We can provide commercial hot water treatment on request. We have a up and running hot water plant to treat material and vines before it goes to our clients!
Hot water treatment (HWT) has been used successfully to disinfest plant material, including seeds and storage organs, since the 19th century and remains the only effective means of controlling a number of important pests and pathogens in grape-vine propagating and planting material for which there are no other practical chemical or biological controls. HWT is occasionally confused with thermotherapy, a technique used for virus control; however HWT does not control viruses.
The design of HWT plant and equipment varies, but usually consists of one or more hydrating tanks that are used to pre-soak material in cold water before treatment, an insulated HWT tank with a heat source and a pump to circulate the water, and one or more cool-down tanks for plunging treated material to facilitate rapid cooling. Material that is to be treated is packed in mesh baskets for insertion into the tanks, usually by means of a forklift or block and tackle. Baskets are slightly smaller than the tanks to allow a 300mm gap between the walls and floor of the tank to facilitate water circulation in the HWT tank. Tanks and baskets are normally constructed of stainless or galvanized steel to prevent rust.