Episode
099: Compatibility Test – How Do Biologicals Fit Into Your Spray Program with Katie Gold & Dave Combs
- Podcast
- Vineyard Underground
- Published
- Jun 9, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3957
- Processing state
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Summary
Dr. Katie Gold and Dave Combs from Cornell University join Fritz to unpack one of the most confusing topics facing winegrape growers today: how biological fungicides truly fit into a spray program. Katie explains how the Cornell grape pathology program has expanded rapidly, moving from strictly conventional efficacy trials into extensive work with biologicals as more of these products come out of R&D pipelines. She outlines why growers can't rely on "the next new conventional" anymore and how biologicals are becoming essential tools for sustainable disease management and resistance stewardship. Dave brings decades of field experience and shares how his initial skepticism about biologicals shifted after seeing modern products perform on highly disease‑prone varieties in one of the toughest vineyards for powdery mildew, downy mildew, black rot, and bunch rots. Together, they walk through what "compatibility" really means and why water pH, formulation, and whether an organism is alive or dead matter far more than many growers realize. Listeners learn why mixing biologicals and conventionals in the same tank often provides no added control (and may waste money), where negative interactions can show up, and why tightening intervals and understanding infection periods is critical when working with protectant biologicals. In this episode, you will hear: Why more new products in the pipeline are biologicals rather than conventional chemistries How Cornell's high‑pressure pathology vineyard reveals the real-world limits and strengths of biologicals Why many biologicals are strictly protectants and must be applied before significant disease is present How tank mixing biologicals with conventionals can reduce cost-effectiveness without improving control Why understanding wate…