Grape cultivation in Iran has a long history, and the country ranks ninth in global grape production. However, in terms of yield per unit area and the quality of the products in some regions, there is still a significant gap from the optimal level, and the cost of producing each kilogram of grapes is relatively high. This results in reduced economic efficiency and an inability to compete with other countries. Gray mold is one of the main limiting factors for commercial grape production in many countries, including Iran. Primary infection of the clusters often occurs in the vineyard, but the development of the disease and the damage to the fruit usually happen post-harvest, during transportation, and especially in storage. To control gray mold, the use of fungicides, especially in regions with higher rainfall, alongside non-chemical preventive methods, is common worldwide. Even one infected berry in a box of grapes can cause severe damage to the entire fruit inside, as the fungus can grow at cold storage temperatures (0.5°C to +0.5°C) and spread from the infected clusters to healthy ones through airborne mycelium. Pyrimethanil fungicide (Milis® 30% SC) is the first fungicide registered in Iran for controlling grape cluster gray mold, and it is used as a spray one to two weeks before harvest.
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