In 2015 we will see new pesticides in the vineyard, developed for organic wine growers. And of course for others who want to limit their use of synthetic products. Vacciplant, from the company Goëmar, is based on laminarin (brown algae), and has been approved for use as a plant stimulator against powdery mildew.
Pheromones are already used against the grape worm (so-called sexual confusion) but BASF is now launching a new product that blends two kinds of pheromones and that will give a more even distribution over the vineyard. De Sangosse is also launching a product for sexual confusion where the big news is that you only need four capsules or less per hectare (existing sexual confusion products need significantly more).
A new insecticide based on bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterial extract, is underway but not yet approved. And Syngenta works with plant extracts that can hopefully be used in the fight against powdery mildew and botrytis. Read more on mon-viti.com
If you are interested to know more about organic wine and what organic producers are allowed to do in the vineyards, and in the wine cellar, then you can read our book Biodynamic, Organic and Natural Winemaking.
