Different types of pests and abiotic stress factors (e.g., deficiency of nutrients, drought) reduce quantity and quality of agricultural and horticultural crops worldwide. Relevant fungal pathogens of grapevine produce inoculum (spores) on plant debris that present on the soil surface of vineyards. These spores travel to aerial plant organs by rain splashes (splash-borne pathogens, Plasmopara viticola) or air currents (air-borne pathogens, Botrytis cinerea) and, under favourable environmental conditions, can cause infections.
Solution
Dense soil-covering vegetation is an efficient way to limit spore dispersal of fungal pathogens. Horseradish at different heights was planted as an interfering crop against dispersal of pathogenic spores. To monitor splash and wind dispersal (i.e., dispersal of Plasmopara viticola, Botrytis cinerea), a colouring experiment was launched on bare soil and on horseradish cover crop plots of different heights. Spore traps was later analysed for the presence of spores.
Description
This BioVine Practice Abstract addresses the challenge of controlling foliar pathogens in organic viticulture. Practical recommendations for planting cover crops such as horseradish and mulching are provided to help farmers to reduce the use of pesticides and fungicides, while also generating economic benefits by preventing yield loss.
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