Nov 20, 2025
With fungicide resistance on the rise, grape growers are looking for new ways to manage powdery mildew. Lexi McDaniel, Viticulture Extension Specialist at North Carolina State University, explores the science behind using UVC light to combat this grapevine disease by directly disrupting the DNA bonds needed for replication. She shares insights from her trials, including why the light must be applied at night, how often it needs to pass through the vineyard, and how this technique compares to traditional fungicide programs in both cost and effectiveness.
Resources:
- 117: Grapevine Mildew Control with UV Light
- 197: Managing the Sour Rot Disease Complex in Grapes
- 219: Intelligent Sprayers to Improve Fungicide Applications and Save Money
- 235: Battling Fungicide Resistance with Glove Sampling
- 266: Soft Pesticide Trial: Powdery Mildew, Downy Mildew, Botrytis, and Sour Rot
- Field-Scale Ultraviolet-C Light Applications to Manage Grapevine Powdery Mildew
- Grapevine Powery Mildew UV-C Information
- Introducing UVC applications for powdery mildew control in grapevines
- Lexie McDaniel
- North Carolina State Extension
- Ultraviolet-C (UVC) Light Can Be a Powerful Tool Against Grapevine Powdery Mildew
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