Field sustainable management of apple scab disease using cane extract of Vitis vinifera

Grapevine ( Vitis vinifera L.) synthesizes many secondary metabolites within its woody tissues, which act as a chemical defence against pathogens. The annual pruning of mature woody shoots of grapevine (also referred to as grapevine canes) from vineyards represents a renewable source of natural fungicides. We produced an extract of grapevine cane waste (Antoferine®) to evaluate its efficacy on apple scab disease in the field over three seasons from 2018 to 2020. The application of grapevine cane extract ranging from 2.5 g/L (1.25 kg/ha) to 15 g/L (7.5 kg/ha) on cider‐apple trees significantly protected apple shoots and fruits from scab disease, regardless of application time at low or high Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) levels. Its efficacy was comparable to commonly used fungicides under moderate pathogen pressure in 2018 and 2019. Under a high pathogen pressure in 2020, its effect was lower than that of the commonly used fungicides while still providing protection against disease. An optimal dose of 5 g/L (2.5 kg/ha) of grapevine cane extract is suitable for use in crop protection from an industrial perspective. Under the financial support of the European Union, we submitted the dossier for approval of grapevine cane extract as a commercial biocontrol to contribute to sustainable agriculture.