Did you know roses give farmers advice?

It’s grapes harvest time. Have you ever noticed roses planted at the top of grapevine rows? Roses have been used as an early warning system to help growers decide when to apply crop protection measures. As roses are very sensitive to fungal infections (e.g. powdery mildew), they show disease symptoms before these appear on the grapevine. By monitoring rose bushes, growers are therefore informed about the health of the vineyard.

This floral early warning system is a traditional example of Integrated Pest Management. Today, modern technologies, such as rapid tests, autonomous robots and spectral imaging, could offer more precise methods of detecting diseases. Yet, you might still see roses in vineyards as a nod to a beautiful tradition.