800 PB 080 IMPROVED DOWNY MILDEW CONTROL IN WINE GRAPES WITH VOSSEN BLUE
Downy Mildew, Plasmopara viticola, causes major damage and economic loss to many wine grape cultivars grown in the Northeast. The purpose of this experiment was to test the efficacy of Vossen Blue (VB; iron pigment) in association with fungicides for the control of Downy Mildew disease of wine grapes in New Jersey. The experimental plot was a planting of Chancellor (10th leaf). Treatments (applied via back-pack sprayer) included no fungicide (NF), full fungicide (FF) (RCE commercial recs. half fungicide (HF), FF + 8%VB (FF8), HF + 8% VB (HF8), 88V B. Subjective (l-9) disease score for leaf tissue showed no statistical difference between the FF, FF8, HF and HF8 treatments however all showed superior Downy Mildew control to the 8% VB and the no fungicide control. Yield data indicated that the FF8 treatment resulted in higher yield (p is ≤ 0.01) than FF, HF and HF8. The NF and 8VB treatments resulted in the lowest yield. Compared to normal full fungicide, superior Downy Mildew control on the fruit was achieved by adding VB to full fungicide. These results are consist with previous experiments conducted on Seyval Blanc.