under firm control.
As viticulture experts, we provide biorational and conventional solutions to secure and enhance your crop, plus the expertise to help develop innovative IPM strategies. You’ll find what you need right here.
Get the guide
Our Guide to successful vine-growing has everything to stay informed about key diseases, pests and weeds, plus guidance on cultural control and hygiene. A handy programme shows how our products fit your vineyard activities. Download the guide here.
Do consult your advisor or distributor. Our horticulture team would also delighted to answer your questions: call 0845 373 0305.
Select from an integrated portfolio to control powdery mildew, Botrytis, downy mildew and Esca diseases in your vineyard.
As well as conventional and biorational options to prevent or cure disease, you’ll gain from varied modes of action that protect beneficials, support your IPM efforts and contribute to resistance management.
Why Amylo-X
Amylo-X gives you a biorational option to prevent powdery mildew, Botrytis and other fungal plant diseases. A protectant bio-fungicide, it’s effective against a range of plant pathogens on foliage and other plant parts and is approved for organic use.
Mode of action
Amylo-X is based on a naturally-occurring bacterium and contains Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum strain D747.
This offers a unique MoA that produces antibiotic compounds which disrupt cell-wall production of the target. The active colonises the plant parts to which it is applied and competes with the pathogen for space. By preventing spore germination, it stops establishment of disease-causing fungi and bacteria.
Proof
In Botrytis, Certis Belchim trials show that optimal application timing for successful disease prevention is from BBCH53 to BBCH62.
How and when to apply
Powdery mildew:
For optimal performance, make at least two applications seven days apart pre-flowering and during flowering.
Botrytis:
To maintain protection, use throughout the year with a maximum six applications from BBCH10 to leaf fall. You can apply Amylo-X around harvest: it helps increase brix levels and produces no taint in wine quality.
Why Cosine
Cosine prevents powdery mildew and, at higher concentrations, provides curative activity.
It can be invaluable as part of your resistance management strategy. The active substance, cyflufenamid, is in the amidoxime chemical group (FRAC U6) and has no known cross-resistance with any chemical classes used against powdery mildew.
Mode of action
Cosine works in two ways:
It acts on the plant with good penetrant and translaminar movement. Vapour phase activity, particularly above 22-25°C, ensures thorough coverage of the vine.
It acts on the fungus as a protectant and a curative.
Aerial condidia three hours after Cosine application
Most important, Cosine acts on the whole mildew lifecycle: it prevents haustorium formation and development, growth of secondary hypha and conidiospore formation.
How and when to apply
Cosine is most effective during or just after flowering. Later applications at higher temperatures have visible eradicant activity on powdery mildew mycelium, especially when tank-mixed with Karma.
Why Cuprokylt
Protectant fungicide Cuprokylt controls downy mildew, anthracnose (Elsinoe spp., Colletotrichum spp.) and bacterial diseases (Xanthomonas spp.) in table and wine grapes.
Mode of action
Cuprokylt contains 50% w/w copper as copper oxychloride. Its multi-site activity protects the leaf and grapes on the plant, creating a barrier to prevent infection. There is no known resistance to Cuprokylt.
How and when to apply
Make four applications at seven-day intervals during the growing season starting from BBCH15, 5th leaf unfolded to fruit ripening and respect a 24-day PHI. Adapt applications to disease pressure evolution and always alternate with fungicides from other FRAC groups.
Apply after harvest at BBCH91 or after wood maturity to help protect plants from pathogen infections following early frosts.
Under severe conditions, for resistance management alternate Cuprokylt with products containing active ingredients with a different mode of action.
Why Frutogard
Frutogard prevents downy mildew in table and wine grapes. Varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and particularly susceptible to the disease which can cause total crop loss.
It works fast and persistently – Frutogard shows effects within three hours of application yet is active for up to ten days.
In addition, Frutogard provides vital diversity for resistance management – it’s in FRAC P07 (U33) – and, as you’ll see below, has a triple-action formula. All of which makes Frutogard valuable in IPM programmes.
Mode of action
As well as providing a physical barrier against downy mildew through the formation of callus, Frutogard works in three complementary ways:
Algae extract activates phytoalexins that have antimicrobial effects
The active, potassium phosphate, has indirect and direct fully system effects, including the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) that promotes plant growth
Amino acids activate the plant’s defence proteins with an anti-fungal effect
Together, these ‘prime’ the vine before fungal pathogen attacks, reducing the spread, growth and incidence of infection.
Proof
Frutogard shows strong effects on downy mildew on vines and grapes.
Frutogard applied at 4 l/ha in 1,000 l/water
How and when to apply
Apply up to six times a year from before to end of flowering (it’s possible to make a proactive early application from two leaves unfolded). Use in an integrated spray programme with seven-day intervals.
Dose rate varies according to application timing, so consult your advisor. Good crop coverage is essential for efficacy. Frutogard is rain-fast six hours or more after application.
Why Karma
Karma bio-fungicide cures powdery mildew and also prevent Botrytis (grey mould) (EAMU2016327) in your vines. It makes tank-mixing easy, offers a lower rate per hectare than competitor fungicides and is approved for organic use.
The registered formulation contains a built-in adjuvant and wetting system: in the absence of rain it can also provide limited preventative control by disrupting release of hydrolytic enzymes that fungi use to infect plants.
Karma is ideal for ICM systems and has just a one-day PHI. It’s based on an approved food additive (potassium hydrogen carbonate), so there are no residues or MRLs to worry about.
Karma helps promote resistance management, with multi-stage activity (see below) and an NC (Not Classified) FRAC code. There’s no systemic action: Karma is simply a contact eradicant. Moreover, you have the reassurance of crop safety, with no phytotoxic effects on the plant.
Mode of action
Karma squeezes the life out of powdery mildew, Botrytis and other surface pathogens.
Treated water droplets cover the leaf and fungal mycelia. Osmosis drives water from the mycelia into these droplets; the mycelia wither and spores collapse. (Technically speaking, Karma’s multi-site contact mode of action disrupts potassium ion balance in fungal cells through osmotic pressure, carbonate and bicarbonate ions and pH.)
This short video shows how Karma works.
How and when to apply
Powdery mildew
For a powdery mildew ‘stop’ (eradicant) strategy, start applications before bunch closure (BBCH79). For prevention, apply Karma around first leaf unfolded (BBCH11) up to inflorescence (BBCH53).
Botrytis
Apply early for maximum protection. For prevention, make four applications from the end of flowering to bunch closure (BBCH69–BBCH79) before disease symptoms are visible.
Why Vintec
Bio-fungicide Vintec controls Esca diseases that seriously compromise vine yield and longevity: Phaeomoniella chlamydospore and Togninia minima in outdoor wine grapes. These are part of a group of Grape Trunk Diseases (GDTs) thatattack grapevine wood tissue, affect vine physiology and can lead to plant death.
To counter Esca diseases, Vintec contains a specific strain of Trichoderma atroviride SC1 (TaSC1 – 1 x 1013 colony-forming units (CFU) active spores of Trichoderma atroviride strain SC1 per kg) that has evolved and adapted to protect woody species from attack by pathogenic diseases.
Vintec is currently the only product approved for use in the UK. It’s suitable for organic-registered vines and is approved by two UK organic certification bodies.
Esca disease in vines Pruning wound ready for treatmen
Mode of action
Once TaSC1 is established in the vine it has a direct effect on the pathogen by degrading the spores and mycelia of the target. It can also inhibit the pathogen growth with its natural exudates.
Proof
Vintec has many ways to counter infection. Once TaSCI is established within the vine, it has a direct effect on the pathogen by degrading the target’s spores and mycelia. It can also inhibit pathogen growth with its natural exudates. Detailed observation of the pathogen within vines has shown direct parasitism from the TaSCC1 strain.
More recently another mode of action has been found that shows Vintec development within the vine has a direct effect by raising the pH surrounding the pathogen, restricting its growth.
See Vintec’s major modes of action
How and when to apply
Apply Vintec soon after pruning to protect open wounds vulnerable to infection, ideally when the ambient temperature is 10˚C or above. If required, make a further application from the dormant period up to flowering.
Learn more
We’ve plenty of ways to help:
- Talk to your advisor or distributor.
- Read key Amylo-X, Cosine, Cuprokylt, Frutogard, Karma and Vintec details.
- Contact our technical experts on 0845 373 0305 or send us this quick form.
- Earn BASIS points. If you’ve found this information useful, you can collect two BASIS points for the year. Log into the BASIS Member Area and enter CP/114474/2122/j
As well as causing leaf scarring that leads to Botrytis infection, spider mites can be vectors for other pests and diseases. Make them, and whitefly, less of a problem with Certis Belchim’s newly-formulated contact insecticide.
Eradicoat Max
Achieve rapid knockdown of spider mites (adults and nymphs) and whitefly (eggs, larvae, pupae and adults) with Eradicoat Max. A fast-acting contact insecticide, it offers short persistence in the crop with a convenient one-day harvest interval and re-entry period.
The product is a new formulation of a naturally-derived food additive (40% w/w maltodextrin) with thinners that reduce sticky deposits, together with adjuvants and anti-foaming agents to improve efficacy.
Eradicoat Max is ideal for IPM. You can introduce beneficials quickly and safely after application once the crop has dried and there’s no reported insect resistance. In fact, Eradicoat Max adds to resistance management as it’s classed in IRAC group UN.
Mode of action
Maltodextrin blocks the spiracles (insects’ breathing holes), which causes suffocation. There’s a secondary mode of action where moisture is wicked away from the pest, causing dehydration.
How and when to apply
Spray with Eradicoat Max at the first signs of pest attack. You can make a maximum 20 applications per crop.
It’s possible to achieve high levels of control with multiple applications and thorough coverage using a fine-to-medium spray. Pay particular attention to the underside of leaves or affected parts of vines. Ensure the crop dries within one hour of application.
Expect to see the maximum effect within two to four hours of application. You will only see further mortality following repeat applications at four- to seven-day intervals.
Eradicoat Max formulation
Soluble concentrate formulation containing 476 g/l (40% w/w) maltodextrin.
Learn more
We’ve plenty of ways to help:
- Talk to your advisor or distributor.
- Contact our technical experts on 0845 373 0305 or send us this quick form.
- Earn BASIS points. If you’ve found this information useful, you can collect two BASIS points for the year. Log into the BASIS Member Area and enter CP/114474/2122/j
Stop vineyard weeds and suckers competing for growth, with Certis Belchim’s non-selective herbicide.
Finalsan
Why Finalsan
Control vineyard weeds and suckers from early spring, all in one, with Finalsan contact herbicide. A bio-herbicide, it offers foliar activity against a broad range of weeds including annual and perennial monocotyledonous weeds, dicotyledonous weeds, mosses and algae.
Finalsan produces results within 24 hours, provided you apply in mild, dry conditions.
The product has desiccant properties with no risk of uptake by newly planted vines. It offers no persistence and is fully biodegradable in plants and soil. Non-systemic, Finalsan can help reduce labour costs and time when managing suckers. There’s no risk to the crop – the active is non-volatile, avoiding harm to the upper canopy.
Mode of action
Finalsan’s active, pelargonic acid, penetrates the waxy leaf cuticle and destroys cell membranes. This exposes the contents to the elements, resulting in rapid desiccation.
In efficacy trials, Finalsan controlled common dandelion, greater plantain, annual meadow grass, deadnettle, common chickweed, creeping thistle, knotgrass, mosses and algae.
Finalsan efficacy on 11 vineyard weed species
% desiccated leaf area 7 days post-application
How and when to apply
Weeds:
Finalsan is most effective when applied to actively-growing, small young weeds – up to 5-10 cm.
To control more difficult weeds, such as grasses and thistles, make at least two applications using a 17% concentration, with a maximum two-week interval.
As there’s no translocation activity, good coverage of the weed target is essential for best results.
Suckers:
Make at least two applications with targeted hooded equipment. Apply using a 17% concentration from mid-May to mid-June at an interval of 7–10 days. You may see that incidental drift onto the canopy causes transient burn marks; these do not affect yield or plant growth.
Apply up to 4th leaf stage on the plant’s suckers or 10–12 cm length for particularly effective control.
Learn more
We’ve plenty of ways to help:
- Talk to your advisor or distributor.
Read key Finalsan details - Contact our technical experts on 0845 373 0305 or send us this quick form.
- Earn BASIS points. If you’ve found this information useful, you can collect two BASIS points for the year. Log into the BASIS Member Area and enter CP/114474/2122/j
See when to use Certis Belchim products at every vine growth stage and activity in your vineyard.
