Now that grape harvest is done, growers and vineyard managers are making critical decisions about pruning. Wet winter weather always brings a concern of Eutypa Dieback and how best to manage the risk in productive vineyards.
“Eutypa dieback is a perennial canker disease of grapevine (Vitis vinifera) caused by Eutypa lata. The fungus produces ascospores, which infect grapevines through pruning wounds during the dormant season. Management of the disease has been achieved with fungicide applications during the dormant period. However, no effective fungicide was available for this purpose after Benlate was withdrawn from the market.”
–Rolshausen, P. E., and Gubler, W. D. 2005. Plant Dis. 89:734-738.
TECH-GRO B-Lock is a specialty product produced by Nutrient TECH for grape vines to form a physical, impenetrable barrier on pruning wounds to speed up the plant’s natural healing process and keep spores out. B-Lock is a unique elastomeric “paint” with 5% Boric Acid that is liberally applied to fresh pruning wounds and stretches as the plant grows without breaking the seal. B-Lock is not a fungicide, instead it forms a physical barrier as the pruning wound heals that helps protect plants from spores and therefore infection from the fungus, which ultimately leads to a loss of the vine.
Grape Growers throughout CA and a few other states have had good results for years with TECH-GRO B-Lock. When used as directed after pruning, vineyard managers have seen a reduction in infection, costly “surgeries”, and replanting. The cost-per-acre of application is nothing compared to the cost losing established, productive vines.
If you have concerns about your vines, their risk of infection, or how to better manage pruning wounds, feel free to contact one of our B-Lock specialists to see if TECH-GRO B-Lock is a solution for you.
