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Heat treatment tests on vines

Published:  23 July, 2008

A Chilean winery is experimenting with a machine, which blows 100C heat at 200km an hour on to the vines to control pests.

The Thermal Pest Control (TPC) machine was initially designed to get rid of morning dew and control frost but Casa Silva's technical director and head oenologist, Mario Geisse reports vines treated with the machine produce grapes with thicker skins proving a better natural barrier to botrytis and other forms of rot - which had previously required the use of pesticides. It also claims the machine controls spiders and other pests.

The study is on-going but it is thought that the machine could be capable of controlling weed growth around the vines.

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