Grapes

Great wine starts in the vineyard, and a great vineyard starts with the soil. Biostart supports vineyard soil health with a biostimulant range that activates naturally occurring soil and plant microbes.

Mycorrcin

Improve soil health by activating beneficial soil microbes and mycorrhizal fungi. Certified organic version available.

Foliacin

Foliar spray for improved plant health and resilience. Certified organic version available.

Digester

Decomposition product for faster plant breakdown and nutrient recycling. Certified organic version available.

How we can help

At Biostart, we have created a range of biostimulant programmes that support vines to produce high-quality fruit and consistent yields.

Using our biostimulants growers can activate naturally occurring soil and plant microbes that are critical for vine nutrient uptake, encouraging fast vine establishment, bigger cane size, higher vine resilience, and more consistent yields that produce better flavoured wines.

Plus, we also have programmes designed to help you through tough times, see below for how to recover after frost.

If you want to give your vines the best possible start, we also have a nursery programme below that will help kickstart your new vineyard plantings.

Our biostimulant products are compatible with nutritional and pest and disease control products so can be easily added into your current growing programme.

Soil improvements after a 2 year trial of Biostart products – Lienert Vineyards, Barossa Valley, SA

The team at Lienert Vineyards have been using Biostart Foilacin and Mycorrcin for two years on their Shiraz vines. See the difference in the soil structure in the Biostart treated versus the untreated row in this video.

Evidence

Soil health outcomes after four years of Biostart treatment
Check out the results of Biostart’s biological products on the soil biology of the Pinot noir block at Mud House Vineyard, Accolade Wines Wairau Valley, Marlborough..
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Wine quality outcomes after four years of Biostart treatment
Check out the impact of the Biostart’s biological products on Pinot noir wine quality at the Mud House Vineyard, Accolade Wines in Wairau Valley, Marlborough.
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Premium vineyard trial
Read all about the results of a three year trial on a Pinot noir block in the Fairhall Vineyard of Pernod Ricard Winemakers in Marlborough. The trial demonstrates a clear link between the application of Mycorrcin and Digester and improved red wine quality.
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Grapevine Nursery Trial
A Mycorrcin trial was conducted on a commercial grapevine nursery in Hastings, showing that regular applications of Mycorrcin over a 6-month period increased the average root mass per vine by 42%, compared to the untreated vines.
Read more

How to use our products

Product Timing Application
Mycorrcin Spring and Summer Co-apply Mycorrcin with the three herbicide applications. Tank mix 2 L of Mycorrcin/ha in 200 L of water. As weed spraying typically covers 1/3 ha this program is equivalent to 0.66 L Mycorrcin/ha per application. OR Apply 6L/ha with weedspray at budbreak.
Foliacin Early growth/first cover spray up to flowering 0.5 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Apply every 10 – 14 days
with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays. Target 3 applications.
After flowering and up to harvest 0.5 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water with every crop protection spray and/or nutritional spray. Target 3 applications.
After periods of stress 1 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Then 0.5 L/ha every 10 – 14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays.
Digester Post-pruning or leaf fall; or at mulching Apply 2 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water applied over leaf litter and prunings to the soil. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this
is equivalent to 0.66 L Digester/ha.

Notes

For best results apply Mycorrcin to moist soil and/or water in.
Mycorrcin can be mixed and applied with most herbicides and liquid fertilisers.

Foliacin can be mixed and applied with commonly used fungicides and liquid fertilisers.
In times of high stress increase rate to 2 L/ha.

Resilience, soil carbon sequestering and wine quality programme

Growing healthy, high-quality grape vines starts with thriving soil biology. Mycorrcin, Foliacin and Digester work together to create optimal soil and foliar health, resulting in strong plants that produce high quality grapes as well as sequestering carbon.

Check out our brochure on vineyard support products to learn about our other products that can be added to your premium programme to really maximise results.

Product Timing Application
Mycorrcin Early Spring Apply 10 L/ha at bud break with a herbicide application. Weed spraying typically covers 1/3 ha so this application is equivalent to 3.3 L Mycorrcin/ha.
During the growing season Co-apply Mycorrcin with any subsequent herbicide applications. Tank mix 2 L of Mycorrcin/ha in 200 L of water. As weed spraying typically covers 1/3 ha this program is equivalent to 0.66 L Mycorrcin/ha per application.
Foliacin Early growth/first cover spray up to flowering 0.5 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Apply every 10-14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays. Target 3 applications.
After flowering and up to harvest 0.5 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water with every crop protection spray and/or nutritional spray. Target 3 applications.
After periods of stress 1 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Then 0.5 L/ha every 10-14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays.
Digester Post-pruning or leaf fall; or at mulching Apply 4 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water applied over leaf litter and prunings to the soil. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this is equivalent to 1.32 L Digester/ha.

Notes

For best results apply Mycorrcin to moist soil and/or water in.
Mycorrcin can be mixed and applied with most herbicides and liquid fertilisers.

Foliacin can be mixed and applied with commonly used fungicides and liquid fertilisers.
In times of high stress increase rate to 2 L/ha.

Organic fertigation programme

Product Timing Application
Mycorrcin At budbreak Apply 2 L/ha to weed spray strip with herbicide or via fertigation. There after, apply 1 L/ha monthly via fertigation until harvest.
Foliacin Early growth/first cover spray up to flowering 0.5 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Apply every 10-14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays. Target 3 applications.
After flowering and up to harvest 0.5 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water with every crop protection spray and/or nutritional spray. Target 3 applications.
After periods of stress 1 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Then 0.5 L/ha every 10-14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays.
Digester Post-pruning or leaf fall; or at mulching Apply 4 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water applied over leaf litter and prunings to the soil. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this is equivalent to 1.32 L Digester/ha.

Notes

For best results apply Mycorrcin to moist soil and/or water in.
Mycorrcin can be mixed and applied with most herbicides and liquid fertilisers.

Foliacin can be mixed and applied with commonly used fungicides and liquid fertilisers.
In times of high stress increase rate to 2 L/ha.

Organic vineyard programme

Our range of Organic products are certified by NASAA and Bio Gro. Read more about the products in our brochure for organic vineyards.

Product Timing Application
Organic Mycorrcin Bud Break Apply 10 L/ha under vine. 
Organic Foliacin Bud break to Inflorescence Apply 0.5 L/ha to foliage with first fungicide or nutritional sprays. Target 3 applications.
After flowering and up to harvest Apply 0.5 L/ha to foliage with fungicide or nutritional sprays. Target 3 applications.
Organic Digester Post-pruning or leaf fall; or at mulching At leaf fall apply 4 L/ha on to the soil.

Notes

Organic Mycorrcin and Organic Digester

For best results apply Organic Mycorrcin and Organic Digester to moist soil and/or water in.

Organic Digester and Organic Mycorrcin can be mixed and applied with commonly used organic liquid fertilisers.

Alternatively, apply 6 L/ha Organic Mycorrcin at budbreak, and add 2 L/ha Organic Mycorrcin to at flowering and veraison, or at the autumn root flush.

Organic Foliacin

Apply 3 L Organic Foliacin/ha over the season (three pre-flowering and three post-flowering) at 10–14 day intervals.

Organic Foliacin can be mixed and applied with commonly used fungicides and liquid fertilisers.

Product Timing Application
Mycorrcin At planting Soak root stocks in a 1:100 Mycorrcin (1 L/100L water) solution for 20 minutes.
After planting Apply 4 L/ha Mycorrcin.
Vine growth until lifting Apply Mycorrcin at 1 L/ha/month via fertigation system.

Notes

For best results apply Mycorrcin to moist soil and/or water in.
Mycorrcin can be mixed and applied with most herbicides and liquid fertilisers.

Foliacin can be mixed and applied with commonly used fungicides and liquid fertilisers.
In times of high stress increase rate to 2 L/ha.

Product Application
Mycorrcin Immediately apply Mycorrcin at 5 L/sprayed ha (can be applied with weed spray or via fertigation system).
Then apply Mycorrcin via fertigation at 1 L/ha every month until harvest or at 2 L/ha with weed sprays.
Foliacin At 10 days after the frost apply Foliacin at 1 L/ha (can be applied with a cover spray).
Apply Foliacin at 1 L/ha at pea size (can be applied with a cover spray).
Then from veraison apply Foliacin at 0.5 L/ha about every 14 days with cover sprays.
Digester After harvest apply Digester at 4 L/sprayed ha to activate decomposition microbes and stimulate breakdown of any residual grape mark.

Notes

For best results apply Mycorrcin to moist soil and/or water in.
Mycorrcin can be mixed and applied with most herbicides and liquid fertilisers.

Foliacin can be mixed and applied with commonly used fungicides and liquid fertilisers.
In times of high stress increase rate to 2 L/ha.

Ready to get started?

Contact us for personalised advice or find out where you can buy Biostart products:

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