Developing a Spray Program
Stephen Jordan
UW-Madison
Considerations when developing
a spray program
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Varietal susceptibility to disease
Vineyard disease history
Fungicide options
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Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs)
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Organic
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Certified pesticide applicators or persons under their direct
supervision
http://ipcm.wisc.edu/Default.aspx?alias=ipcm.wisc.edu/pat
Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)
Environmental impact
Fungicide resistance management
Cost vs product efficacy
Re-entry Interval (REI) and Pre-harvest Interval (PHI)
Variety Susceptibility
Variety
Black Rot Downy Mildew Powdery Mildew Phomopsis Anthracnose Botrytis Sulfur sensitive Copper Sensitive
Brianna
++
+
+
?
+
++
NO
?
Edelwiess
?
++
++
?
?
?
?
?
Frontenac
++
+
++
+
+
++
NO
?
Frontenac Gris
++
+
++
+
+
++
NO
?
LaCrescent
++
++
++
+
+
+
?
?
LaCrosse
+++
++
++
++
+
+++
?
?
Leon Millot
+
+
++
+
+
+++
YES
?
Marechal Foch
++
+
++
+
++
+
YES
?
Marquette
++
+
+
?
++
+++
?
?
St. Croix
?
++
++
?
+
++
?
?
St. Pepin
+
+/++
+++
+
+
++
NO
NO
Valiant
?
+++
+++
?
+++
?
?
?
+=slightly susceptible or sensitive; ++=moderately susceptible or sensitive; +++=highly susceptible or sensitive;
No=not
Most of these ratings were taken from research and observations from other states
Unsure about a variety? talk to someone nearby who is growing it
Resistant? Yes. Immune? Probably Not!
Protectant and Systemic Fungicides
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Protectant fungicides act as a barrier to infection on the
surface of the tissue
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Must be applied prior to inoculum reaching the vine
Does not protect new growth and must be re-applied
Prone to environmental degradation
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Rain, UV etc..
Systemic fungicides enter the plant tissue
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Varying levels of penetration
Varying levels of “curative” power (dose dependent)
Can act as a protectant
Limited protection of new growth after application
Less prone to environmental degradation
Fungicide Resistance Management
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Multi-target mode of action vs single target mode of action
Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) code on labels
(not all!)
Mix at-risk materials with materials that have different modes of
action
Alternate at-risk materials with materials that have different
modes of action (different FRAC codes)
Avoid using low rates with marginal control.
Get complete coverage so that all parts of the plant receive an
effective dose.
Anne DeMarsay,
PhD
FRAC Code
FRAC Code
Mancozeb
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Dithane, Dithane DF Rainshield , Manex II, Manzate,
Penncozeb
ethylene(bis) dithiocarbamate (EBCD fungicide)
Broad spectrum protectant, no worries about
resistance
Workhorse of early-season disease control
66 day Post-harvet Interval (PHI)
24 hr Restricted Entry Period (REI)
Alternatives to mancozeb

Captan
 Can be used later in the season than mancozeb (0 day PHI)
 Protectant
 3 day REI can make working in the vineyard a problem
 24 lb/acre/year limit
 Can not be used with crop oils

Ziram
 Protectant
 48h REI, 21 day PHI
 Great for black rot
 Overall less effective than mancozeb
Sterol inhibitor fungicides
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The other work horse
Also known as DMI fungicides
Systemic, excellent post-infection activity (“kick-back”)
requires fungicide resistance management
Relatively affordable
Highly effective against black rot and powdery mildew,
effective against phomopsis
Rally (Nova) (myclobutanil)
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24h REI, 14 day PHI
Elite (tebuconazole)
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12h REI, 14 day PHI
Strobilurins

Very effective, great protectant activity, poor “kick-back”
activity

Slightly systemic

Tend to be more expensive

Must use fungicide resistance management (no more than 2
applications in a row, and do not rotate with another
strobilurin)

Limited to 3 applications in a season (at max label rate)
Strobilurins
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Abound (azoxystrobin)
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Sovran (kresoxim methyl)

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12 hr REI, 14 day PHI
Pristine (pyraclostrobin + boscalid)



4 hr REI, 14 day PHI.
12 hr REI, 14 day PHI, 5 day REI when cane tying, turning, girdling
Potentially phytotoxic to labrusca
Flint (trifloxystrobin)

Less effective
Mefenoxam

Ridomil formulations with mancozeb, copper

Expensive

Very effective for downy mildew control

Very systemic, curative

With copper, effective against powdery mildew (but PHI of 42
days)
Sulfur

Sulfur is very effective for powdery mildew control

Can be mixed with most other fungicides except crop
oils

Does not work well below 65°F and can be phytotoxic to
vines at temperatures over 85°F
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Some cultivars are sulfur sensitive (Foch)
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Ask your winemaker
Coppers
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Several different formulations (copper sulfate, copper
hydroxide)

Cool temperatures can lead to phytotoxicity
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Work well in controlling downy mildew infections, ok
control of powdery mildew
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Only use on copper-tolerant cultivars
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Ask your winemaker
Phosphonates
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Phosphorous acid fungicides
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Agri-fos (potassium phosphate)
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Aliette (fosetyl-Al)
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Phostrol, Prophyt (Na, K, NH3 phosphites, phosphorous acids)
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Work very well against downy mildew (good products for
cleaning up foliage), some efficacy against other grape
pathogens,
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Broad spectrum fungicides (?)
Other fungicide options
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Vangard, Elevate, Endura, and Rovral
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Quintec
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Effective for powdery mildew, anthracnose, not effective for black
rot and downy mildew control
Quadris Top, (new product for grape)
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Powdery mildew product, protectant
Topsin M
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Most effective for Botrytis bunch rot control
Mix of an SI fungicide and a strobilurin
Revus Top (new product for grapes)
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Mix of mandipropamid and difenoconazole (SI fungicide)
University efficacy trials show excellent control of black rot,
downy and powdery mildew
Other fungicide options
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Crop Oils (JMS Stylet Oil, Saf-T-Side, etc)
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Biologicals
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Serenade, Sonata
May play a role in organic production, not as effective as
conventional fungicides
Potassium Salts
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Effective for powdery mildew control and some insects
Can remove the “bloom” from berries, not advisable for table
grapes
Armicarb, Nutrol
Some efficacy for powdery mildew only, short-lived protectants
Hydrogen Peroxide (Oxidate)
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Surface anti-sporulant, not a protectant
Approximate fungicide costs/acre (2010)
Broad Sprectrum Protectants
ZIRAM 76
PENNCOZEB
CAPTEC 4L
CAPTAN 50W/MF
Cost ($)/Acre
High
Low Rate Rate
12.00
16.00
8.04
21.44
10.75
21.50
10.82
21.64
SI Fungicides
ELITE 45 WP
RALLY
14.37
15.19
23.95
Strobilurin Fungicides
SOVRAN
ABOUND
FLINT
18.00
24.08
25.54
27.00
37.32
51.08
PRISTINE
25.95
40.54
Phosphonates
PHOSTROL
Cost ($)/Acre
Low
High
Rate
Rate
11.01
22.01
Copper
KOCIDE 3000
CHAMP
7.64
10.50
17.83
21.00
3.34
2.77
70.96
16.70
18.25
177.40
13.95
12.87
14.89
23.45
27.90
37.58
42.91
44.67
46.90
Sulfur
KUMULUS
SULFUR MICROFINE
LIME SULFUR
(Dormant)
Others
TOPSIN M
RIDOMIL GOLD MZ
OXIDATE
SERENADE MAX
VANGARD
Red = OMRI approved
Spray program options
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No spraying
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Prepare to be disappointed
Calendar Schedule
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Fungicide application every x number of days
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Phenological Schedule
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Sprays are based on the growth stage of the vines
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10-14 day intervals is the norm
In areas with high disease pressure and susceptible varieties, this could
be every 7 days
Can be problematic with vines at different stages
Ideally, we would use a combination of the calendar and
phenological schedules with a large dose of flexibility
Non-bearing vs bearing fruit
Dormant spray
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Recommended for anthracnose, phomopsis and some insects
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Might decrease powdery mildew inoculum
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Lime sulfur
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Won’t eliminate the disease from your vineyard
Caustic (hard on sprayer)
Expensive when used as a dormant spray
Does not store well (crystallizes, need hot water to mix)
Stinks!
Is anthracnose and phomopsis a problem in your vineyard?

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Yes, Apply lime sulfur
No, Save your money
1” Shoots to pre-bloom
1” Shoots to pre-bloom
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Goal is to protect the young, growing shoots
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Black rot, powdery mildew, anthracnose, Phomopsis, downy mildew
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14 day spray intervals should be adequate
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Use a good protectant such as mancozeb or captan
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Black rot problems or variety susceptibility, use mancozeb
Downy mildew problems, use captan
If you miss a spray, or wet weather is delaying a spray, add an SI
fungicide (Rally, Elite, etc…) to the tank mix for “kick-back” or
post-infection activity
Pre-bloom to 5-6 weeks post-bloom
Immediate
prebloom
through 5 to 6 weeks
post-bloom is the
most critical period
for fungicide sprays
Pre-bloom to 5-6 weeks post-bloom
Pre-bloom to 5-6 weeks post-bloom
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Primary goal is to protect the young, susceptible fruit
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3 sprays should cover this period (14 day intervals)
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we want the rest of the vine to be protected as well
mancozeb or captan + SI fungicide (captan for the last spray?)
strobilurin in the rotation
Rainy, warm weather and susceptible variety, shorten to
10 days (strobilurin more rain fast)
Don’t rely only on a strobilurin fungicide during this
period
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3 applications total for the season, only 2 sprays in a row
fungicide resistance management
5-6 weeks post-bloom to harvest (and beyond)
5-6 weeks post-bloom to harvest (and beyond)
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Fruit should now be resistant to most pathogens
Powdery and downy mildew on foliage
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Bunch rots
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How much disease can you tolerate
Reduce over-wintering inoculum
Botrytis, sour rot, ripe rot
Switching from mancozeb (66 day PHI) to captan as
primary protectant
Typically, a drier late summer can help you reduce # of
sprays
Strobilurin fungicides are good for powdery mildew,
downy mildew and bunch rots
Example program – vines bearing fruit
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1” shoots, May 1st , mancozeb ($20)
6” shoots, May 15th mancozeb ($20)
Prebloom/bloom, June 1st mancozeb + SI ($35)
1st Cover Spray, June 15th strobilurin ($40)
2nd Cover Spray, July 1st captan + SI ($35)
3rd Cover Spray, July 15th strobilurin ($40)
4th Cover Spray, (veraison) Spray August 1st, captan ($20)
Clean-up Spray for downy mildew in September,
Phosphorous Acid ($20)
Total cost per acre in fungicides - $230
Fungicide program for non-bearing fruit
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Not worried about fruit or harvest, so PHI goes out the
window
Grow tubes are an ideal environment for disease
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Scout for foliar symptoms
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Warm and humid
Downy and powdery mildew are the greatest threat
Anthracnose, black rot, and phomopsis may have come in on
the nursery stock
Spray as needed
What I would keep in my fungicide storage shed
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mancozeb and captan
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A sterol-inhibitor fungicide
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Effective for both powdery and downy mildew
Good for late season control of bunch rots
Perhaps a Phosphorus acid fungicide (Phostrol, Prophyt,
etc..)
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Rally, Elevate, etc…
Tank mix with one of the above protectants during the
“CRITICAL PERIOD”
A strobilurin or strobilurin containing product
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mancozeb for early season, captan for late season
Good for downy mildew on the leaves and affordable
A powdery mildew fungicide
What about insects?
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Scouting is critical
Scouting for phylloxera at the end of May
Insecticides are applied as needed with scheduled
fungicide sprays
2011 Midwest Small Fruit and Grape Spray Guide is a
great reference
Phylloxera insecticide trial - 2010
Number of galls per leaf
42.6
$27
All foliar applications 2x after bloom
36.7
29.7
$17
16.2
$28
9.3
6.5
$55
3.9
Making tank mixes
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
Fill the tank ¼ - ½ full and begin agitation
When mixing chemicals, add in the following order:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Wettable Powders
Dispersible Granules
Flowables
Emulsifiable Concentrates
Solutions
Crop oils or surfactants
The mixture should be agitated after each addition.
Reminders for proper tank mixing
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Familiarize yourself with the adjustments specific to your
sprayer, not all sprayers operate the same and are adjusted
differently
Be sure the sprayer is parked on a level surface
Know the exact tank volume
Mark the tank volumes where they can easily be read
Calibrate the sprayer
Choose a formulation that best meets the need of a particular
application
Read the label and be aware of mixing precautions and
personal protection equipment
Mix only what is needed for that day
Fill half the tank with clean water, never add
concentrated chemicals to an empty tank
Start the agitation before adding any chemicals
Reminders for proper tank mixing
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To avoid back-siphoning of chemicals, there should be no
direct connection between the water source and the sprayer
tank
Properly measure and add the chemicals to the tank
If using different formulations, follow the mixing order above
Sometimes it is easier to premix the chemicals into a slurry
before adding to the tank
Rinse any mixing containers and pour the rinsate into the tank
Fill the tank to its final volume, avoid over-filling the tank
Properly dispose of all empty pesticide containers
Properly clean-up and dispose of any spilled chemical or
pesticide solution
Apply the pesticide according to labeled directions
Stephen Jordan
608-228-6932
sjordan3@wisc.edu