The work of the UMT Seven is focused on the management of airborne diseases in vineyards (downy mildew, powdery mildew and black rot), with three main areas of focus:

  • The identification and characterisation of innovative management strategies, with a particular emphasis on prophylactic approaches, natural control mechanisms and the use of biocontrol products.
  • The development of monitoring and diagnostic methods and tools, designed to be directly applicable and disseminated at various levels: plot, vineyard and wine-growing region.
  • Integration into cropping systems in order to adapt control strategies to the specific agronomic characteristics of vineyards, with the aid of digital tools: models, decision-support tools, online dashboards, etc.

Among its major achievements, the UMT Seven has established large-scale partnership projects, notably ‘Savoir’ and ‘Leviers’, which form part of the Strategic Action Plan for Anticipating the Withdrawal of Active Substances from the European Market and the Development of Alternative Crop Protection Techniques (PARSADA).

Two CIFFRE PhD theses have also been carried out within the unit: one on the development of tools for quantifying spore counts, and the other on understanding the airborne spread of downy mildew.

With regard to biosolutions, the UMT draws on the BC2grape platform, which brings together the expertise of INRAE and the IFV. This synergy ensures a continuum of research, from controlled in vitro conditions to plot networks deployed in vineyards.

The Seven UMT regularly organises technical seminars for those involved in viticultural research and development, with the aim of disseminating scientific advances, fostering exchanges between researchers, engineers and industry professionals, and supporting the transfer of more sustainable vine protection solutions.

 

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