Press Release_Detail

The use of herbicides is increasingly viewed critically by many consumers and therefore wine consumers. For this reason, many winegrowing operations are now dispensing with the use of herbicides and rely on mechanical methods such as rotary hoes, disk plows and clearing shares for under-vine soil care. However, mechanical weed control also reaches its limits in some locations or simply cannot be used satisfactorily. What alternatives to the use of glyphosate are there in such cases and are these methods already practicable? The Rural Area Service Center (DLR) Rhenish Palatinate is conducting several research projects on this topic together with the Wine Campus Neustadt.

During the press conference, the current research projects on the topic of innovative, alternative and environmentally friendly processing options in under-vine soil care will be presented:

• ELECTROHERB - energizing unwanted weeds
• Beloukha - a herbicide based on pelargonic acid
• Hot water application - caution: risk of scalding the weeds
• VPA (Vineyard Pilot Assistant) - laser technology in the vineyard
• Horse management - just like in the old days

At the event, soil care methods will be demonstrated on the experimental plots at the Rural Area Service Center (DLR) Rheinpfalz. Representatives of the participating companies and students from the Wine Campus Neustadt will be available to provide information.

Contact persons:

Dr. Matthias Petgen and Oliver Kurz, Institute of Viticulture and Enology,

DLR RHEINPFALZ, Breitenweg 71, D-67435 Neustadt/W.,

Phone +49 (0)6321/671-220 or -229

matthias.petgen@dlr.rlp.deor oliver .kurz@dlr.rlp.de