Year-Round IPM Program Pages
Wine and Raisin Grapes
When planning for possible pesticide applications in an IPM program, consult the Pest Management Guidelines, and review and complete this checklist to consider practices that minimize environmental and efficacy problems.
Choose a pesticide from the UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines for the target pest considering:
- Impact on natural enemies and honey bees. For more information see Protecting Natural Enemies and Pollinators.
- Potential for water quality problems using the UC IPM WaterTox database.
- Impact on aquatic invertebrates. For more information, see Pesticide Choice, (PDF) UC ANR Publication 8112.
- Chemical mode of action, if pesticide resistance is an issue. For more information, see
- Herbicide Resistance: Definition and Management Strategies (PDF), UC ANR Publication 8012.
- Fungicide Resistance in Crop Pathogens: How Can It Be Managed? (PDF)
- Endangered species that may be near your site. Find out using the Department of Pesticide Regulation's PRESCRIBE program.
Before an application
- Ensure that spray equipment is properly calibrated to deliver the desired pesticide amount for optimal coverage.
- Use appropriate spray nozzles and pressure to minimize off-site movement of pesticides.
- Avoid spraying during these conditions to avoid off-site movement of pesticides.
- Wind speed under 3 mph or over 10 mph
- Temperature inversions
- Just prior to rain or irrigation (unless it is an appropriate amount, such as when incorporating a soil-applied pesticide)
- At tractor speeds over 2 mph
- Identify and take special care to protect sensitive areas (for example, waterways or riparian areas) surrounding your application site.
- Review and follow labeling for pesticide handling, personal protection equipment (PPE) requirements, storage, and disposal guidelines.
- Check and follow restricted entry intervals (REI) and preharvest intervals (PHI).
After an application:
- Record application date, product used, rate, and location of application.
- Follow up to confirm that treatment was effective.
Consider water management practices that reduce pesticide movement off-site:
- Consult relevant publications:
- Reducing Runoff from Irrigated Lands: Orchard Floor Management Practices to Reduce Erosion and Protect Water Quality , UC ANR Publication 8202.
- Reducing Runoff from Irrigated Lands: Causes and Management of Runoff from Surface Irrigation in Orchards , UC ANR Publication 8214.
- Protecting Surface Water from Sediment-Associated Pesticides in Furrow-Irrigated Crops (PDF), UC ANR Publication 8403.
- Consult the Department of Pesticide Regulation Groundwater Protection Program (GWPA) website for pesticide information and mitigation measures.
- Install an irrigation recirculation or storage and reuse system. Redesign inlets into tailwater ditches to reduce erosion.
- Use drip rather than sprinkler or flood irrigation.
- Limit irrigation to amount required using soil moisture monitoring and evapotranspiration (ET). For more information, see Reducing Runoff from Irrigated Lands: Understanding Your Orchard's Water Requirements (PDF), UC ANR Publication 8212.
- Consider using cover crops.
- Consider vegetative filter strips or ditches.
- Apply polyacrylamides in furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems to prevent off-site movement of sediments.
Consider practices that reduce air quality problems.
- When possible, reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by decreasing the amount of pesticide applied, choosing low-emission management methods, and avoiding fumigants and emulsifiable concentrate (EC) formulations.
For more about mitigating the effects of pesticides, see the Mitigation page.