Yesterday the majority of South African wine grape producers received a letter from IPW (Integrated Production of Wine) stating the illegal use of Fipronil to control ants as part of their Grapevine Leafroll control strategy. This is a huge blow to the already out of control Grapevine Leafroll crisis in South African vineyards, spread by mealy bugs.
Fipronil plays a critical roll in the control of Grapevine Mealy bug. In controlling ants you eliminate the “body guards” of the mealy bug and give the opportunity for natural predators to attack and kill the mealy bug, thus helping control the spread of Grapevine Leafroll virus through mealy bugs. The application of Fipronil is location based and makes it a lot safer to use compared to products just sprayed up into the air. The apparent issue seems to be that Fipronil is not registered on vineyards, and the companies involved are not willing to pay for the registration of this product on vineyards. If these companies care so little about you as a producer, should you buy the other products they offer?
So, according to the letter from IPW, it is more acceptable to spray Chlorpyrifos all over the vines than to selectively spray ants on the trunks. Killing off bees, ladybug etc with a harsh chemical like Chlorpyrifos seems a better choice than to use Fipronil? Can it be that the institute fighting for IPM would rather have a dangerous chemical sprayed that is registered, instead of a safer chemical that is unregistered. Is this the only way this could have been handled?
Pressure needs to be put on the companies distributing Fipronil to register this product or we will buy our crop protection products elsewhere.
Here are parts of the letter from IPW:
NOTICE REGARDING THE ILLEGAL USE OF FIPRONIL FOR ANT BAIT
It has come to the attention of IPW that some producers mix products containing the active ingredient
fipronil (trade names include Regent, Agadi, Citrunil, FarmAg Fipronil, Recoil, Reward, Rhyme, Rossi,
Sharda Fipronil , Warden) with molasses or sugar and place it in vineyards as ant bait.
No product with fipronil as active ingredient is registered to be placed anywhere in bait for ant control.
This practice is ILLEGAL and not allowed under the IPW Guidelines. No products containing the active
ingredient fipronil is registered for any use on grapevines or in vineyards. According to the IPW Scheme,
the use of unregistered products may result in a producer’s IPW membership being suspended by the
Wine and Spirit Board, either temporarily or permanently.
PRODUCTS REGISTERED FOR ANT CONTROL IN VINEYARDS
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile)
Products with alpha-cypermethrin or chlorpyrifos as active ingredients are registered for use in vineyards.
Alpha-cypermethrin: For use in trellised vineyards only. Apply at the beginning of the season as soon as
ants start foraging in the vineyard canopy. Apply to point of run-off as a coarse spray directly to the
bottom 30 cm of vine stems, using a ring-spray attachment fitted to the lance of a knapsack sprayer. One
application should normally be sufficient for the entire season, but where severe ant infestations occur, it
may be necessary to repeat the application. The trellis poles and all other structures that ants may climb
to reach the vines, must also be treated. Weed control is also important. Monitor vineyards regularly for
the presence of ants.
Chlorpyrifos: Apply as a coarse spray by means of a ring spray or any other sprayer fitted with hollow cone
nozzles as a 10 cm wide band right around the stem of the grapevine. If coverage is not complete, ants will
gain access to the vines via unsprayed sections of the stem. The spray must be applied above the level of
irrigation jets to ensure that it is not washed off. Apply as soon as ants become active in vineyards, but not
later than when 25% of the vines are infested with ants. Ensure weeds are kept mowed down and trellis
poles are treated, to prevent ants gaining alternative access into vines.
Cocktail ants (Crematogaster peringueyi)
Cocktails ants make nests in grapevines, therefore stem treatments will not be effective.
Chlorpyrifos: Dormant spray only. Apply as a single high volume application when cocktail ants are present
to ensure optimal coverage.
Pugnacious ants (Anoplolepis custodiens and A. steingroeveri)
Alpha-cypermethrin: For use in trellised vineyards only. Apply at the beginning of the season as soon as
ants start foraging in the vineyard canopy. Apply to point of run-off as a coarse spray directly to the
bottom 30 cm of vine stems, using a ring-spray attachment fitted to the lance of a knapsack sprayer. One
application should normally be sufficient for the entire season, but where severe ant infestations occur, it
may be necessary to repeat the application. The trellis poles and all other structures that ants may climb
to reach the vines must be treated as well. Weed control is also important. Monitor vineyards regularly for
the presence of ants.
