Sipcam Agro expands availability of tool for disease control in grapes

Sipcam Agro says its Mevalone biofungicide is now available for use in California.

Mevalone offers a unique mode of action for the treatment of bunch rot and powdery mildew, according to a news release. It is also available for use in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and West Virginia.

Sipcam said Mevalone prevents spore germination in wine, table and raisin grapes.

“Mevalone’s curative action against spore germination, and preventative benefits when applied at the recommended timings, have demonstrated its equivalence to the best conventional standards available today,” Giovanni Mattaini, vice president of regulatory and development for Sipcam Agro, said in the release. “It fits perfectly into integrated disease management programs, always ready to control bunch rot, (Botrytis) and powdery mildew when conditions are favorable for their development.” 

Sipcam Agro said replicated university and third-party cooperator trials with Mevalone (from 2007 to 2023) have shown no risk of interference with fermentation or the winemaking process, and no effect on aromas. Mevalone also has a three-day preharvest interval and a 12-hour reentry interval.

The company said Mevalone’s active ingredients include terpenes such as thymol (garden thyme), geraniol (Damask rose) and eugenol (clove oil). According to the company, Mevalone has a maximum residue limit exemption by deploying these active ingredients, which means grapes sprayed with the product can be exported outside the U.S.

Sipcam Agro said it formulated Mevalone with Eden Research’s patented Sustaine Technology, which controls the volatility of terpenes, allowing the terpene payload to release in wet conditions while holding the payload as wet weather dries out. According to the company, this means Mevalone can control disease when conditions are optimal for fungal growth and results in up to a four-fold efficacy improvement over other similar products.

The company said growers can deploy Mevalone with Annuity, a concentrated suspension blend of liquid organic matter that enhances low-quality soil structure, provides increased nutrient retention and promotes healthy root development.