Wine Grape Spray Schedule Workshops

Story in Brief

Georgia wine grape producers battle numerous diseases that threaten annual yield and long-term vine health. Frequent applications of fungicides and insecticides are critical to managing European grape varieties in Georgia’s humid climate. In March of 2020, the Dawson and Lumpkin County Extension agent, several north Georgia Extension agents, a UGA plant pathologist, and a UGA entomologist hosted a spray program workshop in Dahlonega. A total of 16 participants attended from eight counties throughout Georgia. Full-season spray templates were provided to each participant and all participants worked collaboratively to fill out a season-long spray program. One-on-one discussions throughout the 2020 growing season showed a marked increase in the confidence of vineyard managers in the efficacy of their pesticide spray programs. One vineyard manager stated, “Having worked on a completed spray template from the training, I was much more confident in my management decisions throughout the entire year. In the past, I was guessing on when to apply which fungicide. This year I had a plan from the training that I was able to stick to, and I was shocked at how little disease I saw, especially early in the season. I would definitely recommend holding similar trainings in the future.”

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• Wine Grape Spray Schedule Workshops Increase Spray Efficiency and Yield