In order to realize the goals of the EU Farm to Fork strategy, grape growers are introducing new grape-growing technologies. Among the new trends, “0-pesticide residue” protection is quite a ...promising one. Field trials were carried out in vineyards located in the Mediterranean part of Slovenia in 2021 and 2022 to test the “0-pesticide residue” (ZPR) grape protection system with the goal of producing wine without pesticide residues above the limit of 0.001 mg kg−1. The standard integrated grape protection program (IP) was compared to the ZPR program. The level of infection of leaves and grapes by fungal pathogens did not significantly increase due to the implementation of the ZPR spray program. The amount of yield and quality of yield were not decreased significantly, but a small financial loss of EUR 70–400 ha−1 appeared at ZPR grape production when compared to the IP production system. The ZPR system enabled a significant decrease in pesticide residue concentration in wine at a rate of 27 applied pesticide active substances in a rage from 20% to 99%. The goal of producing wine without pesticide residues above the limit concentration of 0.001 mg kg−1 was not completely achieved in these experiments, but we came very close to it with the tested spraying programs. Further finetuning of pesticide positioning and alternative plant protection products in 0-pesticide residue systems is needed.
The efficacies of Na2SiO3, K2SiO3, KH2PO4, NaHCO3 and di‐1‐p‐menthen against powdery mildew caused by Uncinula necator (Schw.) Burr. were investigated on Vitis vinifera L. spp. c.v. ‘Yuvarlak ...Cekirdeksiz’ and compared with the efficacy of sulphur and penconazole. The investigation was carried out during 1998–1999 under glasshouse condition and in two vineyards in Manisa and Izmir/Turkey.
When applied to pot‐grown plants before inoculation with the fungus, NaHCO3 and Na2SiO3 reduced the spore formation ability of colonies for 4 days on young leaves and NaHCO3, KH2PO4, Na2SiO3 and di‐1‐p‐menthen reduced the spore formation ability of colonies for 7 days on old leaves.
In vineyard trials, all the test chemicals showed low efficacies against leaf infection. However, bunch infections were inhibited by fungicide application with the alternation of KH2PO4– di‐1‐p‐menthen and the mixture of KH2PO4 + sulphur(S) (WP), as effectively as by the alternate application of penconazole – sulphur. NaHCO3 and K2SiO3 + S (WP) were less effective in the vineyard with high disease incidence. The test chemicals had no effect on the sugar content of berries and did not cause any toxic effect or residue problems in the leaves and bunch.
It is, therefore, suggested that Na2SiO3, K2SiO3, KH2PO4, NaHCO3 and di‐1‐p‐menthen could be included in the spraying programmes against powdery mildew with sulphur, synthetic fungicides or they could be used in suitable mixtures and alternations with each other.