Webinar will share innovative technology with potential to control powdery mildew.
SEATTLE (May 13, 2021) – Washington wine grape growers are invited to learn about a new, sustainable technology showing promise to control grape powdery mildew and the latest findings of fungicide resistance to powdery mildew during a one-hour webinar on May 27.
Powdery mildew is ubiquitous in grape growing regions. Traditional management includes preventative and curative sprays to protect young foliage and developing clusters from damage later in the season. Washington State University’s Dr. Michelle Moyer, associate professor and viticulture specialist, is currently conducting ultra-violet light technology trials in commercial Washington vineyards. Cornell University has shared UV bulbs with Moyer for use in her WSU-designed UV light applicator.
Dr. David Gadoury, plant pathologist from Cornell, will share data from East Coast wine grape trials with the UVC technology and how robotics can be used to deliver the technology.
Moyer, who leads a national research project focused on fungicide resistance to powdery mildew, will discuss fungicide-resistant powdery mildew populations from 2020 and tools for growers to track resistance. Her fungicide resistance tracking research is funded through the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative, as well as WSU, the Auction of Washington Wines and all Washington wine grape growers and wineries through the Washington State Wine Commission.
Gadoury and Moyer will discuss how the UVC light technology will fit into sustainable wine grape programs during the May 27 WAVEx webinar. Register for free here.
For additional information, contact Melissa Hansen, Research Program Director at mhansen@washingtonwine.org
About WAVE and WAVEx:
Washington Advancements in Viticulture and Enology (WAVE) and WAVEx are a series of research seminars and webinars sponsored by the Washington State Wine Commission and WSU. WAVEx is the condensed, shorter webinar series. The events help make wine research findings more accessible to growers and wineries.
About the Washington State Wine Commission:
The Washington State Wine Commission (WSWC) represents every licensed winery and wine grape grower in Washington State. Guided by an appointed board, WSWC provides a marketing platform to raise positive awareness about the Washington wine industry and generate greater demand for its wines. Funded almost entirely by the industry through assessments based on grape and wine sales, WSWC is a state government agency, established by the legislature in 1987. To learn more, visit www.washingtonwine.org.
