UV-C Treatment: Viticulture game changer

game changer for the horticulture and viticulture industries, the innovative UVEX uses a UV-C light system mounted on Burro, an autonomous battery powered vehicle designed for on-farm applications, creating a reliable, cost-effective, sustainable, and safe treatment solution for the industry. The UV-C light treatment alters the molecular bond of the DNA within these diseases, destroying the ability for it to reproduce.

Released at Fieldays and showcased at WinePro, the technology is part of a collaboration between Vertex Engineers and Agri Automation. Agri Automation Managing Director Chris Clifford says the company is in the business of helping the horticulture industry grow smarter using technology-driven solutions. “Together with the Vertex team, we have conducted a comprehensive field trial of the UVEX pre-production unit in a Marlborough vineyard during the last growing season and are exceptionally pleased with the results we achieved.”

While outright purchase of the machine is not yet available, at this point there are a limited number of units working with selected partners on a rental basis. Currently offered in two formats for grapes; a single row UVEX is carried by Burro Grande AMR, treating two half-rows with every pass, operating at 5.5-6km/hr. Alternatively, a double row unit is carried by tractor equipped with GOtrack Autodrive autonomous system, treating two complete rows per pass, operating at 7-7.5km/hr.

Cost of treatment per hectare is the unit rental, plus the cost of charging – in the case of the all-electric single row unit, that’s approximately $10-12 per full charge to allow an operating time of six to seven hours. For double row UVEX there is the fuel cost of a standard vineyard tractor, while both machines will also require a machine overseer to deploy and monitor the machines remotely. Looking ahead, one machine manager will be able to monitor multiple units from a phone, tablet or desktop device. In summary, operating costs including rental and allowing for cost of machine manager, suggest that UVEX treatment will work out to less than half of the cost of an average spray application round.

While it is anticipated that the UVEX could eventually be used as a complete replacement for spray chemicals, further trial work with independent assessment and reporting is ongoing to determine the treatment dose and frequency that will be required in this scenario. The trials already completed in New Zealand in the 2023-24 season support replacing every second spray application with a UVEX treatment, providing equal disease control to a full conventional spray program. As a conservative estimate, replacing every second spray round with a UVEX treatment would equate to cost savings of approximately $500-$550 per hectare, with machine rental and operating costs taken into consideration.

Vertex Engineers General Manager Greg Fahey says the UVEX, mounted on the Burro, can navigate itself around a vineyard, particularly at night, when the UV-C treatment is most effective. Working at night also offers the vehicle easy access to the area to be treated, allowing maximum utilisation of the vehicle for daytime activities, alongside minimising labour requirements. Greg says research has shown UV-C light is a highly sustainable way to treat crops compared to traditional spraying methods. “While destroying the pathogen’s ability to reproduce, studies have also shown that UV-C light helps to improve flavour, longevity, and nutritiousness of produce.”