© Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Hellenic Plant Protection Journal - Special Issue
86
of Agriculture, Laboratory of Plant Pathology, GR-541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
3
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Food
Technology, GR-541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
4
BASF Hellas, 48 Egialias Str., GR-151 25
Paradisos Marousi, Athens, Greece
The aim of this research was to investi-
gate the effect of pyraclostrobin on physi-
ological parameters, grape attributes and
disease control in grapevine. The experi-
ment was conducted in a commercial vine-
yard in the Amyntaio area (Greece), planted
with cv. Sauvignon blanc onto 1103P. Ex-
perimental design included fungicide spray
programmes with one (pre-bloom: 1S), two
(pre-bloom and berry set: 2S) and three
(pre-bloom, berry set and veraison: 3S) ap-
plications of pyraclostrobin. Control plants
(C) received a standard fungicide spray pro-
gramme according to the local agricultural
practice. During the vegetative period, mea-
surements of downy and powdery mildew
severity on grape leaves and bunches were
conducted. The incidence of grey mould
and black rot infections was measured af-
ter harvest. Black Aspergilli were identified
molecularly at a species level as either
Asper-
gillus carbonarious
or
A. niger
. Estimation
of physiological parameters included leaf
chlorophyll, midday gas exchange parame-
ters and leaf carbon isotope discrimination.
Grapes were picked at commercial harvest
and grape yield and composition attributes
were measured. Vinification of each vine-
yard block was carried out and experimental
wines were analyzed for standard chemical
parameters and the precursor of Sauvignon
blanc varietal aroma. Measurements of pow-
dery mildew severity showed that disease
severity was very low without statistical dif-
ferences among treatments. Downy mildew
and grey mould infections were completely
absent during the summer period. A high in-
cidence of
Aspergillus spp
. presence was ob-
served on grape berries, possibly related to
the warm and dry conditions that prevailed
from the veraison until the harvest period.
The lowest incidence of
Aspergillus spp
. was
observed in bunches obtained from 3S treat-
ment suggesting that the application of pyr-
aclostrobin at veraison contributed to better
fungal control. Pyraclostrobin applications
significantly increased the chlorophyll con-
tent in Sauvignon blanc leaves, with highest
levels in 1S, 2S and 3S compared to C plants.
Concerning vine physiological response to
pyraclostrobin, results showed lower values
ofstomatalconductanceandassimilationrate
in all pyraclostrobin treatments compared to
C plants but increased transpiration levels,
leading to lower instantaneous water use
efficiency in the pyraclostrobin treatments,
throughout the study period. However, pyr-
aclostrobin treatments manifested high-
er photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency
than C plants which could allow for maxi-
mum carbon gain at a lower nitrogen lev-
els. No differences were observed among
treatments for yield and berry chemical
characteristics (with the exception of must
ammonia nitrogen, which was higher in the
pyraclostrobin treatments). No differenc-
es were observed among treatments in the
chemical composition of the experimental
wines or in the concentration of the precur-
sor of Sauvignon blanc varietal aroma.
Efficacy evaluation of pyraclostrobin against bacterial and viral diseases
of tomato and investigation of its mode of action
N. S
KANDALIS
1
, S. S
TAVROULAKIS
1
, A. T
ZIMA
1
, Ι. M
ALANDRAKI
1
, S. B
ITIVANOS
2
, A. K
LITSINARIS
2
, C.
V
ARVERI
1
and N. V
ASSILAKOS
1
1
Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 St. Delta Str., GR-145 61 Kifissia, Athens,
Greece.
2
BASF Hellas S.A., 449 Mesogion Av., GR-153 43 Agia Paraskevi, Athens,
Greece
