Determination on Microclimatic Conditions at Vines upon Development on Gray Mold (<i>Botrytis cinerea</i>)

Abstract

One of the most important plant diseases in viticulture is gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea Pers. Fr., the anamorph of an ascomycete fungus ( Botryotinia fuckeliana Whetzel). Locality Smilica, Kavadarci, Republic of North Macedonia, was the place where experimental fields with white varieties Smedervka and Zilavka were continuously observed. Working hypothesis was to follow development of the disease after increasing glucose over 11% until the time of the grape harvest, and microclimate was monitored at the same time. In both white varieties Smederevka and Zilavka on the control variants weren’t used botricide treatments to distinguish between the variants that were conventionally treated against B. cinerea . The aim of the research was to determine how microclimatic conditions affect the development of B. cinerea and consequently to create forecasting model for gray mold. The forecasting model for B. cinerea is based on relationship between temperature and humidity in the vines’ canopies. The aim of the research is to prevent development of B. cinerea and consequently reduce the number of chemical treatments.