Led by David Gadoury since the 1990s
David Gadoury and team - UV-C technology against powdery mildew
Cornell AgriTech researchers' major breakthrough: They discovered that powdery mildew fungi turn off their DNA repair mechanisms at night. This biological vulnerability makes it possible to achieve 80-100% efficacy even with low-dose UV-C light.
📺 Watch Cornell Video
🌙 Nighttime Vulnerability (The "Dark" Secret):
Fungi possess a defense mechanism (photolyase enzyme) that immediately repairs UV-induced DNA damage during the day.
Cornell researchers discovered that this mechanism is inactive at night. When UV-C light is applied in darkness,
the fungus cannot defend itself, and its DNA is irreversibly damaged.
💡 The Result:
This method allows us to protect crops without chemicals, using only light.
Weekly nighttime treatments have been proven to replace fungicides in powdery mildew control.
The research results in a technology that drastically reduces fungicide use and increases food safety.
Laboratory results have been successfully translated to practical applications with tractor-mounted and autonomous systems.