Heat machine helps to rid Chilean vineyard of pests

Chilean winery Casa Silva has found a new way to control pests in the vineyard – by blowing 100°C dry heat at 200 kilometres an hour on to the vines.

The Thermal Pest Control (TPC) machine – as it is now known - was initially introduced to get rid of morning dew and control frost in some rows of grapes at Casa Silva. However, technical director and head oenologist Mario Geisse said that he subsequently discovered that the machine thickened the grape skins, proving a better natural barrier to botrytis and other forms of rot, which had previously required the use of pesticides. Furthermore, the machine also proved effective in controlling spiders and other pests.

Another bonus is that the green vegetal taste of the grapes was greatly reduced and it concentrated the skin components of the grapes. Although the study is on-going, it is thought that the machine is also capable of controlling weed growth around the vines.

After using the TPC in 2006 on a variety of different grapes in part of Casa Silva’s Lolol vineyard and seeing the increase in quality in the harvested grapes, it is now being used increasingly across the rest of the vineyard and has eliminated the need for pesticides in those areas.

Casa Silva hopes that the continued use and development of the TPC will soon mean that all its vineyards can be pesticide free.