Grape bunches become progressively more susceptible to Botrytis infection as harvest approaches.

While many tear their hair out over vexatious problems like botrytis, powdery mildew and achieving nil-residue in wine, Gisborne's Trevor Lupton regards such things as challenges.

Botrytis is the scourge of winegrowers the world over. It is costly to control, impacts on the ensuing wine and can greatly reduce yields.

It is hard to quantify just how much botrytis infection costs the New Zealand wine industry. Needless to say, it is substantial, which makes controlling it a priority of on-going research.

It was the trial very few wanted to take part in – although given the results -  more may have wished they had done so.

This season Zelam is set to launch a new product onto the market for the control of Botrytis and Downy Mildew in wine grapes.