8/14/2019 Adelaide Hills Crop Watch 190210

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CropWatch SA Adelaide Hills is a service provided by the Adelaide Hills Wine Region Inc. DJs Grower Services provide vineyard monitoring data, interpret weather data &compile the messages. Information is general in nature and should not be relied upon. Always seek professional advice specific to your vineyard. All photos (c) JamesHook & Richard McGeachy unless noted. CropWatch acknowledges the support of James Hook & Matthew Wilson in preparing this message.

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Veraison is now generally complete. The onlygreen fruit that has been seen is on secondary

bunches on laterals and non-count shoots inShiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blocks(left).

Remember to take that any green fruit intoaccount when sampling your vineyard formaturity.

Sparkling Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and PinotNoir blocks are either being harvested now or willbe harvested next week.

Sauvignon Blanc blocks are ripening rapidly. The

warm weekend to come will help push theseblocks and others along rapidly. Sauvignon Blanc

Canopies are holding on very well at this stage ofthe season.

Botrytis

Late season Botrytis is triggered by splitting ofthe ripening fruit by rain or by physical damageby birds or insects. Botrytis infects the developingfruit during flowering and waits, as latent botrytisuntil conditions are favorable.

Last weeks thunderstorms seemed to havemissed most vineyards and very little berrysplitting has been seen from that rain event. Theweather conditions since have been warm anddry and prevented any disease significantspread.

No significant rain is forecast at this stage for theweek of the 26th of February. Without late seasonrain the chances of botrytis developing are low.

Light brown apple moth (LBAM) caterpillar levels

seem to have remained static this week. Levelsof damage to bunches are generally low,however look out for bird damage (left) whichhas been increasing.

8/14/2019 Adelaide Hills Crop Watch 190210

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CropWatch SA Adelaide Hills is a service provided by the Adelaide Hills Wine Region Inc. DJs Grower Services provide vineyard monitoring data, interpret weather data &compile the messages. Information is general in nature and should not be relied upon. Always seek professional advice specific to your vineyard. All photos (c) JamesHook & Richard McGeachy unless noted. CropWatch acknowledges the support of James Hook & Matthew Wilson in preparing this message.

Sooty Mould

Sooty moulds are fungi which cover plant leaves, stems andtwigs in a black sticky substance. In the pictures above andright, powdery mildew has damaged the fruit and has brokenapart the berry skin. The berry skin has leaked sugar whichhas caused an outbreak of black sooty mould.

Sooty mould in grape bunches can also be caused by mealybug (below) which produce 'honeydew' when they feed on theripening grape berry.

Sooty mould will only develop on fruit that is already diseasedor damaged by mealy bug. Controlling powdery mildew willprevent the secondary sooty mould. Likewise preventingoutbreaks of mealy bug will prevent sooty mould. Mealy bugoutbreaks are considered a sign on an unbalanced insectpopulation in your vineyard, so consider your pestmanagement practices. Mealy bug is usually naturally

controlled by predators.