The difficulties in achieving satisfactory control of diseases such as Botrytis cinerea, powdery and downy mildew in placing increasing strain on crop protection programmes.

In response, growers and their advisers are looking to other forms of protection – both cultural measures and fungicides approved in other crops – to protect yields and quality.

We look to evaluate new and existing products for use in speciality crops, including grapes, so our agronomists can provide the best and most informed advice based on direct experience.

With the end of the AHDB horticulture levy and the trials it supported, which collected the information needed to support applications for Extension of Authorisation for Minor Use (EAMU), it has fallen to Agrii and others to gather this evidence.

We run trials each year on bush, cane and vine crops where we translate knowledge to growers so as to maintain the advice that supports their future.

This work is ongoing and evolves to reflect changes in disease pressure, the availability of crop protection products and the introduction of new technologies and production methods that might prove beneficial.

For the past five years, our trials have investigated the potential of more than 40 different active substances in various combinations and programmes across a range of situations.

These trials are targeted at existing gaps in plant protection and those we foresee over the horizon. They are integral to sustaining our growers for the long-term.

A recent success has been with a new triazole approved for use in top fruit (see Figure 1), which shows a reduction in the incidence of powdery mildew on the foliar parts of 65% and 57% on the bunches. 

This is a significant improvement over that of proquinazid, a benchmark for control. It may, with the addition of further data, be used to support an application for EAMU in vines.