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About diseases, pests and chemicals

No list of pests and diseases can be comprehensive, but the common ones are dealt with below. For further information, contact us.

Fungus diseases

Common fungus diseases like oidium (powdery mildew) and downy mildew are controlled by the heat inside the GroGuard.

It is therefore important to select the right temperature range for your area – unpigmented GroGuards for cool areas, and white GroGuards for warm and hot areas (See article: Vineyards - How hot inside?).

Minor infestations of oidium can occur at the end of the season, but these usually do no economic damage.


Pests

Burying the GroGuard 35 mm prevents mosts soil dwelling, chewing insects from reaching the vine. Applying insecticides through the drip system has proved very effective against many insects where they have been causing damage.


Chemicals and GroGuards

GroGuard’s UV stabilisers are damaged by the acidic substances resulting form the breakdown of some chemicals. That damage will shorten the life of the GroGuard.

Sulfur and lime sulfur will reduce the life of the outer skin of the guard.
[Note: In addition to the risk of damage to the GroGuard, there is a risk that sulfur dust reaching the inside the GroGuard will cause burn owing to the high internal temperatures.]

The following will not affect the UV stabilisation of the GroGuard:

Fungicides: Benomyl; Carbendazim; Copper hydroxide; Copper sulphate; 8-hydroxyquinoline; metalaxyl.
Insecticides: Alphacypermethrin; Bacillus thuringensis; Carbaryl; Metaldehyde; mineral oil; Promecarb; Pyrethrin + piperonyl butoxide; Rotenone.
Herbicides: Amitrole + Paraquat; Diquat; Diquat + Paraquat; Fluazifop-butyl ester; Glufosinate ammonium; Glyphosate; Napropamide; Paraquat.

Other chemicals not listed above may affect the stabilisation of the GroGuard, but only if they are used extremely heavily (e.g. weekly).