Beware of interfering too much in the vineyards, says an apprehensive Kobus van Ierop

Genetically modified – the phrase suggests danger to me, but maybe that's just my age showing, or my ignorance.

I was recently invited to a talk by Winetech on, inter alia, ‘genetically modified pathogen-resistant’ vines. Maybe even resistant to virus? Vines that are genetically modified to resist certain known diseases. Some of us will softly think: what else does this modify in the process? I believe research is under way in chemically modifying the genetics or seeds of some species of weeds – spray it once and this weed does not seed. How convenient thatwould be! But which other species will also not seed again....?

Every day new information and technology is being introduced to vineyard managers and winemakers. Last week Vinpro introduced us (once more) to the effects of global warming on our water resources and vines. Then a most interesting talk on how the lab can test when your grapes are at perfect phenolic ripeness for you to produce the best wine possible.

Thousands of small wasps are being released in specific areas as parasites of the dreaded mealybug – remember, mealy bug spread leafroll virus. This wasp or beetle is indigenous, but decreased considerably in numbers after years of spraying of insecticides. We now bring them back to do the job which they are supposed to do. Just helping nature following it's natural cycles again.

I was told last week of a new device transmitting frequencies ‘tuned’ to destroy the specific DNA of the living matter which you wish to exterminate. The device is ‘tuned’ to kill only and exactly that which you wish to rid your farm of, ie snout beetles, even mildew spores or worms, I was told by another farmer equally ignorant on the matter. Based on the fact that each and every living thing has a different DNA. Sounds amazing, but again that soft voice that says to me: what if the frequencies get mixed up? Unfortunately I do not know enough of this miracle device to tell you more. Sounds very scary to me. According to rumours, it has been in use on a farm in Stellenbosch recently. consider this in the light of Nature Conservation objecting to me using certain sounds being transmitted from a programmed ‘bird scarer’ in the vineyard – it disrupts all the birds and their migration patterns in the area, they say, not only the ones that eat half your crop every year.

All this technology and to the other extreme a biodynamicist like Nicolas Joly, or Graeme Sait from Australia, steering us into the friendly cradle of ‘farming with Nature’. No chemicals, as little disruption of nature as possible, farming with the cycles of the moon, even burying cowhorns filled with flowers.

Between the two extremes, most farmers have to find a way.

A basic rule, I think: Be careful of what you do in the vineyards or on a farm. What you produce and how you produce it, affects people, animals, birds and insects. I am grateful for the Green Movement, our own IPW (Integrated Production of Wine), Europgap and whatever other movements are aimed at protecting the environment and the people that work the vines