Nutrient Management is the Most Effective Tool to Suppress Insects and Pathogens.

Aliki Crop Advisors offers vineyards a comprehensive and economical solution to nutrient management. Growers will see a dramatic increase in biomass (yield), and an improvement in flavor and aromatic quality of the grapes in their first season.

Leaf sap analysis takes place at 5 developmental stages. Leaf sap analysis gives you full insight into the chemical and molecular health of your plants, using both New leaf and Old leaf samples. Sap analysis provides the opportunity to determine, then apply the precise amount of a needed nutrient before a deficiency manifests as a disease or weakness. With plant sap analysis, you can proactively solve problems and achieve higher levels of quality and yield in your crop.

Addressing nutrient deficiencies will create a passive immunity in the vines meaning that a plant no longer contains the compounds needed as a food source by potential insect pests. This is accomplished by converting free nitrogen compounds and soluble carbohydrates (that are food sources for pests) into complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides).

The surplus of polysaccharides will supply soil biology with root exudates that suppress soil-borne pathogens. Moving forward, you will no longer rely on systemic fungicides to protect against pathogenic fungi like fusarium, rhizoctonia, verticillium etc. Proper plant nutrition paired with beneficial biology is the solution.

Vines will accumulate a surplus of energy through efficient photosynthesis, and metabolize complete proteins in the form of lipids. Lipids protect against airborne pathogens such as powdery mildew, and bacterial blights. Higher levels of lipids allow the plant to form waxy layers on the leaf surface providing increased physical resistance to pectolytic enzyme degradation.

Aliki Crop Advisors uses a broad spectrum probiotic (BSP) as a biostimulant containing phytosanitary bacteria. The type of bacteria that live on the leaf surface are called epiphytic bacteria. Epiphytic bacteria in the BSP are known to antagonize pathogens that land on the leaf surfaces.

The combination of biostimulants plus nutrient support produces lipids and secondary plant metabolites in the vines. Secondary metabolites (SM) are the compounds primarily responsible for determining fruit flavor and aroma. They also regulate plant hormones that are responsible for balancing vegetative and reproductive growth. Vines that achieve this level of equilibrium provide a great deal of biomass (yield), flavor and aromatic quality in their grapes.