SPEC note Australian grapes grown for export wine >> The use of Filan ® (500g/kg Boscalid) on Australian grapes grown for export wine Filan fungicide was registered for use on grapes in April 2004. Filan is a reduced risk fungicide and has a low-tox profile. The product was used on Australian wine grapes during the 2004/05 season with advice from the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) to limit spray applications to before 80% capfall. This recommendation is common for new grape products where, in most cases, MRL’s are not in place for each of the possible export destinations. The assumption is that, in the absence of developing berries, residues at harvest will be zero or at least below the level of detection. However, in practice a range of bunch stages can be present when the majority of bunches are at 80% cap fall, including set berries. Hence, in order to satisfy the requirement for a non-detectable residue in export wine in the absence of an established MRL, the restriction on Filan applications has been changed from use no later than 80% capfall to use no later than 10% capfall. The AWRI and Nufarm Australia Limited have agreed upon this strategy to ensure that set berries will not be present when Filan applications are made to Australian wine grapes destined for export. Nufarm recommends that growers and vineyard managers check and refer to the MRL’s for Australia’s major wine export markets on the AWRI website, www.awri.com.au, and MRL’s in the table overleaf in consultation with their wine grape purchasers. Applying Filan at no later than 10% capfall remains within Nufarm guidelines set for the optimum use of Filan and allows a tank mixture with Cabrio ® (pyraclostrobin) for the combined control of powdery mildew, downy mildew and Botrytis. This restriction is in place for wine destined for the export wine market where MRL’s are not in place. This restriction does not apply to grapes grown for domestic consumption or wine for export to countries where an MRL for boscalid is already in place (See attached table).