VitiFIT - Practical research project in organic viticulture

In viticulture, a massive outbreak of downy mildew can lead to significant—and in some cases, existentially threatening—yield losses or declines in quality for organic vineyards. In organic viticulture, copper-based pesticides are currently the only effective and approved means of controlling downy mildew. Other products permitted under current EU law have not yet demonstrated sufficient efficacy. In general, a maximum of 6 kg of pure copper per hectare per year may be applied in the EU (EUCOM, 2008), although in Germany only 3 kg of pure copper per hectare per year is permitted. Completely eliminating the use of copper-based products is not yet possible in viticulture, as this could result in yield losses of 50–100% (Eisenmann 2017). Given the discussed risks associated with the use of copper as a plant protection product and the resulting uncertainty regarding the future approval of copper-based products in viticulture, the use of copper is to be minimized, particularly in organic viticulture. Since no alternative, biological plant protection products are currently available that could replace copper, the project’s objectives are to develop and test combined, holistic plant protection strategies for the sustainability and environmentally sound control of downy mildew in grapevines while simultaneously reducing copper use in organic viticulture. To this end, direct measures—such as the use and development of new biological plant fortifiers—will be implemented, and their potential to reduce the number of copper treatments and copper concentrations will be evaluated. At the same time, these direct measures will be combined with indirect approaches—such as the cultivation of fungus-resistant grape varieties and cultural practices—in field trials to minimize the risk of downy mildew infection while ensuring the farms’ yields.

In addition to the Wine Campus Neustadt and the Service Center for Rural Areas (DLR) Rural Area Service Center (DLR) Rhenish Palatinate, the DLR Rheinhessen-Nahe-Hunsrück, Geisenheim University, the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, the Julius Kühn Institute in Siebeldingen, the Freiburg Viticulture Institute, and the Bavarian State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture in Veitshöchheim. The organic farming associations Bioland, Demeter, ECOVIN, and Naturland are key partners in the consortium due to their close ties to the field.

More information on the VitiFIT research project