Specific programme: LIFE Action Grants (2014-2020)
UPV/EHU Partner Status: Beneficiary
UPV/EHU PI: Ramon Barrio Diez-Caballero
Project start: 01/09/2014
Project end:   30/09/2017
 

Brief description: Pesticides are used in viticulture to obtain quality grapes and high worthwhile productions. They are essential to maintain a good prophylaxis in the vineyard. Among them, fungicides are the more applied chemical compounds to control fungal pathogens causing devastating diseases, as in the case for grapevine downy and powdery mildews. These diseases are more difficult to control in endemic areas, as they appear every growing season and are reiteratively treated during it. This fact generates resistance in pathogens, supposing a higher dose for future treatments and more aggressive fungicides; this implies more exposure of growers to these compounds, decreasing their quality of life because of the latent risks; to an increasing presence of toxic molecules in grape, must and wine, finally making their presence possible in humans through consumption of these products; to negatively affect the surrounding environment, by pollution of soil and water flows. Governments are required to make efforts to reduce the inputs of pesticides in crops, by using alternative techniques for spraying or reducing the number of applications. The main objective of this project is to demonstrate the reduction of the environmental impact in the production of grape, juice and wine.