In order to realize the goals of the EU Farm to Fork strategy, grape growers are introducing new grape-growing technologies. Among the new trends, “0-pesticide residue” protection is quite a promising one. Field trials were carried out in vineyards located in the Mediterranean part of Slovenia in 2021 and 2022 to test the “0-pesticide residue” (ZPR) grape protection system with the goal of producing wine without pesticide residues above the limit of 0.001 mg kg⁻¹. The standard integrated grape protection program (IP) was compared to the ZPR program. The level of infection of leaves and grapes by fungal pathogens did not significantly increase due to the implementation of the ZPR spray program. The amount of yield and quality of yield were not decreased significantly, but a small financial loss of EUR 70–400 ha⁻¹ appeared at ZPR grape production when compared to the IP production system. The ZPR system enabled a significant decrease in pesticide residue concentration in wine at a rate of 27 applied pesticide active substances in a rage from 20% to 99%. The goal of producing wine without pesticide residues above the limit concentration of 0.001 mg kg⁻¹ was not completely achieved in these experiments, but we came very close to it with the tested spraying programs. Further finetuning of pesticide positioning and alternative plant protection products in 0-pesticide residue systems is needed.

The long-term use of copper (Cu) fungicides in viticulture in Europe has led to Cu accumulation in vineyard top soils. However, less is known about the accumulation of Cu in grapevine grafts after the callusing process/before planting in the nursery. This paper presents the capacity of 5BB and SO4 rootstocks to accumulate Cu, as well as the patterns of translocation in the grafts. After heat forcing (callusing), the grapevine grafts of Sauvignon Blanc on 5BB and SO4 rootstocks were grown in pots for six months in a glasshouse and exposed to various Cu formulations (Cu-oxychloride, Cu-gluconate) and concentrations in peat (50, 150, 500, and 1000 mg Cu of dry weight (DW)). In addition to monitoring the shoot growth dynamics and analyzing the copper content in graft organs, bioaccumulation (BAFs) and translocation factors (TFs) of Cu were calculated. The mean Cu concentrations were ranked as follows: roots (15–164) > rootstock trunks (8–38) > canes (5–21) mg kg⁻¹ DW. The Cu concentrations depended on the Cu formulation and concentration in the substrate. Higher Cu content was found in the roots of both rootstocks (5BB and SO4, 23–155 and 15–164 mg kg⁻¹ DW, respectively) and the lowest in the canes (less than 10 mg kg⁻¹ DW) of grafts grown in Cu-oxychloride-treated peat. Based on the BAFs and TFs, both rootstocks could be considered as Cu exclusive. A higher translocation rate was determined in systemic Cu-gluconate and SO4 rootstock. With shoot length measurements, the significant inhibitory effects of Cu on grapevine grafts growth could not be confirmed, despite the inhibitory effects that were clearly expressed in the first two months of growth. Soils containing more than 500 mg Cu/kg⁻¹ are less suitable for growing vine grafts.

As a result of worried consumer pressure, European supermarket chains (ESC) have developed very strict rules about the number and concentration of pesticide active substance residues (AS) accepted in fruits. So-called fruit quality toxicological burden indicators were developed. If fruit suppliers do not comply with ESC requirements, their fruit is often rejected. It is becoming increasingly difficult for apple producers to meet all the requirements of the ESC, so they need new residue reduction tools. One of the options to lower the concentrations of residue on apples is a preharvest application of low-risk preparations (LRP) based on potassium bicarbonate (KHCO₃) = PBC, coconut di-ethanol amide ((CH₃(CH₂)_nC(=O)N(CH₂CH₂OH)₂) = DEA, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) = HP, and a mixture of microbes (EM) that have the ability to dissolve or disintegrate the AS residue. Trials were carried out to test the concept mentioned above. The application of LRP during the last four weeks of preharvest significantly reduced the residue concentration of pesticide AS in apples. Reduction rates among 25 active substances ranged from 0 to 100%, depending on the combination of LRP and AS. HP had the highest capacity to accelerate AS degradation, PB was the second most efficient, and DEA and EM displayed a low residue disintegration ability. The application of the tested LRP can enable apple growers to produce fruits with significantly lower residue concentrations and allows them to comply more successfully with strict ESC rules based on the calculations of toxicological burden indicators.

In the growing seasons of 2021 and 2022, two field experiments in a Williams pear and an Abate Fetel pear orchard were conducted at location Bilje near Nova Gorica. The effectiveness of two spraying programs for suppressing the marmorated stink bug (MSB) was analyzed. In program A, insecticides based on the active substances acetamprid, pyriproxyfen, spirotetramat, indoxacarb, lambda-cyhalothrin, and abamectin were used. In program B, insecticides based on the active substances acetamprid, pyriproxyfen, deltamethrin, phosmet, and abamectin were used, combined with alternative repellent preparations. In 2021, we had 23 % of fruit damaged by MSB in the Williams variety and 25% in the Abate Fetel variety, both in the untreated control plots. In 2022, the percentage of fruits damaged by MSB in the control plots was 30 % in the Williams variety and 30% in the Abate Fetel variety. The effectiveness of spraying program A in reducing the proportion of damaged fruit by MSB was 34 to 78 % in 2021 and 60 to 70 % in 2022. The effectiveness of spraying program B in reducing the proportion of damaged fruit was 34 to 78 % in 2021 and 60 to 70 % in 2022. We can not entirely prevent economically relevant crop losses with the tested spray programs.