NEWS
On the alert ADVA N C I N G DI S E AS E S U P P O RT F O R G R A P E G R O WER S
Plant pathologist Peter Magarey’s disease alerts over the past three decades have saved hundreds of Australian growers time, money and possible heartache.
“I knew I had a calling to the Riverland
risk, which might be high, medium, low
and Australian grape growers, and
or none.
I’ve really been undeterred from that calling.
“Then we’re able to do two things. We can say to growers that the weather
“What I’ve wanted to do all the way
event just passed was not conducive
through is deliver information to
to downy mildew – save your sprays,
growers in a timely manner so they
save your worries, save your money.
Peter is the brains behind GrowCare,
can make decisions with precision,
Equally, we can say the conditions
an online tool and service that alerts
decisions that are correct.”
that just occurred were conducive to
growers to the risk of downy mildew and provides disease management advice.
The GrowCare service, working in collaboration with peak industry bodies like Dried Fruits Australia,
Dried grape growers have benefitted
is now “unparalleled” in its capacity
from the alert system for the past
to provide detailed information and
three years, and particularly over the
advice on downy mildew and other
last growing season where several
diseases and pests.
warnings were issued due to the high
downy mildew and provide a series of options for disease management based on what and when you’ve sprayed.”
Making history Downy mildew was first seen in Australia in the wet season of 1917,
“With the development of weather
and it spread gradually during the
stations and computer technology,
subsequent wet years of the 1950s
Based in Loxton, South Australia,
our knowledge of disease, and a
and ‘60s until the mid-1970s when
Peter has been offering the service to
functional simulator of disease, we
it wreaked havoc in most vineyards
Riverland growers for 27 years. But
are now able to advise if a rain event
across south-eastern Australia.
the story starts long before then.
is going to be conducive to downy
number of rain events.
“I grew up on a pear orchard in
mildew or not,” Peter said.
“Downy mildew only develops really badly when conditions are
the Adelaide Hills, so I saw how
“Using data collected from a number
consecutively favourable for infection
information was provided to my
of weather stations within dried
over the early parts of a growing
parents and I think that’s what’s
and wine grape vineyards, I evaluate
season, and if they stay bad for the
motivated me over the years – to
the weather conditions through
mid part of the season, then bang –
create something that works for
our various simulation models to
you can lose your leaves, you can lose
growers,” Peter said.
determine the likelihood of disease
your crop,” Peter said.
8 VINE MAGAZINE
