A new study supported by the SCALE-it project, titled “The grapevine microbiota: A review on the possible impacts of plant protection programs on phyllosphere microorganisms”, has been published in the Annals of Applied Biology. The research brings together researchers from the University of Trento, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Laimburg Research Centre and IUSS Pavia.
The review explores how different plant protection programmes and alternative fungicides may affect the bacterial and fungal communities naturally associated with grapevine leaves, bunches and wood. The findings show that grapevine microbiota is mainly shaped by factors such as plant compartment, vineyard location and sampling time, while plant protection programmes generally have only a minor impact.
The authors also highlight that lower microbial diversity has often been observed under conventional management compared with organic, biodynamic and alternative approaches, suggesting that more sustainable plant protection strategies may help preserve microbial biodiversity. Further long-term research is needed to better understand the effects of chemical and biological fungicides on non-target microorganisms.
The article is open access and available in the scientific publications section of the SCALE-it website as well as in the project’s dedicated Zenodo community.
About SCALE-it project
SCALE-it runs for 48 months and is funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme (2021-2027), with co-funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). The project is coordinated by FiBL Europe, with scientific leadership from FiBL Switzerland.
